Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Indian Authors, Self-Help

The Little Book of Happiness by Ruskin Bond

4106IAd26fL._SX320_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

Name: A little book of Happiness

Author: Ruskin Bond

Publisher: Speaking Tiger

Ruskin Bond is one of the most beloved writers of all the time in India. In this anthology, he brings to the readers, a code for happiness. Happiness is the emotion for all of us thrive in life. We’re doing everything we can for achieving this coveted “happiness”. But in the midst of a quest for happiness, we all forgot so many things. Hence we end up in despair.

‘To find happiness, look halfway between too little and too much.’

Like most of his writings, this anthology begins with recalling an incident happened in his life which makes him think about what is the meaning of happiness. Later observing some of the people in his life, he arrives int he conclusion that happiness means different things to different people.

Happiness is not waiting to be found; there’s no use looking for
it. All we need to do is to find the barriers within ourselves that we have built against it. Trust in people, in life is a good way to begin.

For the beloved writer, it will be

I’m quite happy on a rainy day because then I can curl up on a sofa, visit Blandings Castle with P.G. Wodehouse, enjoy a village cricket match with Mr. Pickwick and his
Dickensian friends, or go rowing on the Thames with Jerome K. Jerome’s three men
and a dog. A good book on a rainy day is happiness for me.

As a writer, I am also happy when I have completed a story or poem or essay and feel pleased with it.

So he advises us to find the cause behind our happiness which will be a unique thing.

We all have to do something in life, and if our occupation or vocation or profession
gives us pleasure, well, that’s happiness.
So choose well, my friend. Before you launch out on the journey of life, make sure
that the career or lifestyle that you have chosen is something that you really want to
follow.

This is something we all want to hear for a long time. With so many memories on his life, he is recollecting the little joys in his life through the quotes and poems of his favorite authors.

This will brighten up your day

If we have never been unhappy, how will we know when happiness comes

This is must read for everyone. Truly a little book of old man’s wisdom worth sharing. As a gift to others, it contains all the qualities to be perfect. The book also leaves some pages to pen down all our thoughts after reading those thoughts at the end of each chapter. Ruskin Bond himself wants us to write down something inspired by his anthology!!

Rating: 4/5

Some of the honorable mentions are:

‘If a straw can tickle a man, it is
an instrument of happiness.’
—John Dryden

 

‘If a straw can tickle a man, it is
an instrument of happiness.’
—John Dryden

‘Don’t cry because it’s over, smile
because it happened.’
―Dr Seuss

‘For every minute you are angry
you lose sixty seconds
of happiness.’
―Ralph Waldo Emerson

If one day you should lose all
your money, who knows—you
may become a happy yogi!
(If not, make peace with
your misery.)

If one day you should lose all
your money, who knows—you
may become a happy yogi!
(If not, make peace with
your misery.)

He ends this little book with some beautiful lines:

Dear reader, may you have the wisdom to be simple, and the humour to be happy.

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Self-Help

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

61y04z8SKEL._SX349_BO1,204,203,200_

 

“The starting point of all achievement is DESIRE. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desire brings weak results, just as a small fire makes a small amount of heat.”

Think and Grow Rich has been called the “Granddaddy of All Motivational Literature.” It was the first book to boldly ask, “What makes a winner?” The man who asked and listened for the answer, Napoleon Hill, is now counted in the top ranks of the world’s winners himself. The most famous of all teachers of success spent “a fortune and the better part of a lifetime of effort” to produce the “Law of Success” philosophy that forms the basis of his books and that is so powerfully summarized in this one.

In the original Think and Grow Rich, published in 1937, Hill draws on stories of Andrew Carnegie, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and other millionaires of his generation to illustrate his principles. In the updated version, Arthur R. Pell, Ph.D., a nationally known author, lecturer, and consultant in human resources management and an expert in applying Hill’s thought, deftly interweaves anecdotes of how contemporary millionaires and billionaires, such as Bill Gates, Mary Kay Ash, Dave Thomas, and Sir John Templeton, achieved their wealth. Outmoded or arcane terminology and examples are faithfully refreshed to preclude any stumbling blocks to a new generation of readers.

-Source Goodreads

There is nothing much to say about this book. Because as true to the hype, it is a well-received, well-written book in the world. It is one of the best self-help business books ever written. Some find it is hard to follow the principles the author is mentioning, but I have one thing to say to them, ie, no pain no gain. If you follow these techniques correctly, you will surely land in success. It is a no doubt strategy.

Some of the ever loving quotes from the book are quoted here:

“You are the master of your destiny. You can influence, direct and control your own environment. You can make your life what you want it to be.”

 

“When defeat comes, accept it as a signal that your plans are not sound, rebuild those plans, and set sail once more toward your coveted goal.”
― Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich

 

“The way of success is the way of continuous pursuit of knowledge.”
― Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich

 

 

“More gold had been mined from the mind of men than the earth itself”
― Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Self-Help

The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy, Ian McMahan

 

 

81gTwYAhU7L.jpg

“Just keep your conscious mind busy with expectation of the best.”

The Power of Your Subconscious Mind has been a bestseller since its first publication in 1963. It is one of the most brilliant and beloved spiritual self-help works of all time. It promotes various techniques to improve or cultivate positivity, happiness, achievements what not. The techniques they are advocating is quite easy. That is the main reason for the popularity of the book. Through this book, you can get techniques to engineer relationships, finances and physical well being.

Blurb: Dr. Joseph Murphy explains that life events are actually the result of the workings of your conscious and subconscious minds. He suggests practical techniques through which one can change one’s destiny, principally by focusing and redirecting this miraculous energy. Years of research studying the world’s major religions convinced him that some Great Power lay behind all spiritual life and that this power is within each of us.

“The only path by which another person can upset you is through your own thought.”

This remarkable book has already helped readers the world to achieve seemingly impossible things just by learning how to bring the force of the subconscious under their control. When we can control the subconscious mind, nothing will be impossible. It is a way of life. This is not just a book, but a treasure.

“Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire. Your desire is your prayer. It comes out of your deepest needs and it reveals the things you want in life.”
― Joseph Murphy, The Power of Your Subconscious Mind

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Sports fiction

Selection Day by Aravind Adiga

91Eq5j9pNDL.jpg

Name: Selection day
Author: Aravind Adiga
Publisher: HarperCollins

“Revenge is the capitalism of the poor: conserve the original wound, defer immediate gratification, fatten the first insult with new insults, invest and reinvest spite, and ke waiting for the perfect moment to strike back.”

Selection Day is the coming-of-age sports fiction by Booker prize winner Aravind Adiga. This novel is entirely centered around the passion of a sport, which is obviously the cricket. Being set in Mumbai, the novel explores the journey of two brothers Manju and Radha in the backdrop of cricket. It is a mix of a hierarchy of injustices, rags to riches dreams, sibling’s pressure, mutual jealousy and lastly the parental pressure. These are some points makes this book very special to every Indian reader. Because each and every one of us can relate these things in their life.

The story is about Mohan Kumar, a father who believes that his sons, Radha and Manju will one day become very successful cricketers and change their financial status. For this, Mohan relocates his family from Karnataka to Mumbai. He starts learning every aspect of cricket and starts to teach his sons cricket, based on his theories. Eventually, they caught the attention of a journalist who gets them a sponsorship. The true dilemma starts here. This new found ground leads them to disobey extremely domineering father, jealousies, competitions and what not. The web of purest emotions that are weaved in a way that makes us so deeply involved throughout the end of the novel. This plot tells us how heroes are made in India and how they are dropped at a single mistake. This is obviously something that we came across in our daily lives. We have seen too many stars being made and broken down from time to time, sometimes may be due to a single mistake. The book is beautifully written by Adiga which makes each and everyone to fall in love with. The complexity of emotions are narrated in an extraordinary style makes this book a must pick in your life.
Rating: 4/5

“O, I do read Indian novels sometimes. But you know, Ms Rupinder, what we Indians want in literature, at least the kind written in English, is not literature at all, but flattery. We want to see ourselves depicted as soulful, sensitive, profound, valorous, wounded, tolerant and funny beings. All that Jhumpa Lahiri stuff. But the truth is, we are absolutely nothing of that kind. What are we, then, Ms Rupinder? We are animals of the jungle, who will eat our neighbour’s children in five minutes, and our own in ten. Keep this in mind before you do any business in this country.”

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fiction, Indian Authors

If God was a Banker by Ravi Subramanian

51H7ZvuPW0L._SX320_BO1,204,203,200_

The book ‘If God Was a Banker’ is a nice little corporate story. It was written in simple language and can be like one in the genre of Chetan Bhagat’s books. The story mainly revolves around two characters, Swami and Sundeep who works at New York International bank. Both are IIM graduates and they joined at the bank same day. We could say that Swami is the epitome of humbleness and honesty. But Sundeep is just opposite to Swami. Sundeep aspires to be successful in much shorter time and he is cunning for achieving it. But he hides his true personality behind a nice little mask. Because of that, he got promotions also. Swami was just opposite to this and he fails in this race initially. The question is, will the evil always win at the end? No. Sundeep eventually gets punishment but there is a good suspense element was awaiting for readers at the end. It was worth of time and a good read. The end of the tale takes all credit.
Furthermore, the author was good at depicting the Banker life and job circumstances. I can much relate to this story because we all have an ambitious heart. But unscrupulous means and dishonesty never win. The way you walk to the success is equally important.
Rating: 4/5