Any conversation about books always brings up the seemingly invisible but powerful divide in the reading world - The readers of Fiction and the readers of Non-Fiction. The readers of fiction are what come to mind when you typically imagine a reader. We have all met this type of person - who delights in reading a particular genre of books and has a particular favorite writer and will only be satisfied once they have read every available book from that writer ( e.g - a friend of mine was obsessed with Perry Mason books written by Erle Stanley Gardner ). There is an obsessive quality to their reading and they are always on the lookout for other people who share their exact passions. In the era before the internet, this was difficult and you would met very few people who shared the exact same passion. But now, you are just one Google search away to join and revel in your specific fandom. This has given rise to vibrant communities of world-wide fan clubs on social media - the many fan clubs of the Harry Potter series come to mind - participating in which is quite rewarding in terms of find your own niche community.
However sometimes , fiction readers are guilty of ignoring the revolution in Non-fiction publishing that has occurred in the last 20 years.Earlier, non-fiction books were mostly academic - books on different topics or at best a collection of essays. But of late they have become quite readable and engaging. The ability to distill ideas whether they be in science, history or even biographies and present it in a language accessible to common readers has widened the range of delightful books available for reading.
In that vein, here are two non-fiction recommendations for readers of fiction.This is not meant to be the definitive list of non-fiction.This is only meant to interest fiction fans to actually pick up a Non-fiction book and find the same joy that they do when reading thier favourite fictional works
At Home - A Short History of Private Life By Bill Bryson
Bill Bryson is an American-British writer known for his travel writing who has written books about his travels in the UK , Australia and Europe and has an uncanny ability of writing clear simple sentences that makes even the most complex topic understandable.But his greatest gift is the ability to be funny even when tackling a difficult subject. His humor appears unexpectedly - often ironic and satirical but it also has the ability to be slapstick if required.When I picked up At Home… which was his first book that I read, I was astounded by how funny actual history can turn out to be. In At Home, Bryson takes a unique view of the historical landscape - instead of looking at kings and queen and wars and discoveries - Bryson writes about the history of each room in the modern home - from the front garden and the drawing room to the kitchen and the bedroom.He not only describes the evolution of a room but also the fascinating history of everyday objects found in them. For example, when describing how Salt & Pepper shakers became indispensable dining room fixtures in the modern home, he reveals the fascinating pre-modern history of Pepper :
Pepper has been appreciated since time immemorial in India, but it was the Romans who made it an international commodity. Romans loved pepper. They even peppered their desserts.Their attachment to it kept the price high and gave it a lasting value. Spice traders couldn’t believe their luck.‘They arrive with gold and depart with pepper,’ one Tamil trader remarked in wonder. When the Goths threatened to sack Rome in 408, the Romans bought them off with a tribute that included three thousand pounds of pepper.
This book is also a reminder that a vast majority of the comforts that we take for granted in the modern home are relatively recent inventions. Before electricity, candles ( made from animal fat which smelled ) and oil lamps were the only reliable illumination during the night time with many families sitting around a solitary candle in the night to read, write letters or eat. Most beds were notoriously uncomfortable - mattresses being stuffed with straw, horse-hair, wood shavings, corn husk and wool.Kitchens did not have sinks till the 20th century and the washing of dishes was done in a separate room called the scullery etc.So on reading, one does start to appreciate the conveniences of modern life a little more than before.
Bryson comes across as someone who is a collector of interesting facts and his funny but clear style of writing makes At Home.. a real un-put-down-able page-turner.There is not a single dull moment in this book.
Atomic Habits by James Clear
As a reader I have never been a great fan of self-improvement or self-help books.The advice that you find in most books of this genre is either impractical or applicable only under a very specific set of circumstances - be it about losing weight, managing finances or career progression.But Atomic Habits is not like those books. Man is a creature of habit and most people believe that to fundamentally change an aspect of their life they need to put in a huge effort and exert tremendous will power. Atomic Habits instead highlights the point that true lasting behavior change is a result of small adjustments to your daily routine done consistently over a period of time so as to become your very nature.
Atomic Habits though based on the science of human behavior , is not a scientific treatise but an operating manual.It helps people understand that the reason why they fail to reach their goals is not because of a lack of this illusory thing called ‘Will Power’ but because they have not built systems ( or habits ) which can help deliver the result. It makes an important distinction between Goals and Systems - Goals are about the results you want to achieve, systems are about the processes that lead to those results.The fascinating thing about this book is that not only is it structured in terms of what James Clear calls - ‘The Four laws of behavior change’ a step by step approach of setting up beneficial habits but also calls bullshit on a lot of what goes as conventional wisdom in the society. Conventional wisdom elevates motivation as a key factor in change but in reality, the brain is actually wired to do the least effort in any given situation and motivation is not reliable.Conventional wisdom assumes winners are losers are different breeds of people but actually winners and losers both have the same goal - to win. The book is packed with practical and reasonable advice on how to improve your life through changes in habits and it definitely one of the most useful books I have read.It is not a book that you will read and forget after satisfying your intellectual curiosity but something which will linger in your mind for long.