8 Nonfiction Books You Must Read in 2020
Learn about yourself, your body, and 2019’s scientific breakthroughs to improve your life in 2020.
There were quite a few great books released in 2019. Books about the environment became very popular (although, there is only one example in this list because the rest of them did not make it to the top 8), and social media definitely made an impact.
All the books on this list were released in 2019 (except the last one). They are listed here because they became popular and got a very high score on Goodreads.com. We have an algorithm that analyzed all of the books in order to find the best ones. This means that the books were not selected because I like them, but because they are well regarded and have been enjoyed by countless other self-help book lovers.
Talking to Strangers
Rating: 4.04
The author, Malcolm Gladwell, is well known for such books as Blink, Outliers, and The Tipping Point. In this book, Malcolm shows us that we don’t know how to talk to strangers. And because of this, we are inviting conflict and misunderstanding into our lives.
This book is currently the highest-grossing book released in 2019.
The Body
Rating: 4.32
This book, by Bill Bryson, describes the impressive ability our body has to heal itself, and then attempts to explain how this process occurs. It goes deep into the secrets of how the body functions and shows many bodily miracles.
This is currently the second most popular book released in 2019.
Digital Minimalism
Rating: 4.07
Cal Newport is the well-known writer of such bestsellers as Deep Work and So Good They Can’t Ignore You. Have you ever been to a party where all the attendees were on their phones? I have witnessed this many times. In this book, Cal discusses Digital Minimalists — people that can have a conversation for a long time without looking at their phones. They can have fun with friends without having the urge to check a document or the number of likes they have on Instagram. The key is to use technology to support your goals and values, rather than letting it use you.
No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference
Rating: 4.14
This book is by Greta Thunberg, and I believe everyone is familiar with her. One day, instead of going to school, Greta created a movement to fight climate change. This book is the story, from her perspective, and it includes information about all of her historic speeches. As she says, the future depends on us.
Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World
Rating: 4.18
This book is by David Epstein. Most top performers, from professional athletes to Nobel prize winners, are generalists. These are not people with early specialization. David examined many top athletes, artists, and scientists to make an exciting discovery: generalists are more creative, more agile, and therefore more likely to win in our specialized world.
The Infinite Game
Rating: 4.30
Simon Sinek is the well-known author of the book Start with Why. Although you may not be familiar with this book, you have probably heard his TED talk. In this book, Simon has written another well-loved bestseller. There are finite games, such as baseball and chess, where winners and losers are easily identified. However, there are many more infinite games, such as business, politics, and life itself, where there are no rules. People come and go, and there are no clear winners or losers. These are games where everyone can be the winner.
Why is this book valuable? If you want to be a good leader, you should adopt the infinite game mindset. It will allow you to leave your organization in better shape than it was when you arrived.
Stillness Is the Key
Rating: 4.28
This book is by Ryan Holiday, one of the most successful and well-known self-help book authors. Some of his bestsellers include Ego is the Enemy, The Obstacle is the Way, and Trust me I’m Lying. Ryan shows that slowing down is the true secret weapon for those charging ahead. He takes timeless lessons from Stoic and Buddhist philosophy and shows us how to avoid distractions, conquer our tempers, and discover great insights.
Lifespan: Why We Age
Rating: 4.26
In this book, David A. Sinclair reveals a bold new theory about why we age. Aging is a disease, and that disease is treatable. This book shows the newest science directly from Harvard, with tips on what we can do to stop or even reverse aging. Sounds great, doesn’t it? This is a must-read book!
Bonus: Lost Connections
Rating: 4.30
This book by Johann Hari was released in 2018. It was not in the article I wrote last year, so I have included it here. It shows why people are depressed and includes a simple and easy way to prevent it. The recommendations are based on research from a variety of environments and communities. This book’s high rating clearly proves that it is a must-read.
My Advice on Your Next Steps
I believe we can agree that simply reading is not enough. Reading inspires you and extends your knowledge; however, if you don’t make changes to your life after reading a good book, it was a waste of time.
Applying advice from books is not easy. That’s why we created Mentorist — a mobile application that has everything you need to apply knowledge from the best books in your life.
- Start by selecting a book and reading its summary.
- Then, you are given a list of all the skills in the book to select from.
- The app helps you to acquire your selected skills and keeps you accountable.
- And it’s designed to be fun and easy — like playing a game!
The books in this article are quite new, and they’re not in the application yet. But the summaries and skill lists are currently being written, and they will be added soon! Until then, we have over 100 other bestselling, well-known self-help books for you to select from.
So, what’s your next step? Will you take action?
