I can’t count how many books I have read. Maybe a hundred, maybe more, maybe less. Sometimes I finish books in a single sitting. Often I get bored, and put it down after a few chapters and forget to read it again. I wonder, is this because I have a lack of motivation to read a book? Or maybe because some books are boring and I lost excitement to read?
It got me to question, why do I need to read a book? I got the answer when I moved to Malang, and joined Book At Cafe (BAC), a reading community.
I realized that my reading habits were limited by a narrow preference. I tend to choose books that I think can challenge my thinking, often avoiding popular self-help titles in favor of complex narratives. I was driven by a single, burning curiosity: What is the nature of humanity? I wanted to understand why we think, act, and behave the way we do, and how we navigate the complex, often inherited systems that define our lives.
This was the reason why I read Sapiens. The book, written by Yuval Noah Harrari, tells about the evolution of humans, not physically, but culturally. Harari argues that our ability to believe in shared fictions—like money, laws, and nations—is what ultimately allowed us to cooperate in massive, complex societies. By shifting the focus from our biological traits to these collective myths, he reveals how we transitioned from small hunter-gatherer bands into the dominant species on Earth.
What makes Harari’s books interesting is his refusal to simply dictate conclusions to the reader. While his background as a university professor certainly gives him the authority to lecture us, he chooses a more collaborative approach and encourages us to critically examine past events, analyze the present and engage with the uncertainties of the future. His books succeed to expand my perspective and ask myself a critical question about humanity, and particularly, my role as a human.
I was also intrigued about the story of people from the past.
For example, through Majapahit: Intrigue Betrayal and War in Indonesia’s Greatest Empire, written by Herald van Der Linde, not only I get to explore more about one of the greatest ancient empires in Indonesia, learn about the politics, international affairs, cultures, religion, women’s role etc. What interested me specifically was the story of the founder of the kingdom’s line, Ken Arok. The fact that one foolish human act of Ken Arok could build a line of kings, and at itself destroyed what he had built was astonishing. Ken Arok succeeded to rise in power after killing a famous landlord in Singasari and marrying his widow, Ken Dedes, who was pregnant at the time. Later, his children — one line from the previous killed father and the other line from his — fought and killed each other out of betrayal, jealousy and ambition. Such traits still exist nowadays; a reminder that human nature remains constant, regardless of the passage of time.
This made me realize my reading habits. What made me stuck on the repeated book preferences? And how exactly BAC succeeded in changing my reading habits?
It started when Kelvin shared with me that he recently developed an interest in reading books about humanity. He noticed that audiences rarely talked about business books—a topic he personally finds compelling. He thought the topic of humanity is more interesting to be shared in a discussion. This conversation with him highlighted just how transformative a community can be in shifting our perspectives, which is also the lesson I learnt from joining BAC.
Through BAC, I can really expand my perspectives of books. During book discussions, I often pause to reflect: what is it in their explanation that truly captures my interest? Slowly, I began to develop an interest in exploring other books that are normally not my cup of tea. For example, books like Start with Why, written by Simon Sinek, helped me build a habit to always start to question “Why” when we start something. Or the book about solopreneur, Company of One by Paul Jarvis, reminded me that business’s success isn’t strictly about scaling up; staying small can be a strategic and fulfilling choice. I find these books about self development and tips on business refreshing because it made me search for a balance between the work I do and the people I aspire to be. I start to incorporate these insights into practice.
Participating in BAC meetings helps me clarify my blind spots, also revealing the deeper reasons behind my choice of books. Ultimately, a book bridges my wandering mind with different realities, yet, a discussion on books can really help me to step outside the narrow perspective that often confines me. When we discuss what we read, that bridge expands, allowing us to see how others think, act, and connect. We read because, in the reflection of another’s journey, we inevitably find a clearer, more honest version of ourselves, and that is, I think, the reason why we read.
