What Reading Reveals About Our Hidden Psyche

September 25, 2018 by Dustin Ramsdell in Informative, Nerdy Stuff, Sponsored

One of the best things about being a kid was getting read stories. Whether it was the teacher at school, or your parents that read to you, we first had out imagination switched into overdrive when we listened to novels. It was exciting as you put yourself into a completely different world and you went through the stories playing as the main characters. Trying to feel what their experiences could be like, interacting with their friends and hopefully wishing to make the right decisions. It's a shame then that as we get older, we stop reading novels in favor for magazines and online news articles. Little do we know what a disservice we’re doing to ourselves by not continuing to read books. Even if it's not fiction, we should be reading to keep our minds sharp and able to absorb and process complex information. However, novels do have the most philosophical impact in our lives, because of what they reveal about ourselves.

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Source Beinecke Library

You’re not an angel

Horror, crime, drama and adventure genres often reveal our ruthless nature. In society, we like to think that we wouldn’t hurt someone almost in any case, least of all if it somehow only benefited us. This is because we have a sense of right and wrong but also a moral obligation to be fair. However, when we’re put into a situation where we have an option to make a harsh decision in our minds when reading a novel, we feel a little more free to be bad.

Treasure Island is one of the most famous books of all time. The Long John Silver character was pretty much made famous and some say born in the mind of the author Robert Louis Stevenson. He is kind on the surface but a ruthless murderer underneath. He has one leg so he garners sympathy from strangers. Yet, as we read through the plot, we begin to be more and more like him. We hope that his treachery is repaid in full, just the way he would act, with pure violence. We suddenly lose our ‘holier-than-thou’ attitude, and we want to see him shot by a musket or cut into pieces by the Cutlass of the captain. Just like John, we too reveal our bloodlust.

You’re not that tough

One of the great things about horror novels is that, we are challenged in a primal sense. Our fight or flight mechanism is activated, and we try to imagine what we would do when being attacked, haunted, hunted and being tortured. One of the most powerful books by Stephen King ‘The Shining’ does this is spades. We put ourselves in the shoes of little Danny and Wendy, the son and wife of Jack who goes insane. Secluded and far away from civilization and the rule of law, we are challenged by the notion that we must kill the people we love to survive. Haunted by the slaughter or thousands, the hotel reveals the dark side of humanity. We’re frightened by our own capabilities of savagery and murder of loved ones by our own hands.

Fiction novels take us on journeys of not just different worlds and lives, but into our own minds. We show parts of our psyche that we normally keep locked up. Reading such books can show us that we’re not that tough but we’re not that innocent and void of sin either.

Reading Up: Bookish Ways To Improve Your Life

November 30, 2017 by Dustin Ramsdell in Informative, Nerdy Stuff, Sponsored

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When you’re a bookworm, there’s nothing quite like the idea of getting your hands on the next book in your favorite series, or cozying up with a new discovery that you picked up in a second-hand book shop. Reading can quite easily consume your life, and you wouldn’t want it any other way. But if you’re not much of an avid bookworm, but you do love to read, you may find that you could benefit from adding a little more literature into your life. Because reading is a really great way to better yourself.

There are many benefits of reading. But many say that it makes you smarter. So if you’re looking to improve yourself while at college, or at any point in your career, you should always look to books. However, that being said, you don’t have just to assume that you have to read textbooks or classics. Of course, they will help you to broaden your understanding of both literature and the world, but they’re not your only options. There are so many weird and wonderful ways that books and bookworm related ideas can help you to flourish. So, we’re going to talk through ten different bookish ways that you can improve your life.

Challenging Yourself

First up, we’re going to talk about those classics. Because they really should be read at some stage. Not every classic is going to appeal to you, but you will find that reading one or two will really help to open your eyes to words and literature, and inspire your mind too. If you’re new to reading the classics, or you want to push yourself, this classic books challenge could be exactly what you need to get inspired. Simply slotting in a classic every now and again should be enough for you to challenge yourself and benefit from some of the best literature the world has to offer.

Researching

And you really ought to consider picking up a nonfiction book every now and again if you want to grow. We’re not necessarily talking straight up textbooks here, but if you fancy flicking through one, give it a go. In general, if you commit to doing some kind of research within your reading, you’re going to improve your life. You’ll be learning, taking in new things, and broadening your understanding of a certain topic - and that can only ever be a good thing.

Reading The News

Now we’re going to talk about another form of reading you should commit to on a regular basis if you want to improve. Newspapers are still wildly relevant. Even if you tent to pick up snippets of world events on social media, don’t forget about the classic dailies and more in-depth broadsheets stuffed full of interesting articles and thought-provoking insight. Yes, you can get a lot of this online, but there’s nothing like a paper.

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Taking On Different Opinions

Similarly, what about reading a magazine or two? And we’re not talking the gossip rags or something about cars. Of course, feel free to take these in two if they’re what you really love. But, if you’re trying to push yourself with your reading, opt for something criticism or comment lead - every a literary magazine. These are the kind of options that are going to challenge you to think differently.

Learning A New Language

Maybe you’d like to take the idea of learning something new a step forward and opt for a new language? Although you may be used to this being taught in a lesson format, you can learn a new language by reading literature if you put your mind too it. And that’s always going to be something that’ll allow you to better yourself.

Discovering A New Interest

Perhaps you’re curious about one type of literature in particular, or even a topic in life? Reading can help you with this. Whether it’s reading up on literary fiction, or getting to know more about lakes, reading can certainly increase your interests. Sometimes, you never really know that you’re going to discover said new interest. So you have to be willing to pick up a book in order to access the opportunity at all.

Reading Up On The Past

And what about history? Are you fascinated by the fifties? Or have you always wanted to know more about the battle of Britain? Either way, reading is the best way to find out. After all, not only are there several texts written about historical events, with even more being published each year, there are titles that were written in history too. So you can get to know a topic via the words of someone that was around at the time.

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Escaping

But reading doesn’t just have to be about intellectual growth; it can aid in emotional growth too. Because sometimes, we all just need to escape. When that’s the case for you, you need to try something such as LitRPG books or even some romance. Anything that feels far enough away from your daily grind to give you some kind of escape as you read.

Increasing Your Knowledge

However, we can’t really ignore the fact that reading does really increase your intellect. Because as you read anything, you learn more. From new words to new ideas, it’s all something that we can absorb. So you should always look to have some kind if reading material with you, no matter what it is. When you do, and you commit to reading something each day, you will increase your knowledge. And as knowledge is power, this will always improve your life.

Teaching Yourself Something New

Finally, you could also use reading as a way of teaching yourself a new skill. Yes, you can learn things and discover new information, you can even teach yourself to speak a new language, but you can also gain practical skills when you read too. From woodwork to fishing, there’s a lot of skills that you could choose to teach yourself when you make more time for reading. So the world really is yours at the flick of a page.

Get Your Summer Reading Sorted

May 17, 2017 by Dustin Ramsdell in Informative, Positivity, Sponsored

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As we approach summer, it’s the perfect time to find some good books to read during the hot months. After all, with vacation season approaching, it gives us plenty of time to do some reading. In fact, there is nothing better than relaxing on your sunbed in the hot sun with a good book in your hand. But what books should make the pile for your holiday reads? I’ve compiled a few which you will love to read this summer. Therefore, here are some good novels which will get your summer reading sorted!

13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher

It appears that all everyone seems to be talking about at the moment is the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why. In fact, you will find online a wealth of articles with people giving their opinion on the series. After all, it’s definitely brought a tough subject to people’s minds as the series focuses on character Hannah Baker’s reasons for committing suicide. And the controversial series has been a surprising success. In fact, it’s been one of the most tweeted about programs of the year so far. And it might not come to anybody’s surprise that producer Selena Gomez revealed that there will definitely be a second series! However, if you are missing the series, and want to go back to where it all began, you should look at reading the original 13 Reasons Why novel by Jay Asher. After all, books are often a lot more thought provoking than TV shows. And if you are in the mood for a cry fest, it’s one book that should be on your radar. Of course, the book is hard going and intense. But it will definitely get you hooked from the start as it goes through the 13 reasons why she felt it was her only option and the people who let her down. If you haven’t seen the series, you still might want to consider reading the book which goes through tough topics. Just make sure you have plenty of tissues on the sunbed next to you while you read the book!

The Girl Who Knew Too Much by Amanda Quick

Author Amanda Quick came to the forefront after releasing best seller ‘Till Death Do Us Part. And now she’s back with a great summer read which is rising high on the charts for the summer. In fact, you will find her new novel The Girl Who Knew Too Much on the bestseller chart in a lot of the major stores. You can even get an online copy by getting some Barnes and Noble coupons which will make it a cheaper purchase. And if historical romance is your thing, it’s definitely a book which should be on your radar this summer! The new novel is set in the 1930’s and is full of glamor and scandal. In fact, it focuses on the Burning Cove Hotel where a famous actress is killed. And reporter Irene tries to find out the truth of what happened, alongside the owner of the hotel Oliver. The story progresses with the two revealing some very dark secrets which bring them closer together. It’s definitely a book which will have you hooked till the very end. And will transport you back to the 30’s while you are lying on your sunbed!

My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella

Known for her Shopaholic series (and film which starred Isla Fisher), British author Sophie Kinsella has been coming back with best seller after best seller ever since. And the author doesn’t seem to be slowing down with another great book which should be added to your summer pile. My Not So Perfect Life is a great chick lit novel which will keep you occupied in the summer sun. The story focuses on Katie Brenner who is living in London and working for an advertising company. To keep pretenses up, she pretends to have the perfect life on Instagram (don’t we all). But in reality, she is stuck in a small flat and having to endure a long commute every day to a job with an awful boss. The story takes a twist when she has to return home and starts to help her family set up a glamping business. It’s a great story with many twists and turns along the way. And there is a nice romance side of the story too that will keep you hooked to the very end! There are also parts of the book which will see you laughing out loud, so be prepared for the funny looks from other beach goers!

And remember to get a good pair of sunnies. That way, you can keep reading even when the weather is scorching!

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Books Got You Broke? Find Your Way Back To Reading With These Ideas

January 19, 2017 by Dustin Ramsdell in Informative, Sponsored

What student has time to read? You’re already reading enough for your studies, right? Wrong. For the booklovers among us, there’s no such thing as too much reading! We’re all good at making time for what we want to make time for, after all. The only problem is that new books are expensive! If you’ve been struggling to afford your love of reading, we’ve got some tips to help you find a way back to it!

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VISIT THE LIBRARY

This one should be obvious. You’re a student. You have access to a fantastic library! You could even sign up for your local library and have two options available to you! If you avoid visiting the library because you think the books will be old and uninspiring, it’s time to change your view. Libraries have a range of books, and receive new releases all the time! Not to mention that you should be supporting your library as much as you can. The more use a library gets, the more likely it is to stay open for years to come! Set aside some time in your day to browse the shelves. You’re sure to come away with more than you bargained for!

KINDLE

Buying a Kindle may cost you to start with, but it’ll soon pay for itself. As well as being easy to carry around, and convenient, Kindles offer the chance to buy cheap books! You’ll only receive a file copy of the book in question, so you should be paying a lot less than you would for a physical copy. New releases can still be pricey, so it might be worth holding fire on those. Most of the time, though, you’ll be paying under the odds! There are even free ebooks for Kindle that you could get stuck into.

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SWAP BOOKS WITH FRIENDS

Swapping books with friends can be a lot of fun, and an excellent way to get new books for nothing. You may want to keep a few favorite books for yourself, but you’ll find that you don’t mind giving away many of your reads. You and your friends could set up a swapping club. You could even talk to the people in your building about setting up a swapping library. This can be a fantastic way to discover books you would never come across otherwise!

BUY SECONDHAND

If all else fails, you could always buy books second hand. It’s still going to cost you; there’s no denying that. Even so, it’ll cost a lot less than buying books new. Not to mention that you can trade books when you finish them, and pick up some new ones! After the initial payment, you should just be able to trade. Check this is a service your local second-hand shop offers before you buy.

So, there you have it. Getting books cheap isn’t difficult once you’ve set your mind to it. All it takes is a little planning. Don’t go without anymore. Take advantage of the resources available to you!