If you are following me on Instagram (@pictorialjournal), you probably know about my reading habits. I started (rather, re-started) reading books sometime in April. Since then, I have read 13 books on various topics ranging from self-help to cosmology. While reading, I realized that each book put me in a certain mood that the book was portraying, and I loved that! In this blog, I’m sharing 6 books for 6 different moods that you might be in and how these books fit them perfectly!

Happy: The Art of Making Memories – Meik Wiking

In this book, Meik Wiking talks about the science behind memories, how we can deepen our most beloved memories, how we can make and remember new ones and let go of the ones that hurt us.

It also has anecdotes from surveys they conducted, and it’s very refreshing to read the kind of memories that are important to people around the world. Overall, this book will leave you with a hint of nostalgia and a lot of happiness!

Productive: Atomic Habits – James Clear

If you’ve been trying to be more productive, inculcate good habits and eliminate bad ones, this is the book for you. It’s the holy grail of the habit making and breaking process! My first impression was that this would be a very complex book but it’s far from that. The author has provided a framework to follow in the simplest language possible so it’s not heavy on the eyes.

One of his suggested methods is ‘habit stacking’, which means that if you try to include a new habit right after an old one for a while, you’ll be doing it automatically in no time. Using this, I now regularly write in my gratitude journal right before bedtime. 😊

Fictional: The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho

I’m sure most of you have already read this book but if you haven’t, this book will take you on a very imaginative journey of a shepherd in search of a treasure. It also teaches you a lot about patience and perseverance.

I couldn’t keep this book down and ended up finishing it in 2 days! Here’s the quote that inspired me the most –

“When you really want something, the whole universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”

If you have read this book, yes, I laughed at the end too. 😉

Positive: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse – Charlie Mackesy

If you instantly want to feel positive about your life, read this one. The author manages to teach you some of the biggest life lessons in this illustrative book. It’s short and you’ll probably finish it within half an hour, but I guarantee that it’ll leave you with a smile on your face. 😊

Here’s my favorite quote:

“What is the bravest thing you’ve ever said? asked the boy.
‘Help,’ said the horse.
‘Asking for help isn’t giving up,’ said the horse. ‘It’s refusing to give up.”

Oh also, if you love cake (who doesn’t?), you’re going to love this book!

Scientific: Brief Answers to the Big Questions – Stephen Hawking

We have felt intimidated and curious at the same time about the vast, unending Universe. We have thought about some of the biggest mind-boggling questions like ‘How did it all begin?’ and ‘Is time travel possible?’. While we may or may not have pursued the answers to these questions much, Stephen Hawking provides his perspective on these questions, backed by scientific theories and principles.

Personally, it was quite intriguing to read the thoughts behind his words and made me research more on the progress made in these fields! Whether you love science or not, you will love this book.

Analytical: Outliers – Malcolm Gladwell

Being a Data Analyst by profession, my mind tries to think of reasons why things happen in a certain way. In simple terms, outliers are things or people that differ from other entities of a specific group or set. In this book, the author brings up some interesting scenarios where groups are analyzed over time to locate a pattern and to identify points that don’t fit the pattern along with the reasoning behind it.

Here’s my favorite outlier – In Canada, the cutoff to be eligible for hockey is January 1. Somebody born on January 2 is going to have more physical and mental maturity than somebody born in September that year. Going a step further, many of those born in the first few months of the year will progress to the next level of the hockey team and get better coaching as compared to those born in the second half of the year because of this maturity. This continues till they make it to the Major Junior League and eventually onto bigger leagues. In the beginning, the advantage for somebody born on January 2 over the September 12 individual is mainly that they are a little older. As they mature, with the help of all the extra coaching and practice, they get better and make it to the big leagues. Interesting, isn’t it?

There are many more books that I’m looking forward to reading so this list is by no means solid but includes some of the books that I find uplifting. Have you read any of these books? How did they make you feel? Also, comment below with some books that have inspired you or made you happy. I’m always looking for new book recommendations! 😊