World Book Day was recently celebrated on April 23, 2020 to reiterate the importance of books and reading in our lives, something that IILM believes in and inculcates in its students. The first World Book Day was celebrated on 23 April in 1995 and continues to be celebrated on that day. The original idea to celebrate this day was of the Spanish writer Vicente Clavel Andrés to honour author Miguel de Cervantes who died on 23 April. In 1995, UNESCO too decided that the World Book and Copyright Day would be celebrated on 23 April as the date is anniversary of the death of not just Cervantes but also of William Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, a historical coincidence.

IILM encourages its students to read by stocking the library with interesting books that are not text books and by Book Clubs and Societies. During, the lockdown, students are at home with ample time on their hands so IILM has decided to share a list of books with students to guide them about what to read.

Why is reading so important and why does IILM emphases and focuses on reading? Reading expands one’s horizons, improves one’s written and spoken communication and language and most, importantly, reading allows one to think critically and form opinions. Reading, by increasing a people’s knowledge of the world, opens their minds to a plethora of information, that not only allows them to gather more knowledge but also allows them to think on their own and be able to analyze and justify those thoughts.

With so many benefits of reading, please IILM urges to use this time to cultivate the habit of reading.

IILM has put together a list of top ten non-fiction and fiction books that IILM recommend for students to read under lockdown. Today we share with you the list of non-fiction books, i.e, books that are informative or factual rather than fictional.You can choose books that interest you. Most of them are available on kindle and soft copies of some are even available free online. You can even choose them as audio books and hear them.

You do not have to read all. Even if you read one book it is a beginning.

Happy reading!

Top Ten Non-Fiction Books by IILM

1. Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach: A simple and easy book to read with depth of life’s philosophy, Jonathan Livingston Seagull is an ode to self-determination through transcendence of the body and discovery of the limitless nature of the mind and the spirit. The story is told through Jonathan, a seagull, who longs to be in control of his own life and govern himself independently of his dominating, small-minded Flock and how he achieves it.

2. Who Moved My Cheese by Dr Spencer Johnson: An easy read with text interspersed with illustrations, this is a self help book where ‘Cheese’ is a metaphor for what you want to have in life – it could be a good job, loving relationship, money or health. The very core message of the book is that things constantly change so we must adapt. The quicker we adapt a change the more satisfied we will be.

3. The Monk who Sold his Ferrari by Robin Sharma: An inspiration book, The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari tells the extraordinary story of Julian Mantle, a lawyer forced to confront the spiritual crisis of his out-of-balance life, and the subsequent wisdom that he gains on a life-changing odyssey that enables him to create a life of passion, purpose and peace. What readers all over the globe appreciate about this book is its deft amalgam of the philosophies from both western and eastern worlds.

4. The Prophet by Khalil Gibran: The Prophet provides timeless spiritual wisdom on a range of subjects, including giving, eating and drinking, clothes, buying and selling, crime and punishment, laws, teaching, time, pleasure, religion, death, beauty and friendship. A book of 26 prose poetry fables written in English by the Lebanese-American poet and writer Kahlil Gibran, corresponding to each chapter are evocative drawings by Gibran himself. This book, written in beautiful verse, is a guide to many situations in life.

5. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie: This self-help book published in 1936 has sold over 30 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling books of all time. Carnegie shares 12 ways to improve. These include the ability to make friends quickly, increase popularity, boost influence, win clients, raise your salary, make you a better salesperson, and help you inspire coworkers to increase their excitement and productivity. The simple concepts put forward by Carnegie are timeless and continue to be relevant.

6. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen R. Covey: This book hit the business and self-help book list like a hurricane in the early 1990s. Drawing on aspects of the philosophies of ancient thinkers like Aristotle, Benedict, and Cicero, Covey repackages some of the foundational precepts into easily understood lesson for the current audience. The author’s tone is positive, pushing readers to believe that anything is possible with a can-do attitude and solid determination. It is a book that reminds that we are always in a constant state of improving ourselves both in our personal lives and professional careers.

7. First, Break all the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman’s: This is an interesting read for Management students because the main premise of the book is that despite differences of backgrounds, educations, cultures, and leadership styles, successful managers share one key component – the tenacity to break every rule held sacred by conventional business leadership. The concepts delivered are not specific to any one type of organization or manager providing specific ways a manager can improve her leadership and make her organization more effective.

8. Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman: This international bestseller goes beyond self-help philosophies to unveil where success begins – in the mind. Kahneman introduces and explains two systems that drive the way we think – System One and System Two. The first system contains emotional, intuitive, and fast-paced thinking. The second system is described as logical, more deliberate, and slower. The author argues that understanding these two systems is imperative to know how to make the right decisions in the professional and personal realms in which we exist.

9. Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Noah Harari: For those interested in the history of the humans this is the author’s account of how the humans conquered the Earth. Some of his theories astonish with their scope and imagination. Yuval Noah Harari’s Sapiens avoids simplistic explanations of the evolution of the sapiens and offers an exceptional retelling of the human story seasoned with many personal reflections on man’s tenancy of the planet.

10. The 5 am Club by Robin Sharma: The 5 am Club is a trailblazing and astonishing story of two everyday human beings seeking greater productivity, prosperity and serenity in this age of digital distraction and overwhelming complexity who meet a most weird and wonderful tycoon. The book that talks about how great geniuses, business titans and the world’s wisest people start their mornings; the formula to wake up early feeling inspired, focused with a fiery drive; and a method to protect the quietest hours of daybreak, unfolds a neuroscience-based practice proven to make it easy to rise while most people are sleeping.