Reading is universally considered a good habit. From a very young age, parents push their children to develop an affinity to read but rarely does one come across books that are great for all ages!

Here are 5 books, fiction, and non-fiction, that have a lasting impact on all those who read them and are a great way to start the New Year.

1. Atomic Habits by James Clear read

Step one to getting your life together is creating good habits. But if you’re like most, that’s easier said than done. You’ve bought the yoga mat or signed up for swimming lessons, but after a strong start, you fizzle out. That’s because creating new habits is hard without understanding the science behind them. This book not only explains the psychology of habit formation and why so many good intentions fail but also gives step-by-step instructions on how to make healthy habits stick.

2. Hope in the Dark by Rebecca Solnit read 

If you’re trying to start the new year with optimism, read Hope in the Dark. Rebecca Solnit, a book that makes the case for radical hope in the face of despair. Solnit isn’t suggesting that we suppress our fears and pretend to be happy, but she encourages everyone to celebrate small victories and to avoid giving up, even when the future looks grim.

3. The Five People You Meet in Heaven By Mitch Albom

Whether you are grieving a loss, looking for a distraction, or reading just for the fun of it, this book is a mesmerizing account of life, its purpose, and fleeting time. A true gut punch; it explores the concept of an afterlife where you encounter people from your past, each teaching you a lesson from their own life. This book follows the life of Eddie, a war veteran, who dies on his 83rd birthday after trying to save the life of a little girl at the theme park he works at.

4. The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald

One of the most exciting yet sorrowful books you will ever read. This one-of-a-kind novel from the Jazz Age has been cherished by generations of readers. The story of the fabulously wealthy Jay Gatsby and his love for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan, of lavish parties on Long Island, it is an exquisitely crafted tale of America in the 1920s. Teaching a valuable lesson that not everyone is fortunate in love.

5. How to Stay Sane in an Age of Division by Elif Shafaq

Living in an age of contagious anxiety, we often feel overwhelmed by the events around us, by injustice, by suffering, by an endless feeling of crisis. This book provides insight into how we can nurture the parts of ourselves that hope, trust and believe in something better and how to stay sane in times like these. Shafak draws on her own memories and delves into the power of stories to bring us together. Revealing how listening to each other can nurture democracy, empathy, and our faith in a better future.

These books provide a new perception, and way of looking at the world. Teaching their readers a new way of thinking.