There are some books full of stories, plots, and thrilling climaxes. But some stories have happened in the past to real people, and their experience tale moved your heart. Sometimes, just knowing the fact that this story is based on actual incidents is enough to shiver you depending on what genre it is holding. Such is the power of nonfiction books. Thus, today, we have brought the list of the 15 must-read non-fiction books before you turn 30. Read on to know more about them!
15 Must Read Non-Fiction Books
Some of the books mentioned here are heart-wrenching, moving, inspiring, motivating, and merely adding value to your life. We have a mixed list of stories, tips, facts, and ideas for personality development based on a few of the most known celebrity authors’ experiences. Hope you like the list.
1. Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler
Mein Kampf was released in two volumes, one in 1925 and the other in 1927. The book represents Adolf Hitlers’ views, hatred, and opinions regarding the Jews and what happened next is history. Mein Kampf also contains a significant turning point that developed Hitler into being what he was. The book that talks about ideologies and the entire emergence of Hitler as a dictator might come as an unbelievable shock for many. Overall, the book, considered of great historical importance that was authored during Hitler’s capture in Landsberg prison, has been distributed to over 10 million people in over 11 languages.
2. My Experiments with Truth by Mohandas K. Gandhi
This book, authored by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the Father of the Indian Nation, speaks volumes about spirituality and how experimenting with life by siding with the truth turns out to be. The book, being an autobiography, moves ahead of the life journeys and talks about how salvation and spiritual life signify his life principles and concludes with the hope of implanting the same values in the reader’s life. Having mentioned most of the notably important events of the Indian independence history, this book is a must-read.
3. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
Diary of a Young Girl is a book that speaks about the journey of a girl enjoying her life to the terror she faces regarding World War II and the holocaust. It also holds the personal remarks of a child and the way she perceives the terror around her. The reader can sympathetically relate to the girl and know how hiding can be a question of life and death. After publishing the book in 1947, the readers could know more about her those 761 days and the transition of the book from simple day-to-day observations to questioning the activities of humankind when she loses her loved ones to the war.
4. A Brief History of Tomorrow by Yuval Noah Harari
This book is undoubtedly a gem when analyzing the past and predicting what the future is precisely holding. Dark and disturbing as it is, A Brief History of Tomorrow can be considered a warning disguised as predictions. As we read the book, we can easily spot these sets of predictions on their way to turn true. To name a few, some of his predictions are the evolution of techno-human, data being the essential element of today’s world, and algorithms-oriented world. Another thing to note in the book is how seamlessly the author has linked the past and future with to-the-point descriptions.
5. Alive by Piers Paul Read
Alive is one of the heart-wrenching survival stories of the passengers who managed to make it alive after a plane crash in the Andes mountain. The story quickly shifts from a happy flight journey to an unbelievable survival story. The harsh conditions make the people lose their hopes of rescue. Despite this, they distribute resources equally, survive freezing temperatures, and develop techniques to cook the deceased people’s raw flesh. After the government shut the rescue operation, few surviving passengers still managed to find the nearest civilization and make arrangements to be rescued. Alive teaches the essential qualities of hope, patience, surviving, balancing, and never giving up attitude.
6. Small Sacrifices by Ann Rule
Ann Rule authored the book ‘Small Sacrifices,’ which stands to be one of the most criticized crimes in history. The case of Elizabeth Diane Downs and the shootings of her children in the middle of a road sounded like a horrible case of death due to a hitchhiker. But less than the police knew that it was not that simple as it sounds. The further story comprises the trauma, fear, lies, plots, and complicated investigations that finally lead to successfully solving the case. By the time a reader finishes the books, he might feel all the incidents haunting his mind.
7. Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama
Dreams from My Father is a book that speaks volumes about racial discrimination and the journey of Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States. The book slowly unfolds itself as a life journey of Barack and how his efforts to understand his culture and family add meaning to his life. Being unaware of his father’s side, he visits them and learns about his African side of the family. Based on actual incidents, this book will pluck the strings of your heart.
8. Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki
Rich Dad Poor Dad is one of the best financial management books that anyone can pick up to change for good. The book explains the seven principle rules of knowing about money and making money work for an individual. This approach taken by Robert Kiyosaki helps people understand how the rich manage to build their asset lists and never rely on a single source of income. His opinions, reasons, and ideas behind a particular way of managing finances are undoubtedly the best that contribute to overall personality development. Go ahead and read this timeless classic that has been benefitting many for years.
9. The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau
The $100 Startup is a statistics and facts-based book that tells you how to start a successfully running and progressing startup with enough passion right from $100. The book feeds the reader’s brain by pointing out how customers, skills, profits, and low costs can build your micro business out of scratch. The most appreciable part of this book is when he explains to the readers to keep their actions as simple as possible. The supporting references from time to time make them easy to understand and relate to. Go for this one under the category of 15 must-read non-fiction books before you turn 30.
10. The Entrepreneur Mind by Kevin Johnson
How about getting 100 entrepreneur-based ideas, facts, and tips in one single book? Kevin Johnson does precisely the same by giving ‘lessons’ on entrepreneurship in his book, ‘The Entrepreneur Mind.’ The book focuses on analyzing and inspecting every element of the business and making it a learning lesson. Such is the book that it suits everyone- a beginner in business or an existing entrepreneur. All of the strategies revolve around people, the market, finance, education, and many more essential areas of business. So if it is to brush up your basics or to gain insights into a venture, go for The Entrepreneur Mind at any time.
11. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
Think and Grow Rich is a book that manifests the power of the mind to achieve and reach the heights of success. The book is a deep insight into the utilization of your thoughts, psychology, and mindset based on the analysis of over 500 successful people in twenty years. All you can do is emphasize the book’s key takeaways, such as the concept of 13 principles to teach, becoming stubborn, and the concept of auto-correction. A rich piece of ideas published in 1937, the book is still read by many.
12. Becoming by Michelle Obama
Becoming Michelle Obama, the former First Lady of the White House is a journey she lived as it is. She has described how she had been shaped in her childhood and how her upbringing helped her be today. The book has its phases of high and lows that Michelle Obama has faced, including her fears, anxiety, and joyous moments. Overall, the book makes the reader believe that they have known someone for since long and that she’s not a stranger to us at all.
13. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
How to Win Friends and Influence People is a brief about understanding people and manipulating our reactions to win over them. It is necessary to make a note of all the things and discard specific behavioral patterns in us to be able to influence people. Since the book is based on various attributes that can help us make them like us, some of the broad aspects are implementing specific fundamental techniques, being a leader, six ways to make people like you, and ways not to offend anyone. In this book, all the traits of people noted by Dale Carnegie are entirely relatable to at least one person in your life, making it easier to understand the concept.
14. Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
The best survival lessons come from those who have witnessed death closely. The book is a terrifying journey of a survivor in a Nazi concentration camp and realizes that everything comes down to finding a purpose in life. Having taken a practical approach with real-life supporting incidents, the book sets itself apart from the other spiritual books spreading a similar message. The meaning of life can come at any point in life, and shall remain unique to everyone. Facing fears and taking responsibility can help you achieve it, which constitutes the entire book.
15. Not Without My Daughter by Betty Mahmoody
Not Without My Daughter is a struggle of a mother who wants to escape from Iran and her husband’s abusive family. However, what adds to her struggle is when her husband agrees to let her go, but in return asks to keep their daughter, Mahtob. This real-life story quickly turns from a fairytale to a nightmare when her husband keeps Betty as a captive until she surrenders to the customs and rituals of the Iranian. What follows further is how she can escape with her never giving up the spirit and enduring all the abuse. We are sure that when you start the last chapter and turn the last few pages of the book, her victory seems your personal experience. The book makes you feel every emotion the author faced and, thus, one of the must-read non-fiction books.
Conclusion
As we conclude on the topic of the 15 must-read non-fiction books before you turn 30, we hope this list is entirely worth adding to your reading list. While some books can inspire and create the best version of you, and the other books are a journey that’ll remain with you forever. A glimpse of actual life incidents that fall into the category of motivation, horror, societal issues, discrimination, and happy-endings- I hope we were able to take you through all of them one by one. Have any more recommendations? Do let us know!
Author Bio: This article has been written by Rishika Desai, B.Tech Computer Engineering Student at Vishwakarma Institute of Information Technology (VIIT), Pune. She is a good dancer, poet and a writer. Animal love engulfs her heart and content writing comprises her present. You can follow Rishika on Twitter at @ich_rish99.