5 Must-Read Non-Fiction Books for Building a Reading Habit

4 min readSep 22, 2023

If you just got into reading, maybe you’d benefit from checking out my article with tips on creating a reading habit. In this article, I’m sharing 5 non-fiction books that I think may add some value to your repertoire.

When it comes to non-fiction — especially if you’re just picking up a reading habit — you should pick books that appeal to your interests. If you kick things off with books that are too dense right off the bat, you’ll get bored easily and the temptation to quit will be pretty strong. The 5 books I picked touch on diverse interests that should provide a relatively smooth reading experience and still feel like you got some value out of them.

1. The richest man in Babylon by George Samuel Clason

Topic: Financial philosophy

I absolutely loved this book and it still blows my mind that it was published almost a century ago. I am not sure it falls squarely within the non-fiction since it’s a collection of stories and fables, but it provides such a clear, concise, and very digestible way to discover habits that will provide for a healthier relationship with your money, so I would be remiss not to include it.

Speaking of which, if you feel inclined, you can read my article on 8 tips to build a better relationship with your money.

2. The Secret Life of Sleep by Kat Duff

Topic: Psychology and science behind sleep

Kat Duff is a multi-talented author (publisher, baker, farmer, counselor, etc.) and in this book, she delves into some interesting concepts related to the psychology and neuroscience of study sleep. You’ll be hard pressed to find a book that is as interesting as this one on a topic that normally doesn’t get too much attention.

3. Deep Work by Cal Newport

Topic: Productivity

I consider Deep Work a book that falls a bit more on the dense side, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it and the concepts it presented. Cal does a great job at presenting his case on why technology, social media, and other factors have affected our ability to do deep work — that is, work that is of higher quality and with fewer distractions. I listened to this one via audiobook as well, but the concepts deserve proper attention, so I am currently listening to it again and taking down some notes to share with the ANKOR™ Crew.

4. Talking to Humans by Giff Constable

Topic: Communication and people skills

Giff’s book is geared towards customer development and service, but I find that a lot of the concepts can be applied broadly to communication with other people and finding things in common and truly connecting with people you interact with. I think it’s definitely worth a read, even if you don’t necessarily interact or have a customer-focused career.

5. The Joy of Less by Francine Jay

Topic: Minimalist mindset

I think a proper introduction to this book should be done by writing its full title, which is “The Joy of Less: A Minimalist Guide to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify.” In The Joy of Less, Francine introduces us to minimalism and provides insight into her STREAMLINE method to adopt a more minimalist mindset that eliminates or reduces our attachment to personal possessions. It’s not advocating that you give away everything and go live in the mountains, but it is a nice exploration of minimalism and I think there are a couple of tips that we all can implement to live better, decluttered lives.

I hope you find at least one of these books interesting. If you add them to your queue, let me know what you think!

Let’s do this.

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