6 Books Every Engineering Student Must Read!

Books, both fiction and nonfiction, offer a way for readers to learn from the lessons and mistakes of others, so that you can re-apply that knowledge without having to start from scratch.

More than just entertainment, the stories in books help shortcut your own learning curve so that you can learn and grow faster.

Here are few books recommended by AVCOE which we urge our every engineering student to read.

1.  Getting Things Done - The Art Of Stress Free Productivity By David Allen

The major advantage of reading this book is that, it effectively describes on how to manage your to- do’s and task lists. We have to admit that all of us struggle to maintain our to do lists and give away to procrastination.

Why Read It?

• This book focuses on writing all our to- dos in a single accessible list.
• It removes the burden of recalling tasks from our brain.
• Especially for a career like engineering, which is academically tough, reading this book might help one to learn the art of stress management and productivity enhancement.

2.  Life Matters By A.Roger Merrill

There are times when we look at the Mother Teresa's of this world and realize that one life can make a huge difference. But if we are wise, we discover that often we don’t have to look any further than our own backyard.

Why Read It?

• This book covers creative ways to successfully balance four major aspects of life : family, money, work and time.
• The program rests on what the authors call three gotta do’s-  validate expectations, optimize effort and develop navigational intelligence.

3.  How To Win Friends And Influence People By Dale Carnegie

This is a self-help book which is the pioneer of this genre. This book is a guide to improving a person's aura in the world.

Why Read It?

• If you read the book carefully and follow majority of the tips, you can learn to be friendlier and more presentable as a person.
• This book teaches you that, as long as you have good friends and good business associations, you will probably stay strong in personal as well as professional life.

4.  Leadership And The Art Of Conversation By Kim Krisco

With the knowledge acquired from this book, engineers can finally challenge the misconceptions that trail their leadership abilities.

Why Read It?

• This book teaches you the art of conversation and shares some important secrets on getting your message across effectively to an audience.
• Communication is one of the key ingredients for a successful life. If you observe a leader of any organisation, one fact becomes immediately evident. They spend most of their time in conversation. Everything leaders accomplish is the result of their conversations.

5. Dream With Your Eyes Open By Ronnie Screwvala

Through this book, Screwvala provides a relentless pursuit of entrepreneurial glory and describes how others can learn from the same. UTV-founder and pioneer of the media industry, Ronnie Screwvala is one of India’s most successful first-generation entrepreneurs.

Why Read It?

• It is filled with incidents, thoughts and behind-the-scenes anecdotes of Screwvala’s career that would help young business-oriented minds to gain more knowledgeable insight into the ins and outs of entrepreneurship.
• The book is inclined at bringing out clarity in the way business setup is changing. It presents a significant account on what role Indian entrepreneurs will play in the coming years.

6. The Alchemist By Paulo Coelho

This novel is an enchanting one and has inspired a devoted following around the public. This story - dazzling in its inspiring wisdom - is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried in the Pyramids.

Why Read It?

• The cornerstone of this book is to break the monotony in your life.
• Gratitude is the practice of finding the good in each day. Life can easily become stagnant, mundane, and monotonous, but that changes depending on what we choose to see. This book teaches you the importance of kindness and appreciation in life.

Reading develops your mind. Engineering students are always well-advised to delve in reading material directly applicable to their studies and career aspirations; but it can also be valuable to take detours into reading outside your major and specific scope. It will accentuate creativity in your regular lives and add the much needed entertainment!