T : The Infinite Game & Siddhartha - Book Reviews #AtoZChallenge2020

The post "Books in Lockdown" was about books that the current dystopian times reminded me of. Subsequently, I wrote another books related post titled "Haruki Murakami & Other Escapes", which was about few books that I recommended as an escape from these times. But today, I am going to talk about two books, which I actually read few months back, in the period when Covid19 had just started spreading across the world. 

The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek

This one comes highly recommended. There are certain books, where you can't dispute the logic or intent, but as a reader, you constantly keep struggling with the solidity and the execution of the concepts being talked about. This book talks about how corporate leaders are conditioned to think short-term and finite, while the game being played is infinite. He provides a framework which is anchored on having a Just Cause or what I would call the purpose that should be your north star. A cause which helps build trusting teams. The author, at one point makes an interesting distinction between sports and corporate world. (While, we have been always given analogies of sports at corporate meets.) He clearly states that we should look out for worthy rivals rather than competition, like in finite sports. He tells with examples of brands like Apple, how existential flexibility, can help a brand pivot from its core product, (in this case from computers to phones, music etc.) if Just Cause is not centered around a product or a number, and courage to lead is in ample supply. 

Some cases shared are interesting. I also liked the chapter on Ethical Fading, because it seemed more tangible than others. It talks about the concept where you might follow law to the letter, but not necessarily in spirit or as per morality. But its the analogy of the Vietnam War and who really won it, that stayed back with me. 

I always find this genre of books difficult to wrap my head around. For example the Kodak and the Apple stories have been cited in so many books, using so many frameworks, that you kind of know the beats already and you also get it that in real world things don't operate that simplistically. Things work out or fail because of several variables at play. But among this genre of books, this one is far more coherent, and there is clarity of intent and writing is lucid. There are certain chapters that help you reflect on the way you look at success - both personal and professional and the way you look at team building. Also the discussion between 'legal' and 'ethical' is very interestingly put across. And thus the book is enriching in that sense. 

A line from the book which I really liked - "If the true purpose of business was only to make money, there would be no need for so many companies to pretend to be cause or purpose driven"

Siddhartha by Herman Hesse

It is a book about the spiritual journey of a man called Siddhartha during the time of Buddha. I have never read such a book before. It reads like a novel, but it is not. It is easy to read but difficult to understand and absorb. It is a book which one will have to read multiple times over one's lifetime, because takeaways from it depends on your mental state and your interpretation, at the given time of your life. As the book was originally written, in German, in simple lyrical style, I also felt that rhythm in the English translation is missing, which at times may be jarring. But one has to overcome that to really take something away from this book. 

The key themes of the book which I liked were, the totality of experience one must immerse in and the difference between 'seeking' and 'finding' . Also the fact that enlightenment can't be taught but it has to come from within is brought out beautifully through Siddhartha's journey. 

Two quotes from the book which talk about the themes I liked, are reproduced below for your delight. 

“Wisdom cannot be imparted. Wisdom that a wise man attempts to impart always sounds like foolishness to someone else ... Knowledge can be communicated, but not wisdom. One can find it, live it, do wonders through it, but one cannot communicate and teach it.”

“What could I say to you that would be of value, except that perhaps you seek too much, that as a result of your seeking you cannot find.”

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What was the last book you liked and why? Do tell me in the comments section.

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My theme for this year's #AtoZchallenge is Lock-down Blues. I intend to write and talk about how I deal with it, what it inspires me to read or watch or any aspect of it which fascinates me. You can read the theme reveal post here. 

Previous Challenges : Letter T

2017: Trains

2018: Tamil words I learned in last one year

2019: Titles & Title Songs in Hindi Films / Bollywood

E : Entertain / Engage / Enrich during Lockdown #AtoZChallenge2020

In current times, it is very natural for us to feel anxious or scared. It is easy to get into a dark zone when things are so gloomy. In fact on the third night after this lockdown was executed, I was so anxious that I couldn't sleep that night. My mind was largely blank, but I couldn't sleep. I have had this feeling before - the anxiety, the palpitations. Classic symptoms of that youthful love, when she had gone away from your life. When you feel, that your world is going to end. Only this time, it feels more tangible and more real. 

After that night, my mind eased a bit. It is not that I feel things have improved outside. But one has to make peace with this new normal. In today's post I am going to talk about three E's that have kept me in good spirits since that night, despite reading about doomsday scenarios daily. Hope some of these things help you too. 

E : Entertain

Do something daily to keep yourself entertained. I have been avoiding dark films or web series that I normally like a lot. Music is something which always lifts my spirits. Especially Punjabi songs. So I watch all peppy songs of Diljit Dosanjh, Sunanda Sharma, Ammy Virk and Sharry Mann, on repeat mode, for some time daily. And their music videos are fun too. But my current favorite is this song by Bilal Saeed and Momina Mustehsan titled Baari (Window). The lyrics are beautiful, almost profound. And their silken voices so soothing. The video is very earthy too, that reminds me of my home town. Watch the video below. The song actually kicks in after a minute or so in the video. Do write in comments to tell me what are you doing to keep yourself entertained. 

E : Engage

Work from Home can be stressful for a person like me who can't switch off easily. At the same time for others it could be a temptation to do away with their disciplined routines. Both problems have to be dealt through engagement. Ensure you meaningfully engage with your work and your colleagues even in these times. So keep your working hours as if you are in office. Also replicate water cooler breaks you take in office. Every day I do a non-work related call with one of my colleagues. It helps me feel sane. Also engage with your friends / family more than usual. I am video calling my parents more times than earlier. They make me feel, as if everything is normal. 

I also took up this blogging challenge, so that in my free time, I am more worried about putting the daily post up, than worrying about the uncontrollable things. I would love to know your methods to keep yourself engaged. Tell me in the comments section. 

E : Enrich

Enrich your body! Enrich your soul! One should follow this maxim even in usual times. But in these times I feel it is even more important. But don't stress if you are not learning a new skill, or doing meditation. If something stresses you, then most probably it will not enrich you.  Ensure you eat healthy food and walk / exercise if possible. I am walking frequently for some time on my building's roof top. I also continue to read as usual for about 30 minutes a day. My current read is Jaya - An Illustrated Retelling of The Mahabharata by Devdutt Pattanaik. It is a good time to read about mythology. About Karma. About miracles. It is not a taxing read and at the same time it is not fluff. 

I wish everyone good times ahead. Entertaining, Engaging and Enriching times too. 

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My theme for this year's #AtoZchallenge is Lock-down Blues. I intend to write and talk about how I deal with it, what it inspires me to read or watch or any aspect of it which fascinates me. You can read the theme reveal post here. 

Previous Challenges : Letter E

2017: Engineering

2018: Education Kills

2019: End Credits in Hindi Films / Bollywood

B : Books in Lockdown #AtoZChallenge2020

It is the third time, in four April A to Z blogging challenges that I have participated in, that I have chosen Books as a topic from Letter B. Books are something I love, and this fact reflects that. Today, I am going to talk about the books which I read recently, in later half of 2019. Since the corona virus Covid19 related lock-down was announced about 10 days ago in India, I have been thinking of these three books because of their deep rooted understanding of politics and future. They all paint vividly, our dystopian future in some form or other, and dystopia as a theme is playing out right now in real world. Also one of the books claimed, that the period of epidemic as a problem was over. An epidemic has now shut down the planet. Ironical!

Today I am sharing my views on these three books below. 

21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari

The inside of the cover jacket says that Sapiens (reviewed here) explored the past and Homo Deus (reviewed here) explored the future. And this one, these 21 Lessons explore the present.

It is a decent categorisation as the book is essentially drawing from past and exploring the future. If you have read the earlier two books, you might find few things repetitive, especially in first 9 chapters / lessons under the two sections of technological challenge and political challenge. But these chapters are still fascinating to read. But as you read the next set of chapters, the book makes some strong criticism of all the stories we have been fed with. It philosophically tries to explore the meaning of life and yet is rooted in grim realities of our world. The author's scepticism comes to fore and so does his objectivity. I may not always agree with his predicted future but he definitely puts across a compelling case.

His chapters / lessons on terrorism, truth & post truth, criticism of his own religion and meaning of life are subjects, he didn't explore in his past books in detail. These offer new perspective. At times, I don't agree with him, because he assumes that anything that can't be proven through direct observation or evidence doesn't exist.  Like soul. Well, he might be right. But centuries ago, people hadn't found internet and WiFi. They just saw thin air. May be we should still believe in world's mysteries.

In hindsight, when Harari claims in his earlier books that mankind has overcome the three challenges of war, famine and epidemic in previous century and now it has to deal with problems of future, there is nothing disagreeable. Even corona epidemic will claim lesser human lives than previous big epidemics and hopefully we will have a vaccine soon. But I think he hadn't fully understood the challenges new age epidemics will pose. Like shutting down of entire economies. Like poor people suffering more because of financial problems than because of the disease itself. He recently came up with an essay on this subject. You can read it here.

Animal Farm by George Orwell

Animal Farm is a political allegory under the garb of a fairy tale, published first in 1945. It talks about a revolution in a farm by animals against the humans. And how this political revolution formed on the basis of utopia soon gets corrupted.

I had earlier read Orwell's book 1984 (reviewed here) . That book constantly reminded me of our current loss of privacy, enabled by government snooping across the world and our personal data availability with Google and Facebook.  That book was highly cynical and made me reflect on our current times. Animal Farm takes that cynicism, dare I say nihilism of our lives, several notches  higher. The revolution on the farm, originally reflecting on events of Russian Revolution  of 1917 followed by Stalinist era, constantly reminded me of a revolution in India - India Against Corruption (IAC). And how this revolution also converted into some thing abhorrent, leading to formation of of a political party which is similar to many that already exist.

The parallels were uncanny. The old boar in the book reminded me of Anna Hazare (Indian social activist) who inspired people to join IAC movement. In the book founders of the revolution are eventually thrown out, just like what happened in Aam Aadmi Party. In the book all inefficiencies of new system formed by animals is explained through externalization. All Indian political parties do the same. In the book, the pig named Napoleon becomes the main deal. Now he is served not the revolution. At the end book goes onto describe how humans and pigs are the same. One can read so much into it.

The book also made me feel that no political or management system can be saved from greed, corruption and ignorance. Thus I have stopped siding with any -ism. The guys who can champion a paradise after death, will always have something to sell, though.


The Time Machine by H G Wells

This one is a yet another classic. From Terminator to Avengers Endgame, we have seen so much about time travel on screen, that at first you may feel that reading this book about this much bandied about concept would have nothing new to offer. And truly on surface it's just that only.

But the moment you bring in the perspective that Wells wrote it in 1895, you wonder about his ability to look into the future. It is his ability to not only look into future of material development but also into future of social as well as cosmic evolution. Given the fact that in 100 plus years since the book was written, we have far more knowledge about the universe and tools to predict future, this book is nothing short of genius.

While Well's visual description about the world in future centuries is vivid, it is his ability to assess the societal structure in future that really impresses me as a reader. He presents humanity as a  blip in the timeline of cosmos and insignificance of everything we have done or achieved so far lends the book its bleak but thought provoking outlook.

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What are your favorite books on sci-fi or dystopia? Please tell me in comments section. 

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My theme for this year's #AtoZchallenge is Lock-down Blues. I intend to write and talk about how I deal with it, what it inspires me to read or watch or any aspect of it which fascinates me. You can read the theme reveal post here. 

Previous Challenges : Letter B

2017: Books (My journey with books - not any review)

2018: Books that I read in March'18 (book reviews)

2019: Bhes Badalna (Putting on a disguise) in Hindi Films / Bollywood

2019 - How I read 22 books?

In 2018, I had taken a goal to read 24 books at an average of two books a month. I was able to finish 21 and I was very happy with that achievement, as it was my highest ever tally in a year. I was also able to write the reviews for all the books I read in 2018 on this very blog. 

In 2019, I again took a goal to read 24 books. While I didn't achieve the goal this year too, I am happy to report that I have bettered my tally over last year. I was able to finish 22 books this year. Sadly though, I have so far posted reviews of only 15 books on this blog. Hope to cover this shortfall in January' 20. Interestingly, I had taken few sub-goals as well - Like reading a book in my mother tongue, Punjabi and read at least two classics. I achieved these reading goals too in 2019 :-)

Following are some of the things that  helped me achieve my reading goals: 

1. I had a dedicated time slot of 20-30 minutes daily for reading. An average book of around 300 pages can thus be finished in 15 days. Two books a month is great. Gift these 20-30 minutes daily to yourself.

2. Buy more books than you can read. Also make it known to people that you like books as gifts. When you are surrounded by books, you feel compelled to pick one up. This can be the best investment you can make for yourself.

3. Mix it up - fiction, non fiction, work related, fun related, subjects that interest you and the ones that don't interest you. Just keep reading whatever keeps your boat rocking. This will help you beat the reading block. 

4. Join a book club or a library. You will meet avid readers who inspire you to read more and give you amazing recommendations.

5. Carry a book with you always. Sometimes, when I go slow on reading and my colleagues keep seeing the same book with me for a long period, I feel awkward. This pushes me to avoid distractions and read on.

I started off with reading the books that I loved. But now I love the books that I read. It is a key transition for me. 

As the year ends, here are my top recommendations from what I read this year. Look forward to your recommendations too. The hyper-links will take you to the reviews I have posted for these books. 

Top Fiction:

1984 by George Orwell

The Wind Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami

Top Non Fiction:

Factfulness by Hans Rosling

Homo Deus : A Brief History of Tomorrow by Yuval Noah Harari

Shoe Dog by Phil Knight

Top Classics:

Raseedi Ticket (The Revenue Stamp) by Amrita Pritam (I read in Punjabi, but English translation available)

Animal Farm by George Orwell

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The pictures show all the books I read this year. See you in 2020. Happy New Year!!!

Nike, Facebook & Pakistan - Interesting Books reviewed

Shoe Dog ~ A Memoir by the creator of Nike by Phil Knight is really a well written autobiography. There is no co-author or a ghost writer involved, so the emotions you go through as a reader are real and raw. Phil actually took writing classes to write this book. And that effort shows! It is one the best autobiographies / biographies I have read. Shoe Dog is not just Phil's or Nike's story. It is that too. But it goes beyond. Both inside and outside. The book delves deep inside into an entrepreneur's mind. It looks outwards towards the history of the era when Phil was building Nike. So the book doesn't just feel like an autobiography. It reads like a parable, sounds like a lore and can be understood as a metaphor for life. The book is also paced like a thriller.

As an author, Phil displays his sense of humor throughout. Especially hilarious are his accounts of some of his early colleagues and his travels to Japan and China. But there are undercurrents of his personal tragedies. Also Phil chose not to narrate much that happened after 1980. I was surprised by this choice but I understood the reasons behind it. So you won't get the story behind "Just Do It" or several such campaigns post 1980.

Phil fleshes out each character in the story of his life with love and empathy. He owns his mistakes and is painfully aware of his shortcomings. But he loves his journey.  Phil brings his struggles as a sportsperson and as an entrepreneur to the paper without inhibitions. He also talks about his relationships with his father and his sons without holding anything back.

Some of the questions which I wanted the book to answer also get answered with flourish. You get to know the story behind the name "Nike". You get the story behind its logo. You get reasons for Nike's success. But the book goes beyond the obvious. It gives insights into history of the time. It showcases how people come together and stick together despite differences. It talks about irreversible sacrifices. It defines successes and failures in a humane way.

As a marketer, one is always struggling to define the story of one's brand, its spirit and purpose. This memoir does it so well for Nike. There are several books that have inspired me in the past - with a new idea or with a better perspective on things. But this  book inspired me in a different way. It made me feel for Nike. I felt like working for Nike, especially during its early years. The years when I wasn't even born. And that's a great achievement for a book. 

the Facebook effect by David Kirkpatrick is a book which I have read few years late. The book was published in 2010 and it chronicles the early years of Facebook. By now, we all know the basic beats of Facebook story and its early milestones, through the folklore and the movie 'The Social Network'. Also in 9 years since then, Facebook has become a very different animal, with lesser personal connections active on it. It has since then made a journey from being cool to somewhat evil. I would personally love to read a sequel to this book to know what changed and also understand Mark Zuckerberg's opinion on Cambridge Analytica data breach.

Coming back to this book, I was surprised to notice few grammar as well as spelling errors. Otherwise, the book is pretty fast paced. The book provides a balanced view on Facebook's highs and lows. Unlike Videocracy by Kevin Allocca, a book about YouTube, which I reviewed earlier this year, this book looks into issues like antitrust, privacy, data ownership and ethics in a far more incisive way.

Also, I liked the portions, where we got to know about the logic behind every change and feature on Facebook. These portions make the book an interesting read from change management and product development point of view.

But if there is a more recent book on Facebook, which is equally well written, I suggest you can give this one a miss. 

Tinderbox ~ The Past and Future of Pakistan by M.J. Akbar, presents a very interesting slice of world history of Indian sub-continent, especially chronicling the circumstances around formation of Pakistan. It delves deep into epic conflict between Hindu and Muslim cultures and its impact on the entire region. 

It is a tough book to read, because it spans across centuries, and too much is happening. There are way too many characters and sub-plots. In fact each chapter in this book can become a source for a new book. So don't feel too overwhelmed while reading it, if you are able to connect key threads of this narrative.  By the time I finished the book, I forgot many specifics - names, dates etc. But overarching themes and patterns emerged. 

1. If religious identity overpowers regional or national identity, there will always be strife. Pakistan will never be at peace given the circumstances of its birth. Also my limited understanding, that democracy can bring change,  was questioned throughout the book. 

2. Another interesting aspect on which author spends a lot of time is wherein he explains how Pakistan governments have been distorting history that is taught in their schools. He explains, how school children are conditioned right from the childhood to consider India as its enemy. He goes further to explain how plunderers from pre-independent India are treated as heroes because of their religious identity. But as I read chapters on Indian freedom struggle in the book, especially about Gandhi's failures, I realized how our history books were also whitewashed. I learned how Mahatma was more of a politically useful religious moniker than a testimony to Gandhi's greatness. So while Pakistan's history is a hogwash, ours is also pretty much whitewashed in school books. 

3. How Pakistan played world's superpowers using its geo-political advantage is also a recurring theme in the book. 

And the questions which were left in my mind by the time I finished reading this book were - Has Pakistan played all its cards? Are we on a path to nuclear catastrophe?

I needed few lighter books after this. 

Sita & Talent Code - Two Completely Different Books reviewed

Reading Sita - An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik is a unique experience. It can be called a non-fiction book about a mythological fiction, because it is very well researched.  Or it can also be classified as a fictional story that borrows from several tales. 

Most of us who have grown in India and have seen the televised Ramayana are aware of the basic beats of this epic. To a large extent even the message which this epic promotes is well understood and accepted. Good defeats Evil! But before reading this book, I had always seen the story of Ramayana from twin perspectives of religion and ethics. I always believed that the televised version was the most accurate version of this epic. Reading this book or retelling made several impressions on me. It is researched well, covering the stories, spanning across centuries, from different geographies. And while Pattanaik sticks to the core of the story, he brings to the fore certain value. He truly treats it as a mythology, so his story doesn't always go to the places you already are aware of. He brings in several lesser known or alternative aspects from various regional versions of Ramayana. There is no one Ramayana. It is cyclical. 

He treats Ramayana as a metaphor about one's journey from Aham (Id/Ego) to Atma (Soul), the journey from humanity to divinity. It doesn't just remain a parable about Good vs Evil. 

In this retelling, Sita's persona is fleshed out very well. She is not just a passive, waiting wife. Waiting to be rescued! The book talks about the impact she created in Lanka and in the lives of Lankans. The book details the impact she had in the forest later in her life. 

There are so many characters and plot points in this retelling, that at times I got overwhelmed. But there is joy in getting lost at times. There is a small story on the origin of River Ganga. This story doesn't sound real. It is incredulous and fantastical. A child born out of a same sex relationship, who doesn't have bones and nerves. These bones and nerves get added through Siddha (miraculous powers achieved through spiritual and physical enlightenment). The purpose for the child's birth is to bring alive his dead father. There are series of such unbelievable elements in this story leading to the origin of the Ganga. Our minds conditioned by western education and influences will scoff at this story. But when one looks at the lessons, the metaphors and treat this story as a moral tale, may be then one will learn. And this realization defines the book for me. 

The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle is a book that busts the myths around talent and talent hotbeds. The author explains his research findings that correlate talent to our neurological set-up. His research indicates that talent is not a birth right or determined by one's gene pool. This premise is really interesting which he backs by evidence from neuroscience, making it immensely clear that talent is not a genetic gift. It is something that has to be grown and then he explains how to go about it. There are changes which happen inside one's brain when one works towards becoming talented at some skill. Though for the purpose of this review, I will skip the neuroscience bit. 

The case studies and the success stories mentioned in the book are inspirational. The simple idea of  how 'Ignition - Deep Practice' builds talent is explained beautifully. The chapters on how teachers and coaches actually help create talent are exciting and have immense learning for people who are into coaching roles. 

So I should really read & write more and understand the sub-tasks in the process of reading & writing. This will help me become a better writer, a better blogger and a more consummate reader. 

A book in Punjabi and a book on Parenting - Book Reviews

What happens when one meets or talks to one's mother after a long, a really long gap?

The warmth, comfort and the familiarity of the relationship is there, but it isn't easy to explain the neglect on one's part.

At the start of the year, when I was finalizing my reading goals, I had also decided that I will read at least one book in Punjabi (my mother tongue) this year. And it is a sheer coincidence that my mother gifted me two Punjabi books, few months back. While reading the Punjabi book, it felt like my vocabulary has shrunk. I hadn't read in Punjabi since school. So it took some time getting used to reading a book in the language of my childhood dreams. 

Before I share my views on Raseedi Ticket (The Revenue Stamp) by Amrita Pritam, here is an interesting anecdote about the title of the book, which I had read online, much before I got the book in my hands.

"Khushwant Singh (an eminent Indian author) once told Amrita Pritam that the story of her life was so inconsequential and tiny that it could be written at the back of a revenue stamp. Keeping this joke in mind, Amrita Pritam penned her autobiography and titled it 'Raseedi Ticket', or The Revenue Stamp."

Amrita Pritam is an intense writer, whose writing is seeped in the world history, tragedy, unrequited love and deep philosophy. So expecting a conventional autobiography from her is foolish. Yes! She gives the reader some key details of her life and some milestones etched in the years which she truly lived. But it is her work and craft; her muses and inspirations; her dreams and concerns that she talks about in extraordinary detail. She also shares several extracts of her work and reproduce several poems & short stories, in the book which helped me as a reader to understand her state of mind at different stages of her life. Her world-view will tug at your heart. 

A very small anecdote, very early in the book, about religious segregation at her childhood home (separate utensils for people from a particular community) and her love affair with some one from that community when she grew up, sets the tone for this autobiography. Irony is one of the dominant themes in her life it seems. 

Another place in the book, where she narrates her visit to Sahir Ludhianvi's (an Indian poet) home in Mumbai, in the form of a short story about the roads that never meet, I found her depth as an author really amazing. 

She has also included her travel diaries from places across the world. These stories are interesting not because of the countries she visited, but because of her ability to connect with like minded people there through her work. Also interesting in these travel diaries is her deep understanding of the history of those places and how she is able to link that with the present situations. As one reaches the end of the book, she also talks about her Rajya Sabha (upper house in Indian Parliament) stint, but largely about the questions she asked on the floor of the house. It seems that as a person she was highly organized as she had documented almost every aspect of her life.

There is a section where she briefly touches upon her relationship with Imroz (artist & writer; Amrita's partner) and his personality. In this section also, she avoids conventional and mundane details. She compares Imroz to a saint in folklore and talks about his malleability and his unflinching devotion towards her.

There is another section in the book which talks about 'documentation of history'. This section is based on her time and work with Osho. An interesting perspective emerges. Western civilization was better in documenting history because Indians considered 'History' a useless fact. Our documents or Puranas focused on the 'True Meaning'.  The book ends with her last poem - Main Tenu Pher Milangi (I will meet you again). You might have heard it in the film Manmarziyan (The Heart's Wish). The poem captures her pathos and the essence of her free spirit. And I think that is the essence of her life and this book too. 

The Parent's Tao Te Ching ~A New Interpretation ~ Ancient Advice for Modern Parents by William Martin is a book I re-read this year. As I became a first time parent few years back, someone recommended this book to me. It is a fresh interpretation of Tao Te Ching / Tao seen through the prism of parenting. The book is easy to read (with simple, micro-sized chapters, that are written in free verse) but demands reader's time to reflect on each and every line one reads. There are just 140 pages, across 81 chapters that talk about parenting. But I must warn you, it is not an assured guide towards parenting. It is not a self-help book. It doesn't provide you tips or cheat codes. It is not a book which you read once and then it goes on to your bookshelf.

The book is about the way of life, the way of parenting. It talks about the philosophy, which should guide the way we live or the way we approach parenting or do anything else in our lives. It is a book which I will go back to every time I have doubts. Every time one reads it , one is bound to reflect on one's actions and may be discover something new. My words will never be good enough to capture the essence of this book and hence I am reproducing a quote from the book below. May be it will encourage you to read this one.

“Believe this difficult truth. Showing respect in the face of disrespect, love in the face of hate, trust in the face of betrayal, and serenity in the face of turmoil, will teach your children more than all the moral lectures by all the preachers since the dawn of time.”

All Marketers Tell Stories & 1984 - Book Reviews

I generally don't like such self-assured books that are meant to provide you with one silver bullet for all problems in your work domain. So it is no surprise that I didn't like All Marketers Are Liars Tell Stories by Seth Godin too much. This one had come highly recommended, so picked it up for reading despite my apprehensions about this genre of books. Let me assure you that I am actually aligned with the core concept, the author talks about in this book and fully agree with his theory - That a brand story has to be good and authentic and also in line with the world view of the target group. Then only your brand story will spread and create a want for your products. 

At the same time, I felt that this subject didn't require a book, but a blog-post which can be read in 10 minutes would have been enough. I found it highly repetitive. The case studies / brand stories - both successes and failures - that author has used in this book as an evidence to prove / disprove his hypothesis, at times felt force-fitted. Some of these cases have been used by other Management Gurus in their books, to explain their respective frameworks. As they say, hindsight is a perfect science. 

As a practicing marketer though, it made me think about certain issues that plague the industries where products/services have become commodities, and differentiation is the key to success. That helped me crystallize my thoughts on a particular plan I was working on. All was not lost!

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1984 by George Orwell is as sharp and incisive as a political commentary today, as it would have been, when it was first published in 1949. So much has been written about this book, that I am not even sure what new I can say about it. As the book is also about freedom to express one's views, I think I will go ahead and write my views on this book anyway. 

It is a dystopian novel, written in 1948, set in the future year of 1984. It deals with the issues of political overreach and propaganda. It is a political satire on totalitarian governments and the havoc they wreck in an individual's life through their surveillance. The chapters in the novel that talk about the power structures and purpose of power itself, are so well written that they hit the readers hard. 

As a reader, I constantly hoped (like the lead protagonist Smith) for the revolutionaries and brotherhood to exist. I wanted an underground revolution to happen by the end of the book. But by the end, the thought of revolution itself is killed. It was gut wrenching. For me the book turned out to be a manual on "How to kill Human Spirit?". I kept thinking about the book days after I had finished reading it. It is fascinating, how so many things described in the book, find parallel in today's world - politics and more so in the corporate world. Not only present day governments, but how big corporate companies are constantly monitoring us. How politicians, coin words and phrases, which make us think in one direction, rather than let us evaluate! There is an appendix at the end of the novel that explains a language (NewSpeak) used by the government described in this book. It is fascinating to understand, how language or lack of it can be used as a tool of oppression.

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You now know which book to pick among the two reviewed in this post! 

Books of March - Book Reviews

After reading 3 non-fiction books in January and February (reviews here and here), the month of March was all about fiction and people who create fiction. March was a really hectic month at office and I was busy with A-Z daily blogging challenge in April. Finally, I found time today to share my views on the books I read in March. So here we go!

Contagion by Robin Cook had been lying on my book-shelf, unread, for the longest time ever. I fail to understand that why I never read it. When I picked it up in March, earlier this year, and opened it, I was gobsmacked. There was a small note written inside it that read, "CONGRATS! For being the best student of XII". Then it dawned upon me that I have had this back with me since 1999. I had got it as a prize at my last annual function in school. For two decades, this book has traveled with me to different cities. If this book had a voice, it would have narrated a story of its neglect that lasted 20 years. 

Naturally, my expectations from the book sky-rocketed. Also Cook is well known for his medical thrillers. This one is about a medical examiner, who is investigating the origin of several deadly viruses and infections, that have surfaced in quick succession. These infections have led to deaths of many people associated with a particular hospital. His own life comes under threat because of this investigation.

The book is a decent thriller and if you get comfortable with the medical jargon fast, it is quite a page turner. The set-up is great and piques the reader's curiosity. The build up of key characters is excellent and you really want the lead protagonist to succeed. But the antagonists turn out to be too stupid in the end. They are not as menacing as the build up makes you believe. Thus as a reader, I found the book underwhelming. 

Pyjamas are Forgiving by Twinkle Khanna, is her worst book ever. And she has written only 3 books so far. There is nothing new in the basic story line. It is as old as hills. The novel is about a middle-aged woman, meeting her ex-husband, at a spa retreat in Kerala. This simple tale seems to go nowhere after that meeting. As a short story, this might have worked. But as a 200 page novel, it is simply not engaging enough. 

The author checks all the boxes needed to make it sound like a new age and inclusive book. There is a token gay couple at the retreat. Their characters are not fleshed out properly. I didn't understand why their presence was important to the story. The author describes the ashram, where only rich people go, in detail. These descriptions sound superficial as they don't add anything to the mood of the novel. There is an incident of sexual assault thrown in. The characters involved in it are nonchalant about it and are again not important for the core story to move forward. And the author uses lot of big words, when they were not needed. Yes, there is trademark wit and humor that Khanna sees in mundane, but overall it is not a compelling work. 

An Unsuitable Boy by Karan Johar with Poonam Saxena is Johar's autobiography that is written a decade too soon. While reading it, I felt, that as a film director and as a story teller (the aspects I strongly associate with him) his body of work is very limited. Clearly, I was expecting him to talk more about his profession in this book. I expected him to give the readers an insight into his craft and his inspiration. Thus, I liked the chapters on Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (a 1995 film in which Johar was one of the assistant directors, part-time costume designer and an actor) and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (a 1998 film which was Johar's directorial debut).  In these chapters, he gives us a sneak peek into his creative mind and writing process. 

The book doesn't feel like an autobiography. It feels more like an extended, but written version, of his TV chat show, Koffee with Karan. This is because the entire book sounds like a free-wheeling interview without a structure of a biopic. In the chapter where he talks about his anxieties and depression or the one in which he talks about soul-less Bollywood of today, I connected with him. I wish he had waited few more years to write this autobiography. And I wish he directs more often.

In April I read two books, one of which was a classic. Reviews will be up soon on the blog. Keep watching this space. 

A Brief History of Tomorrow - Book Review of Homo Deus

If you want a book to play on your mind, long after you have completed reading it, may be Homo Deus : A Brief History of Tomorrow by Yuval Noah Harari will fit the brief perfectly. I had read Sapiens - A Brief History of Humankind by the same author last year and had reviewed it here. 

Homo Deus is a follow-up book to Sapiens. But don't worry if you haven't read the earlier one, though I strongly recommend it. The author makes concrete efforts to provide all the key concepts of Sapiens in a succinct manner in the first few chapters of this book. And then also links those concepts with his hypothesis for this book. The book in itself is thrilling, exciting, scary and a fast read. While reading Sapiens, I was overwhelmed with the way the author made history, simple and fun. He interpreted history in a modern milieu that connected with me. But this time, while reading Homo Deus, I discovered the story-teller in him. I noticed his wit and dark humor. I was impressed by his knowledge on subjects so varied. I was overwhelmed by his fertile imagination, (which might be just a biological algorithm) and yet a rooted narrative and his ability to make far fetched things sound reasonable. As a reader, whether you agree with his theories or not; the examples, parables and anecdotes he puts forth in support of his theories can't be disagreed with. 

This book is not for the weak hearts. Sapiens made me feel good because it told us that in our human history we are placed much better than our ancestors. Homo Deus is scary because author's imagined future (high probability of being a reality) is a death knell for Homo Sapiens, especially the ones who don't have tons of money (62 people in the world have half the wealth of the world) or who don't have a talent which can't be converted into algorithms. Apparently, the art forms like music and paintings which we so strongly believe, reflect pinnacle of human glory, would be produced perfectly in near future by machines and Artificial Intelligence. 

In The Matrix, the science fiction film that released in 1999, the film-makers showed a dystopian  future where machines would lord over the humans. The only purpose of humans in that imagined future would be to provide energy to run those machines. Neo (the lead protagonist played by Keanu Reeves) is 'the One', who provides hope for the humanity.  

Yuval Noah Harari just stops short of stating the horrors shown in the film. But he clearly states that as humans were able to create imagined realities and mass cooperation networks, they emerged as superior beings to other animals. This enabled them to lord over animals. He is critical of how we treat the animals for our needs. Drawing a parallel to this, he imagines when data and algorithms would emerge as far superior entities than human beings, why those entities wouldn't treat us humans the same way, we treat animals!

I love the way author explains how our religions and Gods have changed throughout our history. The book looks at growth and spread of different religions (his definition of what is a religion needs to be agreed upon though) - animistic to theist to modern '-isms'  (like capitalism, liberalism, communism, socialism. humanism etc.) leading to dataism. I also particularly like the chapters, where he explains how science so far has been able to solve the problems of war, plague and famine. But the future agenda would be to provide humans with immortality, happiness and divinity. This might lead to emergence of super human beings (Homo Deus) who will not have much use for the useless Homo Sapiens.

There is a funny part titled, A Brief History of Lawns, in one of the earlier chapters, wherein he clearly indicates that we have a choice to make today. Our choices can change the course of tomorrow.  Clearly there is no 'Neo' who would be our savior. 

Facts & Videos - January Reads

Last year I read 21 books against a plan of 24. So this year again, I will try to reach that elusive number of 24. I am happy to report that the year has started on a bright note and I have completed two books in January, both of them non-fiction. Interestingly, both of them are also directly relevant to my line of work. But most importantly, each book has a unique perspective on things which are happening today, in front of us. 

First book that I read is interestingly titled, 'Factfulness' by Hans Rosling. The tagline in the book title reads, "Ten Reasons we're Wrong About the World - And Why Things are Better Than You Think." That is a great hook. Though this book is not as deep or as profound as Sapiens written by Yuval Noah Harari (read my views on the book Sapiens here); in a way the souls of both books are connected. Both books tell us how our world is in a better place than we imagine. Sapiens relies on historical / archaeological evidence to make its case, while Factfulness makes us question our basic human instincts and biases, that blind us towards any data or facts or trends, contrary to our dominant thinking. 

The author warns us about ten such human instincts and suggests methods to overcome those while making any assessment or forming any opinion. As certain instincts resemble each other, you might find book to be repetitive at times, especially in the first few chapters. 

Also while the book deals with the subject of numbers / data / facts, it is still an easy read for everyone because the book's narrative is in the form of a story and is replete with relevant examples and visual aids. So while it is a good read for people who work with numbers, it is great for those who don't.

The second book is interesting and flawed at the same time. Videocracy by Kevin Allocca (YouTube's Head of Culture and Trends) is an interesting book because it talks about videos on YouTube and builds a context around them by explaining what makes YouTube a big deal for everyone in this universe. It is a flawed book because at times it sounds like a propaganda and a hard-sell. The book conveniently ignores the aspects related to moderation, privacy, consent, intellectual property and negative content - especially hate videos. It almost justifies cyber-bullying by citing the larger good. The book pompously suggests that everyone in this universe will rely on video content to know about humanity and culture and thus there is no other way to assimilate knowledge or learn. Now let me focus on my takeaways and the good bits.

The author tries to establish three things in this book:

1. The power to make a piece of content or a video (art?) successful or viral has shifted towards users /  viewers / communities. They are the ones who are shaping the changes on YouTube and the role of  content itself. 

2. Celebrities - Fans equation is changing and is more of a relationship of equals now, due to diminishing distance between them through platforms like YouTube.

3. Most of the organically successful videos on YouTube are expression of self identity of the creator as well as of the viewers who made them successful. This concept is then linked to the rise of huge number of niche art forms and niche communities on YouTube. 

There are several other takeaways in the book, but these three resonated with me the most. 

Initial parts of the book were repetitive and exhausting as the subject matter isn't classified properly in chapters. Also most of the video references given to explain the points were US based and I either had to look them up or make some assumptions, which made it a slower reading experience. But the chapters on how marketing ads changed their nature due to YouTube or how YouTube changed lives,  due to its content related to learning (example 'How to' videos) and political discourse (example Arab Spring) appealed to me. 

The last part of the book warns us of the pitfalls of what we share, view or believe. But it is not enough!

Both books made me think and that is a win. Next on cards is Yuval Noah Harari's follow-up book to Sapiens - Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow. Keep watching this space to know about it. Happy Reading!

Catching Up

After a long gap I got sometime today, to write. Also it is the first time in this year, when I am lagging on my reading goals. I should have completed reading my 22nd book this year by now, but I just completed the 21st.  Truly speaking, I am not unhappy about it for two reasons. One, I had a well deserved vacation with my family and I didn't feel like reading during that period. Second, the last book I finished made me think about my life and thus I wanted to stay with the thoughts expressed in that book for a little longer before picking something else up. So I believe December would be all about catching up. 

The three books I am going to write about today are totally different from each other. They belong to different genres, have varied writing styles and cater to sensibilities across the spectrum. 

But there was a commonality I believe. Each book talks about Search. Search for meaning. Search for purpose. Search for your true calling. Search for the killer. Okay! Last one is about a really bad thriller.

Man's Search for Meaning comes highly recommended. And I had huge expectations from it. It is part biopic and part treatise. In the first part Viktor talks about his horrific experiences at a concentration camp and how he survived by focusing on the meaning of his life. In the second part he talks about his takeaways from the time he spent in those camps and gives a theoretical framework of his seminal work in logotherapy. Truth is that the second part of this book was way too technical for me to appreciate it. Also as I have not read much about psychology or psychotherapy in general, I would not like to comment on this part of the book. The first part is fast paced and the author paints a vivid account of his experiences. There are few points in this part which forced me to think about the importance of meaning in life. I have seen the film Life is Beautiful on a similar subject. In comparison the book comes across as tad underwhelming when describing the

horrors of being held captive.

So while the book is touted as highly profound, I would say that it is rather a well chronicled account of life at concentration camps and, as a reader, there is lot to learn from this part of world history. The book ends with following lines which exhort the readers to do their best.

"So, let us be alert - alert in a twofold sense:

Since Auschwitz we know what man is capable of.

And since Hiroshima we know what is at stake."

Chetan Bhagat's latest book is a huge disappointment and I am not one of those readers who dismisses him as an author. I have always believed that he is a good story-teller despite his limitations. He mostly writes about youth and slice of life experiences which are narrated with a light touch and a typical sense of humor. The conflicts in his books are very middle-class and thus as a reader you identify with them. But in his latest book The Girl in Room 105, he tries to switch genres. He attempts a thriller and fails miserably at that. In portions, where he talks about college experiences, conflicts between the girl and the boy and career choices, he does well. But as a thriller he fails to create any tension. The reveal at the climax is not satisfying. And while the book is fast paced, as a thriller it is repetitive and slow. 

Tuesdays with Morrie was an interesting read for me because: 

1. It doesn't belong to any conventional genre of books. It is a true account of two lives but not really a biopic. It is that rare self-help book that doesn't get prescriptive. It is a motivational book but without the standard tropes

2. It deals with intense subjects of illness and death and still remains light and breezy

3. The book is not only about what it says but also about what you think after you read something in it.

While many readers claim that it has helped them re-look at their lives and set their priorities right, I believe that at least I am more aware about the same, even if I am yet to make a change. So the book succeeds in stirring something inside you. It helps you understand life and death better. It makes you more accepting of the inevitable. Out of the three books I read in last few weeks, this one was the best. 

Do share your Search experiences with me in the comments space. 

Which book you would recommend for me next?

Fast September

September of 2018, already feels like eons away. And it went by in the blink of an eye. All its memories  will soon become hazy and melt into the monolith of the time gone by. It makes me wonder about all the years, months, weeks, days and hours which were exactly the same. Nothing stands out. Yes, there are some milestones and memories, which I remember vividly. The memories, which actually define my life. Our lives. But then what is life? The moments and milestones which define it or the time you spend in between those memorable moments. 

There is so much of the same happening to all of us, that our memories now play with us. I generally remember key dates - like birthdays of my close friends and colleagues - very well. But if you ask me after few weeks of reading a book, about that book, I may not be able to recall all the details. So does reading help? I think it does. Because just like our lives, the narrative itself isn't the key. It is all the same. There is a set-up, followed by a conflict and then the resolution. What stays back from any book, is not the narrative, but the addition it makes to your perspective and the way you see your world.

The two books I read last month were as different as chalk and cheese. One was Haruki Murakami's Norwegian Wood, which is essentially a love story written like a thriller. The other one was Salil Desai's 3 and a Half Murders, which is a whodunit but it works better as a police procedural.

In my earlier posts on Murakami's books, I had mentioned that he becomes inaccessible as an author at times. So people recommended Norwegian Wood, because they thought it is a straight-forward story. But I liked it for very different reasons. 

The key protagonists of this book - Toru and Naoko, whose love story, the author wants you to believe is epic, are the most boring and painful characters in this book. Both let things happen to them. They are just living their lives in between the key moments brought upon them by others. The other characters in this book - like Midori, who brings liveliness to the proceedings or Reiko who lends gravitas and mystique to the entire issue of mental illness  and loneliness explored in this story - are the ones who really move things forward. They catalyze things. They trigger events. They cause conflicts. These characters are so well fleshed out, that they make this book a great read. 

While the author doesn't get into the surreal zone - but his ability to make me think about memories of our lives (That explains my personal reflections in first two paragraphs of this post) and hide and seek these memories play with our minds - he creates a world equivalent to the world of magical realism he creates in his other books. So while the narrative is straight-forward, the reading of this book still leaves you with some twisted questions which you will keep chewing upon days after you have finished it. 

Lastly, the author uses sex liberally in the book, not to tantalize, but as a metaphor for the escape we seek from our mundane lives, the lives we spend between two milestones or two vivid memories. I think this aspect makes this book epic. Not its love story. 

I got 3 and a Half Murders as a gift on my birthday. I haven't read any of Salil Desai's books in past. And it was after a long time, I was reading a crime fiction. So I was really excited about it. It partially lives up to the expectations you have from such novels. It has a fast paced story, with characters that you encounter in daily lives or have heard about them. It is set in a very real world. It keeps you engaged throughout. The lead police officer / investigator has a sharp mind but is often weighed down by his physical ailments. That makes him standout in the world full of James Bond kind of operatives. The book works really well as a police procedural and thus makes you enjoy the details of an investigation. But as a whodunit, it disappoints. By the end of it, you really don't care who is the killer. Though you may not be able to guess who it is. Also the conclusion seems far from satisfactory and rushed. If you are looking for a rank page turner to spend time in a long flight, this one is a safe bet. 

September was like any other non-memorable month. I had been really busy with office work and travel. So the books really helped. Oh! I almost forgot that I shifted from one apartment to another on 1st of September. Staying in rental places is a pain. You don't feel rooted. That event of shifting though, itself feels like eons away.