Why You Should Dive into Fiction and Where to Start
Why You Should Dive into Fiction and Where to Start
Reading fiction is not just a pleasant pastime; it’s a necessary and important activity. While non-fiction books on self-improvement, business, and branding can enhance specific skills, fiction offers unique benefits that are often overlooked. Here’s why you should dive into fiction and where to start:
The Unique Benefits of Fiction
Fiction is special and essential for several reasons:
- Self-Discovery and Relationships: Fiction allows you to better understand yourself and build relationships with others. By reading novels, novellas, and short stories, you learn to see things from different perspectives and understand those viewpoints. This broadens your life experience and makes it more colorful and multifaceted.
- Emotional Intelligence: While scientific and psychological books can describe emotions and behaviors, fiction lets you experience them. By empathizing with characters, you develop your emotional intelligence (EQ) and empathy.
- Leadership Skills: Fiction helps you become a thought leader by teaching you to articulate your viewpoint, listen to others, delegate tasks, and enjoy the process.
Top 5 Fiction Recommendations
Here are some top fiction recommendations to get you started:
- “A Thousand Splendid Suns” by Khaled Hosseini: This novel paints a vivid picture of a family that moves from Norway to America. The young protagonist, initially unhappy about the move, meets an unusual girl, and a unique and powerful love story unfolds. This romantic novel is filled with sensuousness, joyful adventures, and a magical atmosphere that finds beauty in everyday life.
- “Don’t Tell Anyone” by Irena Karpa: This psychological thriller delves into topics often silenced or forgotten, such as domestic violence, rape, and bullying. The story follows Margo, a photographer living in Paris, as she uncovers dark secrets and confronts her past.
- “The Paris Seamstress” by Natasha Lester: The protagonist, Rosa Kustacher, has built a fashion empire with her talent for selecting the perfect outfit for any occasion. One day, her usual confidence wavers, and she finds herself at a loss. This leads her to reflect on her life story, which hasn’t always been one of luxury and comfort.
- “The Recipe for the Perfect Wife” by Karma Brown: Alice Hale leaves her PR career to become a writer. Moving from New York to a quiet suburb with her husband, she finds herself bored and unfulfilled. One day, she discovers an old cookbook belonging to the previous owner of their house, Nelly Murdoch, and finds encrypted clues about married life that resonate with her own experiences.
- “The Little Black Dress, The Little White Lie” by Laura Stampler: This captivating story follows Harper Anderson as she searches for herself, builds a career, and navigates adulthood in a big city. Harper has always dreamed of living in a metropolis, and when she gets an internship at an elite teen magazine, she seizes the opportunity, despite her lack of dating experience.
If you are a specialist in your field and want to share your insights with the September audience, email us at writer@september.is. Include information about yourself, your work, and the topic you wish to write about.
