There is nothing more pleasurable than to immerse yourself in a delightful book on a sunny or rainy afternoon. Every book has something to say and something to teach you, and a good book tends to stay with us for a long time. A good book also educates us on where we are in life and where we can be.
You will find many people in your life who claim that your life will change if you read a certain book. For example, the very popular book ‘The Secret’ by Rhonda Byrne is a very famous book that is often quoted by celebrities even. There are innumerable benefits of reading books, out of which the most important one is that books transport you to places unknown and enrich your mind with persevering, fantastic, and sparkling characters that often stay with you for a lifetime.
When it comes to students, who spend most of their time studying and mugging up concepts and managing their study schedules, and worrying about covering their syllabus, there are certain books that can take you to a world away from all this. Just for a short while, when you read these books, you will gain some stunning insights, life lessons, stories, and maybe even a creative spark to write something of your own. Here are some of the best books to read for students.
- The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
If you haven’t read it already, you must do so at the earliest. Beautifully written by the famous writer Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist is a book that resonates with every one of us as we follow the journey of the protagonist Santiago, who is an Andalusian shepherd boy. The book teaches you about listening to our hearts and following our passion. The book tells us about the basic desires of humans and how we often hide some of our passions deep within us, fearing what the world and society will say. This is one of the best books for students as it tells you how to recognize opportunities, listen to your heart, and follow your dreams. Most important, the book tells you that if you listen to society and the world, you will find that everyone seems to have a very clear idea about how others should live their lives, but they don’t want any interference when it comes to their own life.
The key takeaway from The Alchemist for every student is to never stop dreaming and keep pursuing your destiny.
- 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
This book was written in the conditions of the 90s when people were looking to increase productivity in their businesses. The book tells you about how habits can be developed and what types of habits can help you become highly productive. The author, Stephen R. Covey, portrays his belief that habits develop as a result of your repeated actions along with a level of commitment. The book is available in four parts, through which it introduces and explains the seven habits that can make a person highly effective and great. The seven habits include:
- Being proactive, for example, actively choosing to be happy.
- Being with the end in mind.
- Put first things first and schedule your priorities instead of prioritizing what is on your schedule.
- Think about winning and put into practice winning actions.
- Seek to understand first and then think about being understood, meaning that you should listen with the intent to understand, not with an intent to reply.
- Synergize and put the habit of synergy in every walk of life.
- Sharpen the saw, meaning make excellent a habit, not an act.
- How to Win Friend and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
How can a list of the best books to read for students be complete without the works of Dale Carnegie! Even though this book was first published way back in 1936, but the principles discussed in this book are still very much relevant today. The book talks about the strategies and techniques on how to win over people to your way of thinking, how to handle people, and how to become a great leader who others will follow.
This book is one of the best books for those students who are not good at socializing. It is a perfect read before joining the corporate world or even for those who want to run their own business.
The eight golden rules mentioned in the book include:
- Have an intense desire to learn and apply the principles that govern communications and human relationships.
- Read every chapter twice before moving on to the next one.
- Interrupt your reading to ask yourself if you can apply that principle.
- Underline the important ideas to come back to them.
- Read the book every month.
- Practice the principles whenever you can.
- Transform this book into a game.
- Monitor the progress you make every week. Keep asking yourself if you have made any mistakes along the way, what progress you have made, and what lessons you have learned.
- Ignited Minds by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam
This excellent book is dedicated to the youth and the college student. Though the book is written in essay form, it is easy to understand and a must-read for every student. The book questions the attitude of Indians to settle down and accept mediocrity without utilizing their full potential, talent, skills, and resources. The book discourages the youth from blindly following the rat race and emphasizes about the importance of spiritual development in life.
The gist of the book is that change is a critical part of our lives. To bring new thoughts and new ideas and to transform them into innovative actions is what every student must strive for.
- Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Hector Garcia and Albert Liebermann
The book looks at the concept of ikigai, which is popularly practiced in Japan. Ikigai means a reason to jump out of bed every morning, and it is believed to be a combination of four main elements, including:
- What you love – your passion
- What you are good at – your vocation
- What you get paid for – your professional
- What the world needs – your mission
The book tells you about finding your ikigai by asking yourself some pointed questions like:
- What do you love?
- What are you good at?
- What does the world need?
- What can I get paid to do now and in the future?
This is often listed as one of the best books to read for students because it helps clear out any confusion about the future and what you should do to live a happy life.
- The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand is one of the most popular and famous books for the youth. In this book, the author beautiful brings together a story about five characters with the protagonist Howard Roark. The story is all about the beautiful art of survival in a society that refuses to accept your thoughts and principles.
While you might really like the book at first, but stick to it, and as the story progresses, you will find that the life of Roark will make you question your own beliefs and ethics. This book makes you understand that you should never just settle for what is easily offered and available. See how the dreamers and talented people shape their own life by following their own dreams.
The entire purpose of The Fountainhead is to portray the struggle of the free mind and every person’s struggle for individualism and creativity. The struggle against the arbitrary rules of society and how to win against this challenge and follow your dreams is what the book beautifully showcases through the story of Roark.
- As a Man Thinketh by James Allen
Though this book was written several years ago, the fundamental concepts discussed in the book are valid even today. These principles will help you understand the importance of your thoughts and the profound impact they have on your life. For those who are not very fond of reading, this book is only of 50 pages, and you can just finish it within an hour or two. But, even in the 50 pages, the book magnificently conveys the basic keys to happiness.
The book is one of the best books to read for students as it teaches them how to take charge of their life. The underlying message that the book delivers is that you are responsible for the person you are today. So take charge of creating your own happiness, not suffering.
- The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari: A Fable About Fulfilling Your Dreams & Reaching Your Destiny by Robin Sharma
The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari is one of the most read books in the world. Living in the fast-moving world of today, the book emphasizes on how important it is for everyone to understand how life is going. The book, written by famous author Robin Sharma, serves as an alarm for everyone to wake up and understand what life is. The book revolves around the Julian mantle, who spends his entire life earning money and leaving all else, only to be struck by a severe heart attack in his 60s.
This is an inspiring book that tells you to stop living the same day over and over again and call it a life.
It is indeed true that every book teaches you something new and valuable. However, the books described above are some of the must-read books for every student. These books will teach you a lot more than what you will learn in your school and college textbooks and help you create something bigger than yourself.
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