Books, Brains, and the Battle Between “Made Up” and “Based on a True Story”
So you walk into a bookstore — or scroll through one of those painfully slow-loading online libraries — and suddenly, there it is: the Big Dilemma. Fiction vs Non-Fiction. On one side you’ve got dreamy novels with covers featuring pastel skies and mysterious titles like The Girl Who Whispered to the Wind. On the other side? Bold fonts screaming things like 10X Your Productivity by Tuesday or The Shocking Truth About Sugar.
And then you freeze. Because what even is better to read? The made-up stuff that makes you cry over imaginary people or the “real” stuff that’s supposed to make you smarter? Let’s get into it — messily, honestly, and without pretending I’ve read every book on Earth.
The Case for Fiction: Emotional Cardio & Brain Yoga
Okay, let’s start with fiction. You know, the stuff your English teacher either ruined or romanticized. Stories with characters that aren’t real but somehow feel more real than your own coworkers.
Why it slaps:
Fiction lets you live a hundred lives without even getting out of bed. You can be a detective in 1920s Paris, a wizard at 11, or an alien on Mars all before lunch. And no offense to your productivity journal, but that’s pretty damn cool.
Studies (yes, real ones) show that reading fiction boosts empathy. Your brain literally lights up like a Diwali string light when you read emotionally rich narratives. It’s called “neural coupling” — your brain mirrors what the characters are going through. So if your favorite character gets betrayed, your brain processes it like you got ghosted. Again.
My personal take?
I once read A Man Called Ove during a weekend I was feeling really low. The dude is grumpy, lonely, and completely fictional — but by the end, I cried like I lost an actual neighbor. That book didn’t give me business tips or morning routines, but it healed something inside me. Quietly. Like emotional therapy wrapped in sarcasm.
Fiction = Safe Escapism (and That’s Not a Bad Thing)
There’s this weird guilt people carry about reading fiction — like if it’s not teaching you something “useful,” it doesn’t count. Social media doesn’t help. Everyone’s reading Atomic Habits and Rich Dad Poor Dad and casually tweeting stuff like, “Finished 4 books this week, all about financial freedom.” Okay, Rahul, we get it.
But sometimes, fiction is the only thing that makes sense when the world doesn’t. Ever tried reading a self-help book after a breakup? Nope. You want fantasy. You want heartbreak poetry. You want something that doesn’t tell you to “journal your pain away.” Fiction doesn’t judge. It lets you feel.
The Case for Non-Fiction: The Practical, Powerful, Occasionally Pretentious Cousin
Non-fiction is where the facts live. Biographies, memoirs, history, science, self-help, how-to, finance, true crime — basically anything that starts with “this actually happened.”
Why it’s powerful:
Reading non-fiction can genuinely change the way you think, work, and interact with the world. It’s like someone downloading their years of life experience straight into your brain — but with paragraphs instead of USB cables.
You learn stuff. Like actual, applicable stuff. Want to start investing? There’s a book for that. Want to understand why your brain panics during deadlines? There’s a book for that too. And don’t even get me started on those wild non-fiction deep-dives — like how people used to drill holes in skulls to release demons (yes, that was a thing).
Hot take:
I read Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins and genuinely tried to wake up at 5 AM the next day. I didn’t — but for 3 hours I believed I could run ultramarathons and do 4,000 pull-ups. Sometimes non-fiction just gives you that motivational slap in the face you didn’t know you needed.
The Problem With Non-Fiction? It Can Get… Samey.
Let’s be honest. Not all non-fiction is created equal. A lot of self-help books could honestly be summarized into a single blog post. Like, if I had ₹10 for every time I read “wake up early,” “meditate,” or “get out of your comfort zone,” I’d be on a yacht — ironically, reading fiction.
Also, a lot of these books are written with an annoying sense of superiority. You can feel the author looking down at you like, “You didn’t wake up at 4 AM and ice-bath your dreams into existence? Sad.” Sometimes, you just want to learn without being emotionally bullied.
Fiction vs Non-Fiction: Can’t We Just… Read Both?
This isn’t a boxing match. You don’t have to pick a side and stay loyal forever. Read fiction for the feelings. Read non-fiction for the facts. Alternate depending on your mood, life crisis level, or even the weather. I swear, The Great Gatsby hits different when it’s raining.
If your mind’s cluttered with chaos? Pick up some fiction and disappear into another world. If you’re in “fix my life” mode? Go for that self-help or money mindset book. There’s no rulebook here.
Fun fact:
According to the NOP World Culture Score Index, Indians spend about 10.4 hours a week reading — more than any other country. So we’re clearly into reading. Let’s just stop gatekeeping genres while we’re at it.
Fiction and Non-Fiction on Social Media: Who’s Trending?
Check #bookstagram or #booktok and you’ll see a fun divide. Fiction is usually shown with cute setups — coffee cups, fairy lights, folded pages. Meanwhile, non-fiction often gets posted with highlights, post-its, and captions like “Best mindset shift EVER
There’s low-key genre shaming too. Like if you post about reading The Alchemist, someone’s bound to comment, “Try reading something real for once.” Bro. Paulo Coelho made me cry — your passive-aggressive self-improvement thread did not.
So… What Should You Be Reading?
Ask yourself this:
- Do you want to escape or evolve?
- Do you want to cry or conquer?
- Do you want to be entertained or educated?
You can absolutely do both. And here’s the cool part: fiction teaches too. Just not in bullet points. You learn about human behavior, moral dilemmas, culture, history — sometimes more deeply than in a textbook.
And non-fiction can be entertaining. Ever read Born a Crime by Trevor Noah? It’s technically non-fiction, but it’s funnier and more emotional than most rom-coms.
My Current Stack (If You’re Curious):
Right now I’m halfway through Educated by Tara Westover — a wild memoir that makes your childhood seem super normal. Just finished Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, which left me wrecked in the best way. Next up? Probably The Psychology of Money… or maybe Project Hail Mary. Depends on my mood, caffeine levels, and how much existential dread I’m feeling that day.
Final Thoughts: There’s No “Should.” Just Read.
Read what makes you feel something. Or think something. Or laugh, or cry, or scream into a pillow. Whether it’s a made-up love triangle in Paris or a deep-dive into dopamine science, reading is about connection. With yourself, with ideas, with imaginary people who somehow get you more than your actual friends.