Book Review — Be More Bonsai, Mark Akins

During my school days a magician visited our school and taught us the art of Origami. Creating lively shapes out of plain notebook papers, he inculcated in us the wisdom of there being beauty in every single object around us, whether we noticed it or not. It was during that session that I also got to learn the word 'Bonsai'. I was intrigued by the concept of diminutive trees and that fascination stayed on but more so the idea of there being beauty and wisdom in even the most 'mundane' of objects around us.

This single piece of wisdom made me relish even the most ordinary of sensory experiences - the tactile bliss of pencil sliding across paper, the touch of newborn child, the fragrance of Neem flowers on a hot summer afternoon, the sight of little dandelions on roadside shrubs, the distant song of a cuckoo, the racing of raindrops of glass panes and so much more. That made me scribble these words in my journal once - 'Would the world continue to feel the same way if our eyes and ears are really opened?'

This book is an answer to that question. What this book does is to take the great Japanese art of Bonsai and teach some of the simplest yet greatest truths of human lives. By the way, don't we all love the Japanese? They have a word for everything, even the most innate of our thoughts and emotions. But I digress.

Mark Akins comes across as a seasoned gardener and a Bonsai enthusiast. What he does in this book is to teach the basics of bonsai and draw parallels to our daily lives. By doing so, he repeats some of the time-tested wise words of self-improvement. This book dwells less on the art bonsai and more on self-improvement concepts. So, keep the expectations of your gardening enthusiast toned down before you pick this book.

A lot to contemplate and practise in your personal life, than in your garden. Liked the wisdom, but loved the book's idea of trying to find peace and purpose in even the seemingly simple task of tending to one's plants and trees. A good read, indeed.

Book Review - The Professional Companion, Subroto Bagchi

I had already read the much acclaimed work of Mr. Bagchi 'Go Kiss the World' before I picked up his book 'The Professional'. At a time when I was aspiring to rise up the corporate ladder, I found that book to be an useful guide, a silent mentor that helped me define and polish my professional behavior.

The book listed down various essential personal qualities that a professional ought to have, like ethics, integrity, self-awareness etc., along with the tools to help one perform one's day to day role to perfection. With many of those timeless concepts explained with easy to understand case studies, that book left a lasting impression on me, so much so that whenever I got a chance to gift my colleagues something, I presented them with that book.

Soon Mr. Bagchi followed up on his wonderful work with a 'companion', a workbook of sorts that elaborated on the principles contained within its predecessor. Each of the 25 chapters are chances to reflect on your own personal / professional mettle, assess your present and professional progress. If used in an honest, sincere manner, this 'workbook ' can be a really worthy tool to improve one's professional standing and personal growth.

It is not necessary that this 'companion' should be read only after 'The Professional', but understanding the core principles upon which this book is structured will make it all the more worthwhile. A worthy tool for any aspiring professional and also for those who have already 'arrived'. 4 stars!