Instagram has paved the way for all things pretty. Books are no exception. There’s absolutely nothing wrong in liking a book with a pretty cover. Unfortunately not all pretty books deliver in terms of plot, narration and character development. Books are meant to be read. Yet, as of recently I too have found myself gravitating towards books with pretty covers. I took a step back and rearranged my bookshelf by genre. I then realized that a majority of the books I have actually read and enjoyed did not have “insta worthy” covers! My shelf of pretty books had many TBR titles!

So I thought of sharing with you today, my top 5 picks of “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover!”

1) The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks

This book written by the relentless Rebecca Skloot, narrates her extraordinary journey in uncovering the life of Henrietta Lacks. Lacks’s cells named HeLa, contributed towards advancing both medical and technological research. Even though her cells helped launch a multi-million dollar industry, her family never received any money. Skloot’s remarkable research helps unearth the loopholes around medical research and the horrid treatment towards people of colour. With attention to detail and an excellent narrative style, this book will keep you hooked! Fun fact: this was the first book that made me enjoy non-fiction. Prior to this, I only read non-fiction if I had to!

2) This is going to hurt

A few pages into this book and you will realize that it’s aptly named. Why? It hurts. It hurts a lot reading about the mind blogging cases walking through the hospital emergency. HOWEVER, it was HILARIOUS. Adam Kay has an excellent style of writing that incorporates humour into an otherwise horrible situation. He also has a rather novel way of storytelling – by means of journaling. This book is a collection of diary entries from the author’s days as a junior doctor at the NHS in the UK. It’s an excellent book to get out of a reading slump as it’s light, informative and definitely thrilling! It’s definitely an adults only read – and one that you should stay away from if you have a hospital visit around the corner!

3) The upstarts

We live in an age where new businesses spring up every few minutes. But, what does it take to stand out and make it big? Upstarts narrates the unfathomable journey of two Silicon Valley startups – Uber and Airbnb. Both companies are giants in their fields and overcame many obstacles to reach their goals. As a senior executive editor for Bloomberg News, Brad Stone uses his journalistic skills to document the rise of these two tech giants. The book includes details of the many interviews with the companies’ founders and employees along with some interesting insider information! I must add that this may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I truly enjoyed it.

4) Under the covers and between the sheets

First impressions by title suggest that this would be a steamy read. However take a closer look at the cover and you will find in small foil print: The inside story behind classis characters, authors, unforgettable phrases and unexpected endings. This book did not disappoint. Being quite the bookworm, I learnt many fun and surprising facts about some of my childhood favourites. It did burst a few fantastical bubbles – but we all need to know at some point that the tooth fairy isn’t real!

5) Shoe dog

This was my favourite of the lot. Nike has always been my go to brand for active wear, but I knew absolutely nothing about its founder. Including his name. Hence, it was an absolute delight to be introduced to the world of Phil Knight in this book. While detailing the painstaking journey in building this mammoth of a brand, Phil Knight also shares his personal struggles as a father and husband. Many of us are of the impression that the wealthy don’t deserve to enjoy their luxuries. But did you know that at one point he did not have enough money for food? These back stories coupled with Knight’s knack for humour, made Shoe dog a riveting read! Pick it up – you won’t regret it!

If you haven’t yet realized, all these books are non-fiction that dive headfirst into the worlds of science, technology, fashion and the arts. I never really “enjoyed” non-fiction. I was always into fantasy (still am, but that’s another story!). However I think adulthood is making me move towards books that are more realistic. They don’t have the prettiest covers, but they are excellent reads. Non-fiction isn’t always boring. Do give it a try. It may surprise you! And don’t always go for a pretty cover! Pick books you actually like.