Know this situation? You are tired and have this awesome non fiction book you want to finish reading but because you are tired it is hard to process the information.<p>This happens to me all the time before I sleep. I read to further my knowledge and it would be awesome if I could find some easy reads (most likely fiction books), with great stories that also help me learn something new.<p>The topics don't matter.<p>Do you know any fiction books that entertain & educate?
Kurt Vonnegut's <i>Cat's Cradle</i>! I read it yesterday afternoon. "Science" (i.e. what other people think of it) has a big role in it, but there are a lot of facts in it, too. It's a well-written book that'll leave you thinking for sure..
Neil Stephenson's Cryptonomicon (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptonomicon" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptonomicon</a>) is not only great science fiction, it'll also teach you a bit about math, integration properties, cryptography and even Perl!
Haruki Murakami:<p><i>1Q84</i> -- title's a nod to Orwellian dystopia; awesome mystery with a dash of sci-fi that takes place in a parallel universe sort of Tokyo; the English editon's 3 books in one so it's quite looong<p><i>Wind Up Bird Chronicle</i> -- another 3-books-in-one psychological thriller, but the plotline's really just a device for telling the story of the Soviet-Japan border clashes during WWII and the atrocities committed by both sides; I loved the story but it's long and really weird, even for Murakami<p><i>Hardboiled Wonderland And The End Of The World</i> -- really fun and imaginative book about a guy who can encrypt data by passing it through his subconsciousness, and ends up getting stuck there himself; I think this was the book that made Murakami famous in the US
It's worth checking out Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality (<a href="http://hpmor.com/" rel="nofollow">http://hpmor.com/</a>). I know I avoided it for too long due to fanfic stigma but it really is a great read that makes you reflect on the way you think.
Here are two fiction books that I really enjoyed and learned from:<p>1) Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes. This book is an emotional roller coaster. After reading it, you will better understand what life is like for the mentally challenged.<p>2) Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. You will get a glimpse into the life of Russian aristocracy in the 19th century. More importantly, you will learn about love and human relationships.
The Chosen by Chaim Potok.<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Chosen-Chaim-Potok/dp/0449213447" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Chosen-Chaim-Potok/dp/0449213447</a>