Whether you're a student or a professor, no doubt reading college books makes you smarter. That's because a lot of them contain information that you wouldn't otherwise know about. You'll learn about topics such as how to increase your memory and how to think like a Freak.

Blink by Malcolm Gladwell

Described as a "revolutionary", Malcolm Gladwell's book Blink has become a best-seller. It has sold more than 1.3 million copies in North America and is now translated into more than 25 languages. And now there's a movie on the way.

Gladwell, a journalist, and psychotherapist is the son of an English math professor and a Jamaican psychotherapist. After graduating with a history degree from the University of Toronto, he worked at The Washington Post for almost a decade. He then began writing articles for the New Yorker magazine. Now, Gladwell has a lucrative second career as a public speaker. He's been invited to speak at West Point, the National Institutes of Health, and many other institutions. He's also a host of a popular podcast that focuses on subjects that are often overlooked.

Think Like a Freak by Steven D. Leavitt and Stephen J. Dubner

Almost ten years after the release of "Freakonomics," the authors of the book have come out with a sequel. This time, they use a more practical approach: they take their readers behind the scene to see the power of incentives. The authors get paid to do homework online and present some interesting stories involving various fields of study.

The book's subtitle, "How to Think Smart About Almost Everything," may not be as impressive as the triumvirate mentioned in the title, but it's still a fun read. The authors take readers behind the scenes and explain the many ways that statistics can help us understand a variety of topics.

The authors also point out the best way to solve a problem. This can be a little tricky. They recommend generating lots of ideas but then narrowing them down. This helps to generate more viable solutions. They also suggest that letting go of conventional wisdom will be the way to go.

Graphic novels boost memory

Whether you are a struggling reader or an accomplished one, comics can help you better understand a text. They can increase your memory retention, improve your comprehension, and encourage you to continue reading. In addition, they can stimulate your imagination, which can lead to more creative and meaningful communication.

Graphic novels may also improve your memory by strengthening the connections between different concepts. Images, visual cues, and verbal cues all strengthen abstract messages and provide additional memory associations.

In a small study, middle school English Language Learners (ELs) performed significantly better on a memory recall assessment when reading a graphic novel. They also better remembered the plot and main plot elements of the story. These results apply to other age groups and language levels. They suggest that graphic novels may be more effective teaching tools than textbooks.