# Reading Starters

Why and how to start reading, some [book recommendations](https://hackmd.io/eixiFmuDRvWNChITjoUJsA#Book-Recommendations), and some [bonus stuff](https://hackmd.io/eixiFmuDRvWNChITjoUJsA#Bonus) at the end!

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*“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies . . . The man who never reads lives only one.”* – **George R.R. Martin**

Have you always wanted to start reading books but didn't know where to start? Or are you getting bored because of the monotonous online sem ?
Well, I am are here to help you start your literary journey and put that boredom away!

Many of you have tried to read books before but could not continue to do so - lack of time, book was boring, JEE preparations and so on. Put those negative impressions away, *start afresh*, and **give reading another chance**.
Reading will change your perspective, take you to breathtaking places and teach you amazing things on the way.

For the career-minded - reading helps you build your vocabulary, grammar and writing structure and will also benefit you immensely during interviews and ultimately, your career.

## Book Recommendations!

**Start by reading these really [tiny PDFs](https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/1hTFrfgd8ygUzWoejag5IfJdrXVdA3Wr_).** The first two PDFs **wont take more than 10 minutes** to read.

Here are a few **book recommendations** for newcomers as well as those who have already been reading from before.

These are three books I like as they offer you a lot of diversity as you can make out from their titles.
- **Hatching Twitter**: A True Story of Money, Power, Friendship, and Betrayal
Book by Nick Bilton
- **We Are Anonymous**: Inside the Hacker World of LulzSec, Anonymous, and the Global Cyber Insurgency
Book by Parmy Olson
- **Banker to the Poor**: Micro-Lending and the Battle Against World Poverty
An autobiography of Nobel Peace Prize Winner and Grameen Bank founder
Book by Muhammad Yunus

**For starters:**
1. Animal Farm by George Orwell
2. Matilda by Roald Dahl
3. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
4. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

**For avid readers**:
1. The Kite Runner by Khalid Hosseini (and his other books)
2. The Clifton Chronicles by Jeffrey Archer
3. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
4. Books by Dan Brown

These books are just a starting point. If they are not the right fit for you, **find another one** – there’s a always a book for everyone!
To quote **J.K. Rowling**, *“If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book.”*

You don’t always have to choose a magical, fantasy book though. There are **many other genres** that you can explore such as historical fiction, bildungsroman, postmodern literature, non-fiction, and many more!

Also, **never stop** reading **due to the size** of a book, because eventually, *you will finish it*, no matter how long it takes. We all know that size doesn’t matter. This is just pleasure reading, not your textbook. So **take your time**.
Its also good to **read** for some time just **before going to sleep**.

If you are more comfortable reading in your own regional language other than English, such as Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, etc. feel free to start your reading journey from there if you like.

**Don't limit your reading** to just books, though. Read articles, newspapers, magazines, poems, etc. on your **favorite topics** such as Science, Technology, Cars, etc. to extend your reading habit into every sphere.

As a general practice, it is always nice to **research the author** and also with what motive he wrote the book. This helps you understand the perspective from which the book was written. It also kind of familiarizes you to the genre so you know what you're getting into before you dive into the book.

Those who want to improve their English can **Google the words** that are hard to understand to find synonyms, opposites, word in a sentence, etc.
Apart from reading, we recommend you **write a page** in English everyday about anything, really. You can then check it using Grammarly or putting it in a text editor like Microsoft Word which gives you explanations for your mistakes. Read those explanations and understand them to really improve your English.

*“The man who does not read good books is no better than the man who can’t.”* – **Mark Twain**

Happy Reading :)

### Bonus

- [Here](https://hackmd.io/@70HhYl1ZRgeQ9ODSznZZwA/Sy4lstpmK) is a compilation of all the posts I have made so far.
- [This folder](https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1i2Kxl2UnnKrMXVCBSduK1kDJNDsVA2Ci) has the resources to my content writing workshop - PPT, recording, and other material. Do have a look!
- [Here](https://hackmd.io/yzaUjVRpRem_jvcQXoLD4w), I have put up methods and resources to improve your writing skills, and overall English fluency. Have a look!
- Some helpful [tech stuff](https://hackmd.io/CVAwFCGhTOuHpfB3UBo4NQ) - Python setup options and other important tech tips.
- Some great [Graphic Designing Resources](https://hackmd.io/ptpXUgf-T_2MRMfyvPuovw) for both beginners and skilled ones.

### Notes
- Feel free to contact me if you want any more help to improve your English or wriitng skills.
- To improve this post, any and all suggestions are welcome :)