Book Review - Copycat Marketing 101, Burke Hedges

When a friend of mine recently gifted me this book, I was hoping that this would be a nice little appetizer for the serious reading in the days ahead. Surfing through the first few page, I found them to be interesting too. But, as the pages progressed, all that hope and interest gave way to boredom and a sense of annoyance.

A potpourri of sorts, this book tries to be many things at once - self-help, business, finance, and finally and mainly, network marketing. The author emphasizes on network marketing as one of the trusted ways to become rich quick and on one's own terms. As if we haven't heard it all from those impassioned distributors trying to enroll us into their pyramid selling. In fact, a simple Google search will tell you that there have been people who have become millionaires through this mode, but this is not for everyone and not for everywhere.

Filled with anecdotes, jokes and a few inspirational quotes, this book is really for those people who are frantically searching for ways and means to become rich quick. And, if you take away those quotes, anecdotes and jokes, the rest of the book could be presented neatly in two A4-sized sheets. As for the serious readers, I wouldn't recommend this for any reason.

Happy New Year 2019!

We humans have this tendency to demarcate our lives and celebrate it in so many ways. Festivals to flaunt our emotions, celebrations to mark the changing of seasons, commemoration days to remember the legends that walked amongst us, religious rituals, birthdays, anniversaries and what not! Today, the beginning of a New Year, is one such day that we all look forward to. Staying awake till midnight to see the clock hands converge, feeling the the end of one old, huge chunk of time and the arrival of a new, fresh phase, sharing good wishes with friends and relatives through calls and messages, falling asleep with buzzing minds are all things that make our new year celebrations.

But, apart from the change in calendars and diaries, and a holiday to spend away from the grind of our day-to-day lives, what else is special about this day? Just as I sat contemplating this question today, I found my mind returning to one answer again and again – Hope. It is hope that marks and makes this day special for us humans.

Seen through the glasses of pragmatism, today is in no way different from yesterday and nor from our morrows. The same Sun came up from the same direction. Our lives and daily activities do all take place in the same fashion. But there is something clearly visible in the faces and behavior of every person that we come across today. It is the gleam of hope - Hope that this year, this man-made chunk of Time, is going to be different from all the rest that went ahead of it. The hope that this year will be the one in which most, if not all, of our dreams are going to come true. The hope of being able to live our days to the fullest from now onwards, staying true to our ‘resolutions’. Hope that we will be spared of all the travails and turmoil that made our lives difficult in the days gone by. Hope of feeling peace and happiness in the next 365 days to follow.

As the hours tick away from the first day of this new year, here is my wish for you –

'Without letting it slip away when you begin the day tomorrow, may you keep that hope pinned to your hearts. Let that hope produce abundant positive emotions and energy within you. May that hope guide you towards your dreams and help you achieve your goals. May that hope lift you high and place you all at the high pedestals of life. May that hope fill you with good health and humour. May that hope spread among your friends and families, fill their hearts to the brim and make them spend the next twelve months in good health, immense peace, boundless joy, blessed with all the positive bounties of life.'

May you all have a blessed and blissful 2019!

May You Find Love!

There are many types of love. The first-time-found-someone-from-the-opposite-sex kind of love. The good-to-have-a-rich/beautiful/handsome/intelligent-boyfriend/girlfriend-like-you kind of love. The waiting-to-jump-into-the-bed-with-you sort of love. The I-will-die-if-you-leave-me kind of love. You-fill-the-vacuum-in-my-life-and-hence-I-need-you type of love. I-have-not-found-anyone-better-than-you-yet type of love. We-might-look-nice-together love.

And, then there is Let-Me-Introduce-You-To-The-God-Within-You Love. This is where people love one another just for the sake of love. Where people treat one another with respect, accept the differences, honor the similarities, cherish one another, become like one and yet remain unique individuals. Such a love demands nothing and yet gives everything. Raising above mere animal instincts and everyday trivialities, making one realize one's own special place in this whole Universe and also that of one's Significant Other, this is Love of the purest kind.

No matter how many heart breaks and rejections you face in life, never ever compromise in seeking such true, worthy love. For, Love like that is what makes the world go around and our lives worth living! 💕

Book Review - The Theft of India, Roy Moxham

There has always been this question at the back of my mind - how did a land like India, of many great warriors and emperors, filled with a population of many millions ended up being enslaved by puny European armies? This book provided a comprehensive answer to that question. Starting from the arrival of the Portugese to the final, decisive Bengal battles that affirmed the British dominance across the vast land, this book covers a period of almost three centuries. The downfall of the subcontinent, began from the arrival of Vasco da Gama at the West coast. Coming originally with the intention to trade and partake in the fabled wealth of India, slowly colonizing it by acquiring land and power from each of the petty kings and landlords who were too busy in their own personal feuds to notice the change of tides, fighting off the other European powers that were eager to join the party and ultimately enslaving this vast land, stripping it of all dignity and glory - it is all in here.

The amount of corruption, treachery, selfishness, petty egos, deceit and differences that handed over 'India' to the colonial powers is sure to make your blood boil. Short. Succinct. To the point. A good read.

Book Review – DareDreamers, Kartik Sharma & Ravi ‘Nirmal’ Sharma

As I finished reading and kept the book aside, I was reminded of one of my school teachers. Being so fond of Indian culture and tradition, he used to tell us that the two great epics – Ramayana and Mahabharata – are the only two books worth reading in one’s life, if two books are all one is destined to read in one’s whole life. As we suppressed our chuckles at his hackneyed utterance, he used to elaborate on how the themes of those two books have gone on to determine or even dictate the plots of all other books, movies and dramas that have been written in India ever since then. Men meeting their downfall due to their covetous behavior and Goodness prevailing over Evil were two of the key take-aways from those grand epics of India, is what my teacher used to believe in.

Whenever I remember that teacher, I remember his statement as well and use it as a touchstone to check the events, thoughts and books prevailing in my life at that moment. This book by promising authors, the father-son duo of Sharmas, stands testament to that increasingly truthful statement of my old teacher.

Rasiq, a man ever torn between the rights and wrongs of life, like Yudhishtra, Halka, a mighty man of supreme physical prowess, resembling Bhima, Arjun, a skilled sharp-shooter like his namesake from the Mahabharata, Nick and Vyom, the intelligent innovator and a master physician, like the twins Nakul and Sahadev make the pack here. Accompanying them are Natasha, a brave woman like Draupati, sharing a platonic, professional relationship with all but one member of this pack, and Aslam, piloting them to their destiny, like Lord Krishna, literally.

Rasiq has an enviable life, attaining the pinnacle of academic success with degrees from IIT and IIM. However, the staleness of a high-on-pay-but-low-on-everything-else corporate life pushes him into emotional abyss. Rasiq quits his job and finds his destiny by forming a start-up that specializes in rescuing accident victims. Just as they start tasting success and feeling good about life, a wicked force starts shaking the ground beneath their feet. Were they able to overcome that evil force and grow their enterprising enterprise? Was the evil vanquished? Did Righteousness indeed free itself from the clenches of Evil? Read this book to find out.

This is the second book by these authors that I have been given an opportunity to read and review. Having had a couple of not-so-inspiring experiences reviewing the works of first-time authors, I gently refused when Mr. Ravi Sharma offered me a copy of their first book to review. Convinced by his gentle approach and his assurance that I could share a candid review, I read through their first work ‘The Quest of the Sparrows’. Built around a unique plot, peppered with thoughts on spirituality and purpose of human life, it turned out to be a truly enjoyable read. So, when Mr. Ravi Sharma offered a free-copy this time, I grabbed the opportunity gladly, hoping for something different. And, the authors didn’t deceive.

The plot is unique, the style is fun, the overall execution is commendable. Though there are a couple of negatives, like the added dash of sleaze in the first part of the book and the occasional spelling mistake one finds here and there, the dash of humor and presence of many inspiring thoughts make this book a smooth read overall. A real page-turner that Mr. Sharmaji and his son can both be proud of!

Book Review – Cosmos, Carl Sagan

We humans have come a long way. From the days we were wandering the planet looking little different from our primate cousins, to these modern times where we take for granted technologies that would have been equated to magic just a century or so ago, we humans have made amazing progress. Science is what brought us here and science is what is going to help us evolve in the days ahead too. Science helped us see things as they are, dispelled our fears, gave us hope, made us discover fire and invent the wheel – two of the most important findings till today.

While science may not have solved all our queries yet - and raises as many demons as it lays to rest - it makes genuine, continuous efforts to arrive at the Truth. Armed with science, we humans have started exploring all around us. From the microcosmic wonders of atoms to the mega marvels of Universe, science has lifted many veils and shown us things beyond our limited understanding. Scientists like Carl Sagan have played an important role in lifting those veils, not only by their direct contribution to the sciences, but also through their ability to communicate such esoteric wisdom to the masses, to laymen that are keen on understanding their surroundings but limited in their ability to do so.

Books like ‘The Origin of Species’ remain special, not just because they tell us about groundbreaking discoveries, but also due to their telling it in a language that we, the laypersons, can understand. While ‘Cosmos’ by Carl Sagan may not be as earth-shattering as ‘The Origin of Species’, it is special by its own right. Written nearly four decades ago, co-developed with a television series of the same name, this book was produced with the idea of popularizing the sciences, especially astronomy, among the masses. To the uninitiated but curious mind, this book is the ideal beginning into the wonderous realms of the cosmos. This book is to the budding astronomer what the alphabets and the arithmetic are to the young child.

From the ancient budding of scientific thoughts at the Ionian islands to the then-latest launching of space missions like Voyager-2, Carl Sagan takes each stage in the evolution of science as we know it, elaborates on the circumstances prevailing at those times, enumerates important contributions by various scientists. The real fun is his doing all this in an interesting, pacey manner, without letting the reader feel bored even once. After helping us navigate the unimaginably vast expanse of our Universe and showing us the wonders of our solar system, stars, planets, galaxies and the bleak black holes along the way, Sagan ends the book with philosophical musings on the future of mankind on this nuclear era and the possibilities of our encountering extra-terrestrial intelligence.

This is not just a book on astronomy. Burgeoning with interesting details on history, evolution, atomic science and mathematics, this is one complete book that every mind passionate about learning must possess.

Book Review - The Bachelor of Arts, R.K. Narayan

There is a quaint charm about the books of R.K. Narayan, like the languid grace of late summer afternoons. There is no urge to spell out the minutiae of the plot, no kid-gloved treatment of readers by letting them into every detail, including the color of the characters’ iris. There are no otherworldly characters with vaunted virtues or revolting vileness. Narayan’s characters are all simple human beings, persons we come across every day at work, on the road, in public transports, or at the cafeteria. The characters are so natural to the point of making you feel like one of them. Again, there is no fairy-tale like fantasy in the plots. The storyline is - to borrow the comparison by some writer that I vaguely remember - like lifting the curtain from a stage where the events are already going on, observing it without any judgement and then gently letting the curtain fall.

Unlike most of the contemporary Indian authors, many of whose works I nearly ended up flinging through the window, the Indian masters of yore had a sense of simplicity and sincerity in their writings. If I say that RKN is chief among them, not many would contest my point.

This book by Narayan is an absolute delight. Dwelling into the transformation of a young, easy-going college student into a man of serious disposition, the joys, aspirations, dreams, the inevitable heartbreak and revival of hope that all stud this period of transformation are well narrated in a manner only RKN can.

Chandran is the son of doting parents and elder brother to an adoring young boy. In his final year in college, Chandran has little to care about in life, except his college History Association meetings and, later, his final year exams. A life of comfort, simple joys and routine dreams promises to get better when he meets, no, sees a young girl during one of his evening strolls by the river. Smitten by the girl, even whose name he is not aware of, Chandran relishes all the dreams of youth, only to be rudely awakened by the challenges and customs that marked the Indian societies in that period. Did Chandran marry the girl of his dreams? Did he get to make a mark for himself and settle in life? What did it take to turn that carefree young man into a mature adult? Read the book for answers.

There are more than a dozen books of R.K. Narayan in my shelf now. Each book evokes in me a different sensation. Some books make me smile, some stir in me a sense of mischief, some give me peace, some cause sadness, some fill me with hope and some stoke all these emotions at once. ‘The Bachelor of Arts’ is one such book laced with the trademark subtle humor of R.K. Narayan, mixed with a tinge of sadness that lurks in the background like the ever-present nose in front of our eyes.

If you like books that deal with the intricacies of human nature, with all the pleasures and frailties that make us stand high above all other creatures on this planet, then ‘The Bachelor of Arts’ is a book that you MUST experience!