5 Books You Should Not Skip Reading in 2025

Book 1:

21 Lessons of the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari

Why you should read this book?

It tells about the nexus between the info-tech and bio-tech industries, which are dominating the world with the use of AI. It delineates how AI will change the world by automating machines, reducing the need for humans in decision-making, and galvanizing the demand for philosophers. Most importantly, this book lifts the curtains of capitalist monopoly over "beauty, Creativity, and health."

Most Interesting Parts of the Book:

Part 1: The Technological Challenge

Section 4 of part 1 is titled “Equality," and it inculcates that “those who own the data own the future" (you can relate it to the recent Trump elections in 2024 ).

Parts 4 and 5 (“Truth” and “Resilience”, respectively) are the most crucial ones to develop a deep understanding because they can render a hand to think about your survival on this planet.

My Favorite Quote in this book are so many but the one is “Change is the only constant”.

(After knowing about the world around you, you need to change yourself so, here is the second most popular yet influencing book “Atomic Habits by James Clear)

Book 2:

Atomic Habits (Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results) By James Clear

Why you should read this book?

First of all, this book will let you know about the importance of developing minuscule habits and how they drive change in your life. Secondly, James introduces 4 simple laws in this book to develop minute habits by understanding the basic concepts and thoughts behind them. Last but not least, in the "Advance Tactics" section he inculcates "The Goldilocks Rule: How to Stay Motivated in Life and Work" which delineates the behavior change when we adopt habits. In the behavior change of habits "Goldilocks Zone" comes when you gain flow in practicing habits and by gaining flow in that zone you need to search for “New Challenge” to maintain your self-improvement.

Most Interesting Parts of the Book:

The two-minute rule is part of this book but, I found "The 4th Law" to be satisfying most important one. In this chapter, "The Cardinal Rule of Behavior Change" James concludes a point.

"What is rewarded is repeated. What is punished is avoided" by a case study of Karachi, Pakistan, and the Use of Soap, Safeguard.

My favorite quote

Tao Te Ching's lines on being soft and supple do not represent fragility but agility.

Men are born soft and supple;

Dead, they are stiff and hard.

Plants are born tender and pliant;

Dead, they are brittle and dry.

Thus whoever is stiff and inflexible is a disciple of death.

Whoever is soft and yielding is a disciple of life.

The hard and stiff will be broken.

The soft and supple will prevail.

(After reading Atomic Habits, don't forget to pour some pearls of wisdom in your body's soul, yeah, I am talking about "Sufism" )

Book 3:

The Essence of Sufism by John Baldock

Why this book is compulsory to read?

There are two parts containing 7 tiny chapters but it can change your life spiritually. So, the first section talks about religion Islam, and Sufi's Lives. The second and unresisting sections contain the popular and famous story "Attar and The Conference of Birds". You will be surprised to understand the mystery behind it.

Most Interesting Parts of the Book:

I know, we all learn from philosophers and develop ideologies but what about the content when you consume all these ideologies in one chapter "The Secret Rose Garden"? Yes, it's a must-read section.

My favorite Quote

A poem

From Wine, Torch, and Beauty

Drink this wine and, dying to self,

You will be freed from the spell of self.

Then will your being, as a drop,

Fall into the ocean of eternal.

(The second last book is very important to develop a sense of responsibility as many leaders own and drive change on this planet, so we need to take a breath to learn from their lives)

Book 4:

75 People Who Changed the World by Dr. Robert Coles

Why is it important to read this book?

The 8 chapters of this book possess the diversity of personalities who make a difference by their ideas, movements, and ideologies. For instance, "They Shook the Things Up, the personality of ‘Bertrand Russell’; and 'Shirdi Sai Baba’ are worth reading stories.

Most Interesting Parts of the Book:

In the third chapter, “Their Presence Changed the World” the two personalities: Dalai Lama and Rabindranath Tagore, are the ones that will give any reader a deep insight to lead life constructively.

My Favorite quote:

“The nature of love is as the nature of water in the depth of earth. If we do not dig deep enough, we find mud, not water; but when we dig deep, we find pure water”. By Hazrat Inayat Khan

(Last but not least, a great book one must read to understand the sufferings of life, and how to tackle life's atrocities in a meaningful way)

Book 5:

Men Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

Why is it important to read this book?

This book covered the most crucial philosophical question, "purpose and meaning of a man's life," and split into three sections:

1: Viktor Frankl's experiences in concentration camps

2: Logotherapy (Introduced by Viktor)

3: Postscript: The Case For a Tragic Optimism

Most Interesting Parts of the Book:

We are no Longer Able to Change A Situation, We are Challenged to Change Ourselves.

Frankl made an essential point by suggesting a man whose wife died two years ago and that man was in severe depression. He changed his attitude to deal with the suffering. "What would have happened if he had died before her wife? And how his wife was suffering from the same condition he is facing? So, by putting that man in this situation, he changed his mindset to perceive the suffering differently.

My Favorite quote:

He who has a "Why" to live for can bear with almost any "How."

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