SIX in 10 adults have been inspired to take up or do something new after reading – including change career, learn a new language, and climb a mountain.
A poll of 2,000 adults who read for pleasure found 26 per cent have been compelled to make a positive change to their lives after reading.
As many as 25 per cent said they’re ‘likely’ to try something new after reading about it, while 57 per cent agree anyone looking for inspiration should get stuck into a good book.
Other things those polled have been inspired to do include travel, write, and cook at home.
Commissioned by makers of the Galaxy Tab S9 Series, Samsung, the study found reading helps 77 per cent relax, while 49 per cent said it makes them feel ‘happier’.
Broadcaster Nick Grimshaw, who has partnered with the tech giants for ‘The Creative Station’, a pop-up in London Waterloo station that gives a platform to the positive power of reading, said: “Reading is something I try and make time for every day.
“Either to help me relax, to help on a creative project, to try new things, whether that’s taking my hand to writing or researching a new project.”
And on the pop-up specifically, he hopes it will “help people unlock their own creativity” and “even unearth an inspirational author or two.”
The study also found 86 per cent believe reading can have a positive impact on our lives.
Further to this, the study also found 69 per cent of readers use the process as an escape from everyday life.
While 82 per cent consider reading so important, they ‘never’ travel without having something to read.
Fiction books are the most popular form of book (77 per cent).
And 52 per cent like to get stuck into a book in a long, dedicated session, with the average reading session stretching out for 45 leisurely minutes.
Open for two weeks, Samsung’s one-of-a-kind experience will allow commuters to explore their creative side through a series of interactive workshops and activities, set to inspire people as they wait for their train.
Passersby will be able to tuck into a host of recommended reads and join the Book Club Tab Club hosted by BookTok and YouTube star Freya Nightingale, among other activities.
Annika Bizon, spokesperson for Samsung’s ‘The Creative Station’ powered by the Galaxy Tab S9 Series, added: “We believe that the joy of getting lost in reading can be enhanced by technology, taking adventures off paper and onto devices so they can be enjoyed wherever you are.
“Our exciting pop-up experience at London Waterloo allows readers to express their creativity, ignite inspiration and immerse themselves in their favourite reads.”
THE TOP 40 MOST INSPIRATIONAL BOOKS:
1. All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot
2. My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell
3. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
4. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
5. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
6. Harry Potter By JK Rowling
7. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
8. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
9. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
10. Eat, Pray, Love
11. Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy
12. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
13. Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome
14. 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke
15. Band of Brothers by Stephen E. Ambrose
16. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel –
17. The Queen’s Gambit by Walter Tevis
18. On the Road by Jack Kerouac
19. The Salt Path by Raynor Winn
20. Where the Crawdads sing – by Delia Owens
21. One Day by David Nicholls
22. Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby
23. The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald
24. The Beach by Alex Garland
25. High Fidelity by Nick Hornby
26. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
27. The Martian by Andy Weir
28. Starter For Ten by David Nicholls
29. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
30. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
31. The Ladies’ Midnight Swimming Club by Faith Hogan
32. Ghosts by Dolly Alderton
33. A Good Yearby Peter Mayle
34. The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs
35. Heartburn by Nora Ephron
36. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
37. Sunlight on the Lawn by Beverley Nichols
38. Daisy Jones and the Six – by Taylor Jenkins Reid
39. How to Make an American Quilt by Whitney Otto
40. The Dressmaker by Rosalie Ham