Why Entrepreneurs Should Read More Fiction Books Put down your self-help titles. There's plenty to be gained in business from reading a good nonfiction story.
By Daniela Chamorro •
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
If you search "top books for entrepreneurs" on Google, you will inevitably get lists of nonfiction titles — a parade of self-help, personal development and business reads. Phrases like "crush it," "influence," "habits" and "smarter" are splashed across their covers. These books have merit, but is reading only nonfiction actually holding entrepreneurs back?
Look at President Obama's 2021 summer reading list; it included almost exclusively novels — sci-fi, historical fiction and a collection of short stories. Reading fiction, much like watching TV, is often seen as frivolous and a waste of time among entrepreneurs who are too busy "hustling" to sit down and relax. But just like TV, there's plenty to be gained from reading a good story. What could entrepreneurs gain from expanding their reading lists beyond (valuable) nonfiction reads? Let's examine.
