Reading Books in excess is never harmful

If you would like to have conversation with the finest people of the past centuries, you would be reading all good books. Descartes, a philosopher and great man of several prestigious titles would never be wrong and he quoted this about books. To quote someone of our era, the philanthropist, who gave us WINDOWS to sit by all day watching the world, Bill Gates, retires to reading books by his windows, at the end the day.

If you were an avid reader already, i can promise you something. At the end of this article, you would have empathised with me on reading books and would have picked up that untouched new books on your shelf. As a bonus, you will also have a list of 5 books recommended by Bill Gates a good read for 2020.

Books are your best friends

You know you’ve read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend.”

Paul Sweeney

There is always a book for your mood. Reading a book consoles you with words when you are feeling sad and surprise you with its twists, when you are least expecting.

Unlike the friend, who is constantly posting on social media, awaiting your acknowledgment and nice comments. Books, realistically reflect what life is all about and address your needs. Instead of commenting or questioning you, they empower you when needed.

Books stand witness to your mistakes yet never stops supporting you to honour your promises. Aren’t these the perfect qualities of a friend?

Reading a book makes the best getaway

The person who deserves most pity is a lonesome one on a rainy day who doesn’t know how to read.”

Benjamin Franklin

As a best companion, books also help you escape the world from all the chaos, complexities and mundane of everyday life. They do not just open the door to secret chambers but also to several opportunities, you didn’t know existed. You might even find that sorcerer’s stone, if you are the modern potter looking to sell studded pots.

Books feed to your unconfined imaginations and take you to your la-la lands at no cost. Every Sherlock Holmes fan did not just know the art of deduction to solve crimes, but also knew Baker’s Street very well. That’s the marvel of narration a writer could feast the readers with. 

Your Life lessons

As informative as they make you, every book comes in with a character. They introduce themselves to you as strangers, and slowly become a part of you, as you indulge reading a book.

Books challenge your belief sometimes and change your perspective of the world altogether. They substantiate their point with some indubitable facts basis real life experiences and years of research. You will be surprised to realise your decade old habit was just a myth. You might even simply resolve a problem that you were running away from, with a silliest solution.

The magic of the book is in the power of words. They teach life lessons your parents struggle to explain you. 

Books are your best field guide

Like Online MAPS, Books are your guide when you are completely lost for guidance to take your step forward.

History holds a plenty of real life experiences, horrendous blunders, terrific inventions and surreptitious practices. They have been imprinted in it for us to consume and comprehend. This way, it gets easy to face our real life challenges and move forward. Specially without repeating a mistake of the past that reaped undeserved consequences. Oblivious to this, we would have easily paid a huge cost to our life.

Windows or Doors?

He may be the smartest person to introduce WINDOWS to us, but not stupid enough to understand the value of DOORS that opens to new worlds. As promised, listed below are 5 books, of completely different genres, recommended by Bill Gates himself for a good read.

• An American Marriage, by Tayari Jones
• These Truths, by Jill Lepore
• Growth, by Vaclav Smil
• Prepared, by Diane Tavenner
• Why We Sleep, by Matthew Walker

It is absolutely fine, if none of these interest you. But do buy, borrow, or simply pick up a book sleeping on your shelf for a while. Reading a book is all that matters.

Remember, books are easily one of the best sources of knowledge, that even when consumed in excess keeps you grounded.

Go get them now and make phew changes, I promise you will love.