Inside Chanakya's Mind by Radhakrishnan Pillai - A Review

Radhakrishnan Pillai seems to have a very simple goal! "I will make Chanakya and his Arthashastra as the foundation for my works, and I will extract the juice and will serve it to you. You can be a student, a business man, a teacher or whoever. It is my simple goal." And, I must agree that he succeeds this time also with "Inside Chanakya's Mind" like his earlier books "Chanakya in Daily Life" and "Corporate Chanakya". Yes, Chanakya's work "Arthashastra" is such a treasure that India and the world are blessed to relish! In his current work, the author focuses on "Aanvikshiki" or the science of thinking. We have frequently heard the quote, "Watch your thoughts, they become words, Watch your words, they become actions; Watch your actions, they become habits…", but no one really told us how to think. All the time we hear about "Think, Think, Think!", but no one really teaches us this art. Pillai fills this gap neatly by dedicating a whole book for this art! (In fact, it is unbelievable that his daughter is named "Aanvikshiki). For those, who have been blaming their family, their company, their neighbors, the neighbor's dog etc., on why they couldn’t think correctly, this book is a boon.

The book starts by explaining the root of Aanvikshiki, what it really means and why is it so important. It pacifies us when we know that "the process of thoughts can be taught" and elates us when we read that the practice of this important art that bring about a significant change in our thoughts, speech and action. Isn't that what we just read in the quote above? The author expands on the beautiful base that he has laid out in the first chapter by explaining the different types of thinking. He wonderfully categorizes the thinking into six different categories and explains each of them. He does it so by referring to Chanankya's quotes & verses from Arthashastra. For example, leadership thinking is all about working for the benefit of others - and, in that sense, a parent is also a leader. And, when you are an individual contributor in a company, you go through the process of creative thinking and so on.

Then comes the different models of thinking. It isn't enough to just categorize the thinking; it also depends on the model how you think through each of these types. The next chapter on the seven dimensions of thinking is a real gem. Chanakya's works were based on the old times - when there was a kingdom and the king ruled with his ministers. But, we call that a democracy and corporate. By explaining these seven dimensions with seven parts of a kingdom - the king, the minister, the country, the city, the treasury, the army and the ally, the author makes our job easy to relate it with the current environment. It is just that we have a different environment and different players. And, in any case, there is going to be a competition - whether we are studying in a school, or working in a corporate. It is very important to hone ourselves with the process of thinking about competition which is more important than the other seven - and the author dedicates one complete chapter (and I am not sure if it is directly proportional to the details Chanakya covering it in his work). There are some important things that we understand are very important, but we neglect - because we are not interested, or often because we do not have enough time. The chapter "The Other Side of Chanakya" helps us with why we must do the stuff that we often ignore. We will not have complaints if everyone follows Chanakya's teachings on management. The author crisply categorizes it the chapter on management - which I think every corporate and government should make it part of their organizational principles.

And, if we think it is all about corporate and its management, no, it is not! Even for individuals who often procrastinate, there are beautiful lessons - the process of decision making, prioritizing work. I think in a social media centric world where virtual friends occupy most of our day (and night), these principles should sharpen our process of thinking to live more on the reality side. All in all, a very good self-help book aimed at improving our process of thinking and our overall welfare (and others).

PS: This book was received, read and reviewed as part of Flipkart’s Blogger Review Program

Exile by Taslima Nasrin - A Review

Freedom - a word that is loosely used by almost everyone today. Freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of expression, freedom of almost everything. Most of the people using it does not know its price. Here, Taslima presents her experience in "Exile" how her freedom was curbed because how her freedom of thoughts and speech was not considered so by whoever is against it.

Exile - A Memoir

Hyderabad, we all know as a city famous for its delicious Biryani changed her fate after one event - a simple book release event. The troubles and struggles that Taslima had encountered to live freely after this one event is the sole essence of this book. She beautifully remembers and lists the conversations that happened post that where even the ruling communists party did not want her to stay in Kolkata. The conversation between Taslima and the then Commissioner of Police induces lot humor, and you will laugh when his sole motivation is to get Taslima out of Kolkata comes out through words like "Go to Europe, Go to America, Go to Kerala".

Human mind and brain are brilliant parts. They can convert threat into an opportunity. The chapter "Death Waits Past the Window" exceptionally portrays this phenomenon. How when the police officers tried to scare Taslima and how her mind beautifully scripted the poems is just beautiful! The rest sixty percent of the book is her diary excerpts. For about four months where she was put in a house arrest in New Delhi (she calls that as Safe House), the people she talked to including the journalists that we all know today - Karan Thapar, Barkha Dutt, Vir Sanghvi. A safe house did not really give her safety as she explains how she was threatened because her phones were tapped, many people who are unknown to her eavesdropped her conversations. A physical torture is worse, but what she refers to "a psychological torture" experience is worst. How helplessly she called everyone that she knows to get out of the safe house and get back even to Bangaladesh from where she was ousted. The letters, conversations, articles, phone chats together form 'Exile'.

It is always interesting to read one's memoir. Taslima's is no exception (she herself says that it cannot act as a source of inspirations like other memoirs) . But, how one interprets freedom of speech is one's own decision, and it may not tally well with yours (after all, everything has its own limit - for example, having driving license in a free country mean you can freely drive at your own will without obeying traffic rules). Also, when it comes to religion, some people are very much tied to what it dictates without even knowing or realizing the meaning. Obviously, a sword cannot be an answer for uttering words against religion because we say that all the religions teach us love. All in all, a beautifully presented memoir which I have read and enjoyed with both agreements and disagreements with Taslima's words.

PS: This book was received, read and reviewed as part of Flipkart’s Blogger Review Program. The opinions in this blog are not forced by the program. It is blog author's own.

Skyfire by Aroon Raman - A Review

I like fiction thrillers a lot. They keep you glued to the book from the moment you begin to read and until you reach the last page. Aroon Raman's latest book Skyfire fulfils the above statement for the most part. I have not read his earlier ones, but it appears from this book that the same characters continue their quest but in a different case.

I need to be a bit careful in review as this book is a fiction thriller and anything that I mention in this review should not become a spoiler. The plot is simple - there is a crime happening and there is a natural phenomenon happening.  Appreciations to the author for including two issues that plague the society today: child trafficking and weather change.  I am awed by the HAARP that forms the core theme of this book. Except for these concepts, the book largely reminds me of many Tamil films that I have seen while growing starring the superstar. Here, our hero Chandra, a journalist performs that role. 

I am sorry, but I have to be critical of the problems that the book has if it doesn’t reach the No.1 Bookseller place. Every thriller should leave hints to make readers guess who could be the suspect. At the same time, it also must leave more hints to confuse the readers about the possible suspect that makes it more interesting till we reach 95% of the book. In Skyfire, the author leaves a very obvious clue when you are halfway and more clues later and that’s a huge mistake in my opinion. But, this does not prevent you from reading further or minimizes the interest. And, how can all the security people move to the other side during the climax?

If you have read Ashwin Sanghi’s Sialkot Saga, you will probably remember how Bhutan appeared for its positive role. Here, you will be surprised that how a small country like Bhutan can be used easily to thrust illegal technologies to bring down the world. The scenes narrated at Kala mill spreads a horror in our mind, but at the same time, they was hardly any justification of why those horrendous events happened (that’s a missing link certainly). The buildup of events from Gopal missing to Pagal Bhai to Arab Sarai is all narrated extremely well and runs good throughout the book. 

All in all, a nicely written fiction thriller that misses narrowly on few most important points! Sure you can buy it and enjoy it though!

My rating 3.5 / 5 - for the theme, characters and the language.

PS: This book was received, read and reviewed as part of Flipkart’s Blogger Review Program

When Love Finds You by Yashodhara Lal - A Review

There are peculiar things about corporate environment. You will see all kinds of people - truly knowledgeable and truly hardworking, smart working on one side and people trying to make political moves to move up in the ladder without even understanding the basics. And, there are people like Natasha who are on the other extreme – they are truly hardworking, no-nonsense, no-excuse people but they really lack the most important skill that the corporate world needs – the people’s skill!

When Love Finds You - Yashodhara Lal

 Yashodhara Lal brings #WhereLoveFindsYou. It has all the masala that you need to enjoy a delicious meal. If you are working for any of the corporates, readily I can tell you, you will hate Natasha because you understand that there are people like her everywhere and they don’t know how to appreciate basically, and they don’t know there is something called personal touch and that is more important. But, when you learn that the difficult past and the interpersonal relational difficulties is the reason and can relate it to Natasha’s current behavior, you can’t stop admiring the author. She really brings a very important point here – make sure your (and your kids’ present is good so they won’t suffer torment in their future). Shekar’s small episode makes us realize the pressure that corporate big heads go through while Natasha’s run to succeed at any cost can motivate some people (since we usually only imagine the huge salaries that they get and the posh life that they enjoy).

Multiple characters like Rishabh, Nikhil & Vicky adds life to the book – though I felt Vicky very redundant). I should say more than Rishabh, Nikhil’s presence adds juice to the whole book. Without Nikhil, the book would have been so dry. The interactions with Ms. Chopra adds some humor and that is much appreciated.

The things that didn’t impress me in this book? There are many fictions out there and they don’t let you put down the book once you take it and until you finish them. The main reason is they are mostly unpredictable. But, this one is a mostly predictable story overall. Primarily in software domain, I did not like the names of those companies or the software names like Beckitup! Looked very odd (but this could be a personal thing)! The book cover plays an important role for anyone who shows interest in reading the book. Somehow, just like Yashodhara’s other books, the cover is not that apt. It has to connect to the story's core (and I certainly don’t understand why the author needed to get this one from Shutterstock). (BTW, the best cover that I have seen is from Pepita Seth’s “The Edge of Another World”).

The book is still OK read – relaxes you when you return back after a day’s work! But, somehow when you finish reading this book, it doesn’t stick close to your heart. That’s the missing part!

My rating: 3.5/5

PS: This book was received, read and reviewed as part of Flipkart’s Blogger Review Program

The Girl Who Chose - Devdutt Pattanaik - A Review

For 99.9% of us, Mahabharata and Ramayana are great epics! They are great because they tell the divine stories of the two great manifestations of Lord Vishnu. They are revered because they teach us all how to live on the righteous path without erring (and today's world seems exactly to do the things that are expressively prohibited in these two puranas - grabbing someone else's land & grabbing someone else's lady). Among these two, Ramayana is special because it has been retold by many many poets and authors! After Valmiki gave us this precious purana, from Tulasidas from the north to Kamban in the south, several beautiful narrations stand to give testimony to its greatness. Devdutt Pattanaik adds yet another version (after The Book of Ram) to bring another beautiful version of this great epic.

The author has chosen two words! Yes, two words that were chosen very carefully, and which by the very essence of them rule each one of us from inside, mostly unknowingly. They are rules and choices. Where rules are imposed, choices are ours to make. And, how these choices play a vital role in our lives is the theme of this book. Ramayana has numerous characters present in it. The character that Devdutt chose, though is a well-known (and considered to be the heroine of this epic), whether any of us have associated choices with her is a question.

Yes, Sita - Goddess Lakshmi herself and her choices is the core of this book! The five choices that she makes and how it affects Ramayana is narrated in such a beautiful manner. Her birth is not her choice, but the rest are all her own choices and how and why she made those choices is told from her own standpoint. Whether it is when stepping out of the palace when Ram leaves for the forest, when asked by Lakshman not to cross the "rekha" or when asked by Hanuman to return back with him, these may sound very simple choices, but there is a very sounding reason behind them. One will be able to appreciate the author's way of thinking when he/she finishes the book.

Many a times, it is not easy to narrate a story. But, think of the difficulty when you are narrating it to children. You have to choose (again 'choice' :-)) words in such a way for them to read and grasp easily. This book is written for "young readers" in the age group 6-12. I have six year old and I know the real problems when telling her stories. You get questions that you never have thought of. The author has done a marvelous job in the way he describes the epic. What adds more beauty to this work is the illustrations that came from the author. One can easily appreciate that when we narrate a story to a kid, we are making them picturize the scenes in their mind. The author's own illustrations are so apt to match the picture that the kids will have in their mind when they read the book!

Like every other book that he has written, this book also ensures he stands as India's favorite mythologist! A good read, a must read!

This review is part of Flipkart's Blogger Review Program.

Faster, Smarter, Higher - Utkarsh Rai - A Review

Let's accept it! Everyone goes so a career thrash in one form or the other. IT IS A FACT! When people join a company as freshers, they are enthusiastic, full of energy aspiring to achieve everything under the sky! But, only a few, if any at all, cross the ocean that is dirty, filled with politics and full of frustrations, to have a successful career. And for those of us who find it difficult to cross this ocean and sometimes even getting drowned and lost, Utkarsh Rai brings "Faster, Smarter, Higher - Managing Your Career"!

With eight superb chapters and overall 51 sub-chapters, he has covered everything that it takes to have a successful career. I think most of us will be able to understand the problems that we face every day. They are quite obvious - monotonous work, getting visibility, management issues, managing peers, performance management etc., I must appreciate Mr.Rai for the way that he has presented this - the problem and what can we do about it - because, many times even though the problems are quite obvious, the question we ask ourselves is "So what? I still cannot do anything about it!"

There is a famous saying that "fixing any problem must start with fixing yourself". Rai starts his book with "Managing Self" which is the very essence of this mantra. Presented in a humorous way, this start will give you momentum and set the pace for the rest of the book. The sub-chapters like "You, the brand" gives much confidence that "Yeah, I am also a victim of this, but, I can fix it!. Managers are one important topic in any organization - it is no secret. The chapter "Managing your Manager" gives an impressive overview of how if you understand your manager can help you win your career greatly. No one can exist for long in a career path alone! It is always a team work! Even when you think you are the one executing, it is always your team that completes the cycle for any product. And, if you are a manager with direct reports under you, then managing the team is of utmost importance. Without encouraging and maintaining harmony in your team and knowing what your team is really capable of, what they really want, your career as a manager will be a disaster. Chapter 3 presents this neatly.

A competition is good inside a team, but if that competition turns out to be jealous, any organization will perish. "Managing Your Peers" chapter gives you the dynamics of managing peers. It is not always and not only your manager, but your manager's manager is also very important in your career. It is a very important relationship that has to be maintained well without which you will not be able to raise your concerns properly and in a timely manner. It is absolutely necessary to digest this chapter to avoid our usual whining.

I am not sure if "Managing Manager' Peers" applies to everyone. Usually, it applies to slightly higher levels. So, it did not impress me a lot. Yet, I took it as a good FYI! How to manage everyone not covered so far is a good chapter. It stresses on the fact that you are not independent. If you have previously read "Seven Habits of Highly Successful People" by Stephen Covey, you will be able to appreciate how he explained moving from dependent to independent to interdependent. That’s the same thing the chapter "Managing Others" covers! And, final chapter is a must read for everyone, even if you skip other chapters - it talks about the value that you add and how you can extend your value to have a great career.

In essence, it is not really working hard that matters in any organization, but working smarter (yeah, we have all heard that multiple times)! But, it is with great examples, analogies that Mr. Rai explain this very concept that makes this book a different one and helpful one! Whether you are starting your career or midway through it, this book should stay at your desk or cube so when you feel down sometimes in your career, you know it is there to help you!

Buy from https://www.flipkart.com/faster-smarter-higher-managing-your-career-english/p/itmegvmhrg5jysj9?pid=9788129137500

Note: This book was sent to me as part of Flipkart Blogger Review Program. It did not impose any restrictions for me to be positive or negative about the book. All the views that you see above is mine and not influenced by anyone else.

Faster, Smarter, Higher - Utkarsh Rai - A Review

Let's accept it! Everyone goes so a career thrash in one form or the other. IT IS A FACT! When people join a company as freshers, they are enthusiastic, full of energy aspiring to achieve everything under the sky! But, only a few, if any at all, cross the ocean that is dirty, filled with politics and full of frustrations, to have a successful career. And for those of us who find it difficult to cross this ocean and sometimes even getting drowned and lost, Utkarsh Rai brings "Faster, Smarter, Higher - Managing Your Career"!

With eight superb chapters and overall 51 sub-chapters, he has covered everything that it takes to have a successful career. I think most of us will be able to understand the problems that we face every day. They are quite obvious - monotonous work, getting visibility, management issues, managing peers, performance management etc., I must appreciate Mr.Rai for the way that he has presented this - the problem and what can we do about it - because, many times even though the problems are quite obvious, the question we ask ourselves is "So what? I still cannot do anything about it!"

There is a famous saying that "fixing any problem must start with fixing yourself". Rai starts his book with "Managing Self" which is the very essence of this mantra. Presented in a humorous way, this start will give you momentum and set the pace for the rest of the book. The sub-chapters like "You, the brand" gives much confidence that "Yeah, I am also a victim of this, but, I can fix it!. Managers are one important topic in any organization - it is no secret. The chapter "Managing your Manager" gives an impressive overview of how if you understand your manager can help you win your career greatly. No one can exist for long in a career path alone! It is always a team work! Even when you think you are the one executing, it is always your team that completes the cycle for any product. And, if you are a manager with direct reports under you, then managing the team is of utmost importance. Without encouraging and maintaining harmony in your team and knowing what your team is really capable of, what they really want, your career as a manager will be a disaster. Chapter 3 presents this neatly.

A competition is good inside a team, but if that competition turns out to be jealous, any organization will perish. "Managing Your Peers" chapter gives you the dynamics of managing peers. It is not always and not only your manager, but your manager's manager is also very important in your career. It is a very important relationship that has to be maintained well without which you will not be able to raise your concerns properly and in a timely manner. It is absolutely necessary to digest this chapter to avoid our usual whining.

I am not sure if "Managing Manager' Peers" applies to everyone. Usually, it applies to slightly higher levels. So, it did not impress me a lot. Yet, I took it as a good FYI! How to manage everyone not covered so far is a good chapter. It stresses on the fact that you are not independent. If you have previously read "Seven Habits of Highly Successful People" by Stephen Covey, you will be able to appreciate how he explained moving from dependent to independent to interdependent. That’s the same thing the chapter "Managing Others" covers! And, final chapter is a must read for everyone, even if you skip other chapters - it talks about the value that you add and how you can extend your value to have a great career.

In essence, it is not really working hard that matters in any organization, but working smarter (yeah, we have all heard that multiple times)! But, it is with great examples, analogies that Mr. Rai explain this very concept that makes this book a different one and helpful one! Whether you are starting your career or midway through it, this book should stay at your desk or cube so when you feel down sometimes in your career, you know it is there to help you!

Buy from https://www.flipkart.com/faster-smarter-higher-managing-your-career-english/p/itmegvmhrg5jysj9?pid=9788129137500

Note: This book was sent to me as part of Flipkart Blogger Review Program. It did not impose any restrictions for me to be positive or negative about the book. All the views that you see above is mine and not influenced by anyone else.