As much as we at NBIC love reading, we’ll be the first to admit that not every book is a feel-good experience. (Try slogging through The Brothers Karamazov, for example, and you probably won’t find yourself swimming in joie de vivre.) So when you’re looking for a book that makes you feel good and still makes you think, try one of the seven excellent reads below.
The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward
By Daniel Pink
Drawing on research in social psychology, neuroscience, and biology, a world-renowned thinker debunks the myth of the “no regrets” philosophy of life. In fact, regrets offer compelling insights into how we live—and how we can find a better path forward. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Daniel Pink, in the Next Big Idea App
Wonder: Childhood and the Lifelong Love of Science
By Frank Keil
An acclaimed Yale psychologist describes the cognitive dispositions that set children on their paths of discovery and explains how we can all become lifelong wonderers. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Frank Keil, in the Next Big Idea App
The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again
By Catherine Price
If you’re not having fun, you’re not fully living. The author of How to Break Up with Your Phone makes the case that, far from being frivolous, fun is actually critical to our well-being—and shows us how to have more of it. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Catherine Price, in the Next Big Idea App
Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness
By Ingrid Fetell Lee
Science shows that our surroundings have a measurable effect on our mood, creativity, and productivity. And in Joyful, designer Ingrid Fetell Lee puts that science in your hands, to help your design the perfect spaces for living and working. View an Excerpt from Our E-Course
In Awe: Rediscover Your Childlike Wonder to Unleash Inspiration, Meaning, and Joy
By John O’Leary
With the daily grind of work responsibilities and obligations, we may find ourselves feeling burned out and jaded more often than we’d like. But equipped with a more joyful mindset, we can live happier and healthier lives than ever. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author John O’Leary, in the Next Big Idea App
The Sunny Nihilist: A Declaration of the Pleasure of Pointlessness
By Wendy Syfret
When you let go of the idea that everything must have purpose, you will find relief from stress, exhaustion, and anxiety. Most importantly, you can embrace the opportunity to enjoy the moment, the present, the chaos and luck of being alive at all. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Wendy Syfret, in the Next Big Idea App
When You Wonder, You’re Learning: Mister Rogers’ Enduring Lessons for Raising Creative, Curious, Caring Kids
By Gregg Behr and Ryan Rydzewski
With insights from thinkers, scientists, and teachers—many of whom worked with Mister Rogers himself—the book is an essential exploration into how kids and their parents can excel at what Rogers taught best: being human. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by co-authors Gregg Behr and Ryan Rydzewski, in the Next Big Idea App
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