A 21-day lockdown has been imposed in India from 12am today. People are now finding it difficult to engage themselves at home during these hard times. Some people are binge watching Netflix and Amazon Prime while some are busy gaming. But only a few people have realized that now is the perfect time for them to do most of the things which they always wanted to do but their daily student and work-life did not permit. Still with me? I really appreciate that your taking your time out to read this post, especially after reading the title. Now that you have reached till here, I am assuming two things, first, you like reading or always wanted to start reading. Second, you are willing to invest your time doing productive things. So here are some of my picks which I would like to recommend to you.
1. THE MARTIAN
We all are finding it difficult to stay at home for 21 days but have you ever wondered how an astronaut stuck all alone on a planet 227.47 million kilometers from earth would feel like?
This book according to me is perfect for quarantine reading. This Sci-Fiction book by Andy Weir would take you through the journey of a NASA astronaut Mark Watney stuck on mars all alone!!! With limited resources and lost communication from the earth will he be able to return back? Read the book and find out!
2. THE DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL
This is the diary of a 14-year-old Jewish girl Anne Frank (diary entries betweeen June 12, 1942 to March 14, 1944). She narrates her days hiding in a "Secret Annex" with her family to escape persecution under Nazi rule. Her diary entries start on a happy note as she and her family lead a happy life like all until things start getting worse for them as the Jews under the Nazi rule start getting persecuted systematically and she and her family have to go into hiding. She also writes about her struggles during her teenage and hiding. The book is full of emotions, hope and stoicism. She lived in hiding for almost 2 years before getting caught by the Nazis and was sent to concentration camps where she eventually died three months short of her sixteenth birthday.
3. HYPERSPACE
Written by Japanese origin American theoretical physicist, futurist and populariser of science Michio Kaku, Hyperspace will blow your mind. As the book cover says it is a scientific odyssey through parallel universes, time warps, and the 10th dimension.
It has been written in a manner that even a layman with basic knowledge of physics would understand it. Astrophysics and theoretical physics books always leave you in awe of the world around you. They change your perspective of seeing the world around you.
4. PHYSICS OF THE FUTURE
Do you ever spend time wondering how the future world and technologies would look like?
If yes, then you would definitely have a good time reading this book. Michio Kaku has talked to the world's top scientists, innovators, and researchers to give us an insider's perspective on the things that we can expect from science in the coming years. He mentions numerous inventions that we can expect from the future that would transform our lives completely. The best thing about this book is that you just don't need any science background to read it. The language is quite simple and the chapters in the book have been divided based on the field of research.
This book is suitable for beginner readers as well. The book has been written keeping in mind that even laymen can understand it easily.
5. FASTER THAN NORMAL
If you are someone who likes to read self-help books, books that emphasize being more productive, more efficient at work or if you are someone who has always been driven to distraction this book is for you. Peter Shankman writes about how he dealt with his ADHD and used it to improve his focus and productivity. I have written a detailed review of this book earlier.
Do check it out if you haven't read it by clicking at the link given below
6. WHO MOVED MY CHEESE?
We all face difficulties in anticipating and adapting to changes in our work and in our lives. This book came into existence after Dr.Spencer Jonhnson dealt with a difficult change in his life. Who moved my cheese? is a short story that would take around 30 minutes to 1hr to read but would have a profound effect on the reader. The language of the book is very very easy and also it is a very small book(96 pages with half of the area covered with sketches and empty spaces) ideal for beginners.
7. THE QUICK AND EASY WAY TO EFFECTIVE SPEAKING
Out of all the phobias out there Public Speaking is considered as the highest one.
Around 75% of people today suffer from speech anxiety. This anxiety can be because of many reasons like fear of failure/judgment, unfamiliar audience, lack of preparation, etc. This book would help you deal with all these issues and help you become a better public speaker. At some point in time, we all have to speak in front of the audience and no one wants to be embarrassed in front of them. This book is must read and again an ideal one for beginners.
