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The Value of Fiction

I have a three-year-old son, Alro and he absolutely loves to read. Every night ends with the request, “one more book, Dad?”. The funny thing is this was not me growing up, not at all. For as long as I remember I loathed reading. If I read a book it was for school purposes only and even then I only read enough to write a report for a passing grade. Honestly, I don’t think I read an entire book until my twenties.

As a spry, now twenty-nine year old I cannot over stress the importance of books during the last ten or so years of my life. I didn’t start out this way but I now read (and/or listen to) between 35 and 50 books per year. I absolutely love to read.

How did I go from reading nothing (and being a horrible reader) to the guy who scrolls Goodreads for fun searching for my next read?

The answer: a fiction book.

Rules of Prey is the name of the book that changed my life. There is nothing over-the-top amazing about this book except that it is the first book I ever read from cover to cover. It is part of a series of 29 books that my brother has read for years. He gave me this first installment and since then I have had a book in my hands.

Here at Orange Consulting, we are constantly learning, and reading is one of the ways we constantly grow ourselves. If you have been with this company long I’m sure you have been gifted or encouraged (or required) to read some books that are fundamental to management, leadership, and entrepreneurship. I love these books and they have helped me grow tremendously over the years.

However, fiction books play a huge role in my life, and they are not just for entertainment.

Here are some of the benefits of fiction books:

1. They are entertaining! Do not overlook the value this adds to your development. It can be easy to get caught in the wheel of self-improvement and neglect literary enjoyment. The series I mentioned above is one of my go-to fiction series when I need a good book to take my mind off life.
2. They free my mind for creativity. I often find that while I’m caught up in a great story I have some of my best creative moments for work. Engaging my mind with a great mystery or diving into one of my favorite characters often puts my mind in a place to think creatively from a different angle.
3. They help me get back into a reading rhythm. Every now and then I go on reading strike! My brain has had enough and I just take a break. My favorite way to get back into reading heavily is with a great fiction book.

Reading has become such a joy for me and I hope that it is one or becomes one for you as well. I will leave you with a list of some of my favorite fiction books and series. Comment below with your favorite fiction books.

Thanks for reading and have a great week.

1. Prey Series by John Sandford
2. Arc of a Scythe Series by Neil Shusterman
3. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
4. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith
5. Seveneves by Neil Stephenson
6. Joe Pickett Series by C.J. Box
7. Bull Mountain by Brian Panowich
8. American Assassin (Mitch Rapp #1) by Vince Flynn
9. The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins
10. Virgil Flowers Series by John Sandford

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