While the “10% of the brain” myth is debunked, one fact remains unchangeable: our mind can do more than we think. Regular training is required not only for our body but for our brain too. Reading books is a good way of developing our mental skills. Printed or audio, they help us learn new things, improve our critical and logical thinking, increase our IQ. Not every book is like that, but the five from our list will certainly keep your brain in shape.
1. Thinking, Fast and Slow
Author: Daniel Kahneman
Originally published: 2011
One-sentence summary: Your survival at least and your life success at most are directly connected to how well you master two systems of your brain: the first is fast and emotional, the second is slow and logical.
What readers say about this book
Why it is useful for you: Kahneman gives insights on how we think and make choices engaging the audience in a friendly conversation. It is not a big, boring book with little real-life application. The narration is based on examples that everyone knows and understands. The book helps you understand the nature of your decisions and judgments in the various situations from college and work to personal relationships.
Video review
2. The Undefeated Mind: On the Science of Constructing an Indestructible Self
Author: Dr. Alex Lickerman
Originally published: 2012
One-sentence summary: This book guides you on a way to rebuilding your mind, facing challenges, and seeing problems as a motivation to become stronger.
What readers say about this book
Why it is useful for you: Lots of people have already used Dr. Lickerman’s principles and overcame such problems as addiction, unemployment, illness, and loss. The book shows how you can apply these methods to your difficult life situation, get power to improve yourself and become happy. The author highlights that life is never easy, but we need to accept this fact and develop our inner strength to enjoy every day we live.
Video review
3. The Power of Habit
Author: Charles Duhigg
Originally published: 2012
One-sentence summary: If you understand how human habitual behavior works, you can harness your bad habits.
What readers say about this book
Why it is useful for you: This book is a must-read for everyone who is fighting their bad habits. Charles Duhigg explains that habits are not our destiny. By getting their nature, we can transform how productive we are in college, at work, at home. The Power of Habit reveals the secret why some people and businesses struggle to improve themselves, despite how hard they try, while others seem to change themselves by a swish of a magic wand.
Video review
4. Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid
Author: Douglas R. Hofstadter
Originally published: 1999
One-sentence summary: GEB is a challenging book where math, computers, and artificial intelligence are intertwined with music, literature, and art.
What readers say about this book
Why it is useful for you: This book teaches seeing patterns and symbols where others see nothing. Through the symbols, the author explains what human consciousness is and how our brain actually works. However, it is filled with easy to understand dialogs and “stories in stories”, the book still sometimes tends to melt your brain.
Video review
5. A Short History of Nearly Everything
Author: Bill Bryson
Originally published: 2003
One-sentence summary: The book is an involving and entertaining explanation of the human development from The Big Bang to our days.
What readers say about this book
Why it is useful for you: The older we become, the more questions about our world raise in our heads. Bill Bryson tries to give us the answers and understand how we got from being nothing to being us nowadays. A Short History of Nearly Everything covers many areas of human knowledge including biology, chemistry, and physics. With the help of it, you will not only increase your intelligence but also will have an ability to impress a few people during any conversation.
Video review
6. Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
Author: Yuval Noah Harari
Originally published: 2014
One-sentence summary: This book provides readers with an entertaining tale of human evolution and explores the way modern societies have been formed.
What readers say about this book
Why it is useful for you: Harari uses entertaining language and a combination of his human psychology and anthropology knowledge to weave a fascinating tale of why societies are the way they are today. The author’s dedication to exploring the past makes for an astonishing read. Connecting the dots between the world that existed billions of years before we were born and our familiar surroundings, the author restates a very simple yet groundbreaking truth about everything being related and the universe being a great archive of memory where every page is a mystery. This is definitely one of the books that increase intelligence and ignite your curiosity.
7. Atomic Habits
Author: James Clear
Originally published: 2018
One-sentence summary: This book presents an extremely effective guide on how to eliminate your detrimental habits and acquire good ones in a matter of months.
What readers say about this book
Why it is useful for you: Did you know some habits might actually impede our development as individuals? If you are looking for books that make you smarter, this one is the best choice. James Clear provides science-based reasoning on why we need to acquire healthy habits and remove bad ones from our existence without shaking up our entire routine. Clear believes that you don’t require a literal revolution in your everyday life to change those habits. He elaborates on why the power of small, gradual changes is so important. The book is a perfect gift for readers of all ages and backgrounds as it features motivational advice and practical tips that any of us can apply without messing up our schedule on a large scale.
8. The Art of War
Author: Sun Tzu
Originally published: 5th Century BCE
One-sentence summary: This tome on how to become an excellent strategist and leader will help modern readers take control of their lives and always remain in charge.
What readers say about this book
Why it is useful for you: The Art of War, despite being a rather ancient book, nevertheless remains untouched by time in terms of its approach to resolving conflicts and dealing with someone who considers themselves to be your opponent in real life. The treatise extends its impact beyond the battlefield, allowing you to learn the principles of planning ahead and remaining ready for battle even if it is a figurative one. Navigating their daily routine with The Art of War will be an excellent solution for people who are used to accomplishing their goals.
9. The Innovator’s Dilemma
Author: Clayton Christensen
Originally published: 1997
One-sentence summary: This book is both a cautionary tale and a revelation that will inform the readers about the reasons the companies don’t achieve progress and how to avoid these mistakes.
What readers say about this book
Why it is useful for you: The Innovator’s Dilemma is one of the best books to make you smarter. Christensen conducts a spectacular study on why we should not trust the common tips on how to run businesses effectively and why multi-million dollar companies can fail to advertise their product and offer valuable innovations despite having all the resources to do so and using marketing strategies to achieve success. The Innovator’s Dilemma is great because it does not require you to be an entrepreneur to understand what the author is saying and is easily accessible for a general audience.
10. Outliers: The Story of Success
Author: Malcolm Gladwell
Originally published: 2008
One-sentence summary: This is one of the books that increase intelligence by providing an unusual look on different factors that contribute to success.
What readers say about this book
Why it is useful for you: Gladwell does not acknowledge the traditional methods of achieving success, allowing the readers to forge their own path and utilize his methods on how to accomplish every goal in life. The author believes that being diligent is not the key to achieving fame and popularity and definitely not a universal recipe for success. Through anecdotal stories, he recounts the tales of how individuals gained recognition due to cultural differences, social factors, and outright opportunism. Gladwell emphasizes the importance of external influence when it comes to personal achievements and encourages the readers to use every opportunity to climb the social ladder.
Have you read any of these books? ScamFighter would be happy to hear your opinion on them. Do not hesitate to share it with us. If some personal development books have really helped you become smarter, stronger, or more confident, tell us, and you will see it in the update of this article.
