Why you must read fiction every month

Athletes think they pick up the most knowledge from reading non-fiction but you actual reap health benefits from fiction (via escapism) as well. The reading of classic literature, for example, is linked with increased wellbeing. Researchers also note that fiction readers tend to score high on measures of ‘theory of mind,’ the ability to understand other people’s feelings and thoughts. Emory University study found that being enthralled by a novel helped people put themselves in someone else’s shoes and use their imagination in a similar fashion to visualization.

“Fiction elicits existential feelings of humanity and introduces us to deep characters, helping us to connect with the world outside the pages,” says Rhiannon Corcoran, Ph.D., a psychologist at the University of Liverpool who studies the impact of literature on the mind. “There’s lots of space in this area of research to look at how and why literature could actually help people psychologically,” she adds.

That’s why we’re bringing you this special edition of our high-performers’ book club. We asked international bestselling writer Karin Slaughter, author of the forthcoming novel The Good Daughter to share her picks, from gripping tales and page-turners to classic prose. Here, the reads that will take your mind elsewhere.