We all know that reading is a very healthy habit. There’s a quote which says: “Reading is to the mind what the gym is for the body”. Reading not only makes you smarter, but is has also been shown to reduce anxiety. It promotes mindfulness, teaches us the value of patience, and of course – it improves your vocabulary and communication skills (both speaking and writing).

Looking at the benefits of reading, we can clearly conclude that it is one of the best activities for the mind, coming close to meditation.

But still, most of us do not read. The hustle-bustle of the modern world and our reduced attention spans (we can thank social media for this) have led to a steady decline in the number of readers across the world. So if you have difficulty getting yourself to read, you’re not alone.

That being said, here are 3 books that were an emotional joyride for me. They were not only interesting and captivating, but also heartfelt and reflective. According to me, they are the perfect books to start with if you want to develop a habit of reading.

1) The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho: A classic fable about following your dreams, set in the dessert. (172 p.)

2) For One More Day by Mitch Albom: A fantasy tale where the protagonist gets to meet his dead mother. (197 p.)

3) South of the Border, West of the Sun by Haruki Murakami: A coming off age book set in Japan. (190 p.)