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BLAZE : A Son's Trial by Fire

Every book for that matter offers others perspective about either fictional, or on worldly matters. Readers may agree or disagree with the content, opinion or even factual matrix presented by the author. Every reviewer over a period of time must have felt that it is difficult to reveiw few books because you become a participant in the writers journey and lose objectivity. Objectivity infact is not necessarily to be imposed on each and every aspect. Few reads are catharactic, few are enlightening and few are to be lived. One such book which I completed recently is "Blaze : A Son's Trial by Fire" written by Nidhi Poddar and Sushil Poddar. The book publised in 2021 by Rupa Books and is available in English, Hindi and Marathi edition. It is worth mentioning that I've known the authors forehand before I've read the book so the book came as a shocker on knowing what they have gone through. Its intriguing how people hide the emotions, the tumult they undergo and y

Alexander the Great : The Man who didn't knew where to Stop.

Alexander the Great : The Man who didn't knew where to Stop. The book Alexander the Great written by Jacob Abbott and published by Fineprints Classic is a biography of one of the greatest military general and ruler in the recorded human history. In this book the author has tried to give a chronological introduction of Alexander. The book is written in descriptive style where major life events of Alexander have been touched upon. Born in BC-356 to the King Philip of Macedon his mother was Olympias and she also belonged to Epirus empire. The uniqueness of the location of macedonia was that it was situated between Asia and Erurope. The Asiatic side was occupied by Persian , Assyrians and the Medes while the Europeans side was dominated by Greek and Romans. Both these sides were completely different in approach and organisations. The Asiatic side was wealthy, luxury driven while Eureopean side was full of energy, genius and force. Persians have huge army, horses, tents, finest workm

When Breath becomes Air : Paul Kalanithi

This book was recommended by one of top oncologist of Tata Medical Centre, Kolkata to me 2016. As it usually happens, someone borrowed the book to never return it again and I too, let it go. I again purchased the book recently and gave a patient reading. Its Phenomenal. You enter into the Paul's world from first page itself and get immersed as you procced further. For someone who is not a professional writer and whose its a debut book (sadly, his last too), the flow, emotions and words are so much intertwined that its like a music, a poetry. The book is divided formally into 2 parts, first part titled "In Perfect health I Begin" and the second one titled "Cease Not till Death". There is a concluding part written by his wife Dr. Lucy Kalanithi which was added after death of Dr. Kalanithi. As in my previous blogs I have reviewed Being Mortal by Dr. Atul Gawande which has dealt with the subject of mortality in detail. He has also reviewed this book as " Rat

The Greatness of Saturn : Shani Mahatmya

OM SHANI SHANISCHARAYA NAMAH: The Greatness of Saturn by Robert E. Svaboda Robert Svaboda was a researcher who spent considerable time in India exploring Vedic literature, Yoga and Ayurveda. He came in touch with Swami Vimalananda and was inspired to translate the Shani Mahatmya which was previously published in Gujarati and Marathi. The book is divided into 3 parts namely: Purvakarma : stage where one prepares oneself for experience Pradhankarma : the experience Paschatkarma: stage at which rejuvenation and integration occurs. You get the feel of the book from introduction itself as it introduces unique concept of Living wisdom. A living story is born when living wisdom incarnates in the subtle matter of a human consciousness. Real music, real verse, real stories have an innate power to teach, to heal and to inducs mystical experiences. It then delves into knowledge as commodity of commerce and the symbols of internal reality which he states are dead from inside. The pathology of

Man's Search For Meaning : Is it worth the suffering?

There are few books which don't need a review or comments but you desire everyone to read and digest them. "Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor E. Frankl was published by Rider publication in 1946. It was originally published as "From Death Camp to Existentialism". The book is personal experience of the author who was a Jewish psychologist and sent to concentration camp during the Second World War by Nazis. The book is divided into 2 parts namely Experiences in Concentration Camp and Logotherapy, which has been propagated by the author as a new theory. He mentions 3 stages of the Prisoner's mental reaction on being admitted to the camp. The first phase: the period following his admission in the camp which is marked by shock. The second stage is when he is assimilated in the routine of the camp and it becomes his whole life marked by apathy, the main symptom of the second phase was a necessary mechanism of self-defence and the period following release f

The Courage to be Disliked How to Free Yourself, Change Your Life and Achieve Real Happiness Written by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga, published by Penguin is less of a self-help book and more of psychological analysis of our mind’s decision making process. The book introduces Alfred Adler, a psychology academician and thinker who forms a trio along with two other towering pillars of psychology namely Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud. The bookwhich is in question-answer format, is discussion between a philosopher who had stern belief that the world is simple and happiness is achievable by everyone and his pupil who finds the world as chaotic and concepts of happiness as absurd. The book is divided into 5 chapters titled on the nights spent on discussions between the philosopher and pupil. In the first night, the discussion on Trauma and happiness is the key topic where philosopher states that everyone can be happy and trauma can be skipped. On the second night, the disc