It seems to me that the trend in top book lists and recommendations is usually skewed pretty heavily towards the “smart thinking” and narrative history genre.

I do enjoy the genre and have read some of these titles but have found my greatest moments of inspiration have come from fiction. My recommendation is to alternate non-fiction titles with literature, which also is a great change of pace and gives you a bit of a break from constantly absorbing facts and arguments.

For those not into fiction, reading anything by Ishiguro is a great place to start.