But the truth is that reading books can be more than entertainment (or a high school English assignment). In fact, a study released earlier this month suggests that enjoying literature might help strengthen your “mind-reading” abilities. The research,published in the journal Science, showed that reading literary works (though, interestingly, not popular fiction) cultivates a skill known as “theory of mind,” which NPR describes as the “ability to ‘read’ the thoughts and feelings of others.”
Source: Huffington Post