The Walt Disney Company gave us the most iconic shows and movies of both 20th and 21st century. Do you know what Walter Elias Disney, the founder of the world’s most loved studio, has to say about books?
“There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.”
Books are our companions. Reading has numerous benefits that can be proven by studies conducted by the likes of Yale University’s School of Public Health, which suggests that reading can give you two more years to live. Wondering how it is possible?
Read on to know more.
Why Read?
Even though reading is a sedentary activity, it is the most salubrious.
- Reading is the same as learning a musical instrument, as both can activate new neural pathways, which, in turn, promote longevity.
- Studies show that reading helps in the improvement of one’s language. Also, it affects the neural activities linked to bodily sensations.
- Dementia refers to the decline in the mental abilities of an individual. It refers to a shorter life expectancy and it is here when the activity of reading comes in to play as it stimulates imagination and memories.
- Books contribute to deeper reading, which can nurture creativity. On the other hand, short reads such as newspapers and magazines do not contribute in the same manner.
- Reading demands active participation and, thus, builds cognitive skills.
- Humans are bound to be full of stress due to countless everyday affairs. What comes to their rescue are books. Good books can make you travel the unseen.
- Knowledge is everything and can only be acquired by reading. A reader’s brain is a rainbow full of knowledge and awareness whereas a person who doesn’t read has a brain of grey.
- Reading promotes the enhancement of analytical as well as thinking skills.
- When you read well, you also tend to write well.
Really, this should inspire you to begin reading right away!
Best Books of 2019
- The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
The title of the book refers to Alicia Berenson, who is a famous painter married to a fashion photographer. The book talks about how a seemingly perfect life turns in to a big tragedy.
Alicia allegedly murders her husband one evening by shooting him. Things take a turn when Alicia refuses to talk about the incident. The whole case catches the fancy of the people as she is admitted to Grove, a forensic unit in London. Subsequently, her art pieces start to attract more prices.
The story develops pace when Theo Eaber, a criminal psychotherapist enters the scene. His undying determination and the spirit to unravel the mystery makes us delve deeper into the twists of the story, keeping the readers engaged.
- Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Taylor begins with introducing Daisy, who is from L.A. She has an amazing voice and the beauty of a dove. She loves to party at the Sunset Strip and also enjoys her nights with famous stars.
While enjoying her 20s, she finally gets recognized for her voice and voila lands up in a Band named The Six. The band leader Billy Dunne, on the eve of the tour, gets to know about his girlfriend, Camila’s pregnancy. The tussle between fame and fatherhood makes him go uncontrollable on the road.
- An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen
The story revolves around Jessica Farris and Dr. Shields. It begins with Jessica, who signs up for a psychology study. For her, this activity meant that she will be asked a few questions after which she can collect her money and leave.
However, as the questions pass and turn into outings, she starts to feel claustrophobic. She is asked to wear clothes and to act in accordance with how the Doctor expects her to.
Eventually, things take a turn for the worse and she starts to panic. It is the manipulative experiments of the doctor that make her paranoid. What remains ahead is how she escapes the trap of the crazy-psychologist.
- Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James
This book boasts of a great story with unforgettable characters. In this book, Marlon takes us all on an adventure to the impenetrable forests and across dark forests homing creatures of unknown origins.
The protagonist, Tracker plays the role of a skilled hunter in search of a boy who went missing three years back. He crosses his path with a group, which also comes in search of the lost boy. Tracker breaks his own rule of hunting alone and, perhaps, this decision is what he may wish to reconsider later. Along the way, he is greeted by various questions in his head about the lost boy and his mysterious disappearance.
The novel surely promises to keep us engaged with unforgettable characters. It also tries to assess the fundamentals of veracity, the extent of our power, the glut of ambition, and lastly, it looks forward to teaching us a lot.
- The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff
The novel is all about sisterhood, courage, womanhood, and strength that all women carry within them.
It starts with the entry of Grace Healey, a widow trying to bring her life together post her husband’s death in the war. She comes across a bag full of pictures of hundreds of women belonging to Eleanor Trigg, a female secret agent. Out of these, 12 women were deployed in London as radio operators. What makes the situation spooky in Grace’s mind is the fact that these women never returned to their homeland. It is this mystery that makes her get out of her house in search of the long forgotten truth.
While trying to find the answers, she meets Marie, a young mother, and an agent. Together, Marie and Grace walk on the road towards the truth making the readers feel the emotions of friendship, bravery, and perfidy.
What other books do you think one must read this year? Let me sign off by quoting Jim Rohn,
‘Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary.’
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