As a part of my 2020 resolution; I completed 12 books and was successful in my aim to finish a book per month. Books have always been one of my great joys. No matter what my state of mind is, there is always a book apt for my mood.
Personally, I always prefered fiction; but 2020 found me tapping into the non-fiction zone as well. I discovered some amazing new authors and read those by the classic ones too.
In this post, I have gone the extra mile and put together a list of the important lessons I learned from each of these books. Happy Reading!
January read: Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life
While reading this book, I thought it would be a deep dive into the ‘hows’ of finding Ikigai. Albeit, it is more like an introduction to a variety of subtopics this concept is based upon. This book touches the aspects of life which can help one achieve a long and happy life. Ikigai is a Japanese concept which means a reason to jump out of bed every morning!
Learning: While there are ample of things one can learn from this book; what hit me the most was that ‘small efforts make a huge impact’. In order to achieve something, you need not start with the attractive huge leap or be overambitious. Taking small efforts one by one will take you far! That’s how I started cleaning my balcony at home — one step at a time!
February Read: The Best of O. Henry
This is a collection of short stories from the extensive collection of work that O.Henry has left behind. These short stories will give you a chance to read the wide range of his writings. This is a must-read for all those who love classics and also want to keep it short.
Learning: O. Henry has the best kind of writing. I particularly gained an insight into human nature and how it is affected by different emotions and situations. Most of the stories had an unexpected twist towards the end.
March Read: The Tatas: How a Family Built a Business and a Nation
I have always been a fan of The Tata Family and Business. This book is originally written in Marathi and then was beautifully translated in other languages. It puts together how different generations of Tata invested in their business and hence the nation by creating social wealth.
Learning: Since this book chronicles all the important contributions by the Tata Family; the key take away according to me was the investment Tatas made in the people. As an HR professional, my stakeholders are the employees of the organization. Not only the Tata Family had business acumen; they also never emphasised on profits. Furthermore, I absolutely love their ingrained value system of integrity and trust. I also adore Ratan Naval Tata and his contribution to Indian society.
April Read: Tuesdays with Morrie
This is sort of a memoir based on a conversation between a dying professor and a young student (author). The professor recollects real-life experiences and learnings and treats Mitch as his last student and gives him life lessons as opposed to the academic ones.
Learning: ‘Live as it is your last day’ is something I have learned from this book. Most of the time we take the opportunities presented to us for granted; we keep things to ourselves and not open up; we always think that we HAVE time; whereas the truth is we don’t.
Everyone knows they’re going to die, but nobody believes it. — Morrie
May Read: Origin
According to me, this is by far Dan Brown’s best thriller novel! As an avid follower of the author, the themes of all his novels have always been up to date. Brown’s protagonist Robert Langdon sets on a journey, much like in his previous novels, trying to unravel mysteries left behind by the dead by cracking codes.
Learning: Research and true facts put together can make an amazing plot. As a budding writer, I am always in search of an intriguing plot, how characters are developed, and so on. However, in this book —
“All art, architecture, locations, science, and religious organizations in this novel are real.”
This is a line from the prologue of the book which captured my eye that very instant. In a particular interview, the author said it took two years for him to research the facts and figures used in this novel! Crazy dedication, right?
June Read: Kafka on the shore
This novel depicts the story of two characters — a young boy and an ageing simpleton. Their paths converge at some point in the book which reveals the reasons for all the unusual happenings in the book. Before I knew it I was hooked on to this book! This also happens to be the first book I read by Murakami and he has certainly become one of my favourite authors. This book is unconventional and plot depiction is left to the readers.
Learning: Nothingness. There is nothing this book tries to achieve in particular; there is only a rush of emotions that carries you in this journey. Sometimes, doing things because you like them without an aim to achieve something can make the ride and its outcome as exciting and fulfilling as this novel.
July Read: The Librarian of Auschwitz
This novel is a young adult fiction based on the life of Dita Kraus. She never let any circumstance falter her love for reading books, even when she was sent to Auschwitz as a teenager. In the concentration camp, she went on to become a librarian who saved the only ragged books available to them. It’s a story that takes you through the Holocaust period and how people survived.
Learning: This book took me on an emotional journey where instances from Dita Kraus’s life at Holocaust and her ‘it is okay to be fearful and yet shine’ attitude gave me a different perspective altogether.
Brave people are not the ones who aren’t afraid. — Antonio Iturbe
I am also attaching some of the quotes from this book which are extremely inspirational here. Have a read!
August Read: Don’t Lose Your Mind, Lose Your Weight
This book is an eye-opener for everyone who is trying to lead a healthy lifestyle. The author is a celebrity dietician and believe you me, not everyone can afford her services (including me). This book is for people like us. All her knowledge is put together in a systematic format for those who are wanting to lose weight and not their mind.
Learning: What I gathered from this book was that life is simple. It is we who try to complicate it with fad diets and odd exercises.
September Read: Think Like a Monk
Think Like a Monk is a book by a former monk Jay Shetty who is set on a journey to spread the knowledge to this world. Unlike any other self-help book, he gives a glimpse of practical steps that could be practised easily by everyone.
Learning: Each chapter has its own set of lessons but the one that hit me hard was — how to find your purpose and follow it in everyday life.
October Read: Atomic Habits
Atomic Habits is a proven framework for inculcating a new habit or discontinuing an old one. Extremely practical in its approach, the author reveals practical strategies to improve daily and slowly. This is a must-read for those who want to boost their lives slowly and sustainably. It also has true stories which keep you inspired and engaged throughout.
Learning: Just like Think Like a Monk, this novel offers a wide set of lessons to learn for everyone. One key takeaway for me is the following quote which summarises everything from the book.
“Changes that seem small and unimportant at first will compound into remarkable results if you’re willing to stick with them for years.” — James Clear
November Read: Wonder
Wonder tells a heartwarming story about Auggie. Born with facial differences, he finds it hard to fit in in his school. This novel is based on Auggie and lives that revolve around him; right from the daily struggles of a fifth-grader to his mother. This is a feel-good novel which has also turned into a movie (one of my favourite ones).
Learning: What I learned from this book is to be kind. This book helps us realize that a small, simple act of kindness can make a huge difference.
December Read: The First 90 Days
Though this book is more for the senior management who make a switch in their careers; it was of great help for me who is just 2.5 years old in the corporate world. This book has detailed analysis and stories about what should be done in the first 90 days of any switch.
Learning: This book is like The Bible for me as I am a recent switch-er too. It emphasizes on the mistakes one easily makes and highlights what the successful leaders did to get a head start in their new job. This book taught me exactly that!
2020 has given me a lot of life lessons; most of which were due to the books I read. It has given me immense knowledge, and I wanted to give back to the world in whatever way possible. I hope my recommendations help you to choose your next read.
Happy 2021!
