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The Science-Backed Benefits of Reading Fiction Every Day
Why the world’s most powerful people turn to fiction for an edge
Geniuses, powerhouses, visionaries — presidents, philosophers, tech titans, rock gods. They all had a secret weapon: fiction.
Winston Churchill slipped into H.G. Wells’ sci-fi between war councils. Steve Jobs mined Autobiography of a Yogi for wisdom beyond circuits and screens. Bill Gates, master of logic, fell for The Great Gatsby, proof that even the sharpest minds hunger for poetic ruin. And Barack Obama? Moby-Dick, The Three-Body Problem — because when you run a country, sometimes you need a cosmic detour.
Fiction isn’t escape; it’s fuel. It sharpens, expands, ignites. Even the world’s best need a story to ground them — or set them free.
We all know that reading is good for us, but fewer people know how it benefits us. There’s the simple enjoyment of becoming immersed in a storyline, but fiction can also help other areas of life.
Unfortunately, reading is one of the first hobbies on the back burner in today’s busy life. But finding just a bit of time to sit down with a good book can do wonders for your well-being.