How to Be a Writer by Ruskin Bond

Ruskin Bond I am sure does not need an introduction to either children or adults. Even if someone has not read his books, they definitely know a lot about him and the recognition he has got for his work.

Now, this book - "How To Be A Writer" is again a children book which is really short and sweet written in a very casual tone. When we say a children book, it has a lot of cute little illustrations on each page and obviously easy to read language.

Ruskin Bond begins the book by talking about his own thoughts or feeling being a writer himself. He tells why or how 'HE - Ruskin Bond' became a writer. He then continues to give basic guidance about what it takes to become an author, how to write, what to write and what's in store when one decides to be a writer. 

Since the book is targeted for children, it obviously does not give any detailed steps or problems one gets into while his or her journey to hold that dream book in own hands. But, what the author does tell about is where and how to find inspirations from. For example, my own kids have narrated countless stories after we turn off the lights and decide to tell one last story before sleep. Their stories are mostly derived from what they have read recently or have been talking/hearing about recently - but they do end up with some interesting stuff. Many times they tell their own version of the story they just read. Similarly, the author tells that one can find a story or a character anywhere - even in their dreams. 

Best line from the book I found:

"There is no retirement age for writers!"

I would not talk about the tips the author has offered as it's a short book along with pictures and talking a lot about it would end up in spoilers. One tip I loved the most is that we should be setting up or writing in a place we are familiar with. That can obviously be modified as per the story.

The books end with some light on the publishing too. Be warned that it's not a guide to get published. It's just a moral booster about why it takes time to get published and be ready for the rejections. I think as a child, this information is sufficient. Children need not know more than that and other technical/logical steps should be left for parents to carry forward. 

The book ends with an amazing postcard which I am still figuring out what to do with. I obviously don't want to loose it and keep with me forever. I might post it to our own home addressed to my elder son. I think he would like it as he has not received a letter ever (thanks to the current digital kids!). Oh! as I type this and look at the postcard, I noticed that it says "Dear Mr. Bond,"! So I would try to give the book to kiddo and see if he agrees to send a note to the author. That means I would have to part with this. No worries! The kiddo would send his first real letter in this way. Thanks to the team for this!

Adults might find the book quite monotonous and repetitive explanation of all the quotes and advice scattered all over internet. But then the team is targeting an innocent mind and they did a good job in that. I think this is a must read for any child who aspire to write a book someday. It would definitely boost the child's confidence and guide him/her to the right path. Simple language makes it a self read book for children. 

Ideally a children book but it is a very basic stepping stone for budding writers. It's a ageless book which can be placed right there on the workstation with any page opened.

If you decide to buy this book, you may go ahead and do the same via below link on amazon:

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"The Mind Game" by Devika Das

About The Author:

Devika Das has three books and one anthology under her writing umbrella. When not writing, Devika pursues her passion for Acting and is an active theatre artiste in Hyderabad and has featured in several short films. Read more about her at – Devika Das

The Blurb Says:

“Happiness, stress, ecstasy or depression, it’s all a mind game. As long as our mind is under our control, everything else is. That’s what The Mind Game is all about. It is not an average self-help book that preaches life-enhancing methodologies based on complex science or long philosophical verses. The book’s genius lies in its simplicity. It offers quick, actionable and instantly applicable tips that will help readers lead better lives, instantly.”

How did I find the book:

Generally, self-help books very clearly focus on either Formal or In-formal aspects. "The Mind Game" talked about less talked about topics when it comes to soft skills and managed to touch upon their effects on formal or professional lives as-well.

As the title of book mentions, it’s all about what goes in a human mind – biologically or straight from the heart. I liked the book when I started it, then I felt a little bored and had to push a little further. Then, I realized that it’s not a book to be sit down, read and finish. The reader needs a little me time and lot of thought gathering in order to get it through successfully.

What I Liked:

1. Structured: Well  yes, the book is clearly divided in six sections which goes as below and each section is further explained with multiple chapters. Another remarkable thing with this point is that that I found all sections an independent read. So tomorrow if I want to read about any particular area, I might just go back and pick it up.

            SECTION A - Mastering your emotions

            SECTION B - Simple living High Thinking

            SECTION C - Analyzing People

            SECTION D - Secret of true happiness

            SECTION E - Manage your anger creatively

            SECTION F - A happy workplace the secret to a long, successful career.

2. Less Preaching: Whatever less number of self-help books I have read, preaching is one I get to put it down very quickly. The author did a balanced nob while taking up the topics by trying to get to the point from the beginning ang not just give the try this and do that points back to back. Thus, if read with devoted time, the reader would get the psychological and medical reasons which lay at the back of common issues.

What I did not like:

1. Stories: There were a few little examples here and there, but I missed reading more. I had a major missing feeling of real-life stories and experiences all through the book. It would have been an all-together different and more refreshing read with them. The one's which did came along, unfortunately, there is none I had not read about or seen a video about.

To wrap up my thoughts, I would say that it was an average one time read which could have been much better If i had a few examples to talk about in my daily conversations like- "You know, I read a story about this in a book which said....".

Please do share your views on the book, review or anything by commenting below. I absolutely love each and every comment I receive.

If you like my review and plan to give it a shot, you may try that by following links. They point to my Amazon Affiliate and when purchased from, I get a tiny commission with no extra charge to you.

The Modern Day Hindu by Nikhil Chandwani

The Blurb:

“Here are your instructions. You must overlook everything you know. Modern Day Hindu needs you to blur the edges of white and the dark spheres of life. It is my journey, practicing a very rare Hindu way of living, and blending the same with Quantum Physics, The Cosmos, a whole lot of Hollywood Movie mentions, Rock Music and Passionate Resistance. This book provides resolutions to the Twenty-First Century dilemmas through certain laws, I decoded, while implementing classical Indian knowledge. The book reveals the wandering consciousness of Hinduism. Awareness, that might complete your missing puzzle.

About The Book:

I liked the cover and found it quite creative. A person mediating with all the possible distractions in present era all around him on the cover along with the title made a perfect match. It’s a perfect match for current generation and is also a good percentage of our elders these days too.

The author has tried to throw a detailed insight on twenty-first century mass and how different areas affect their lifestyle with the help of seven spheres. The language used is simple and to the point.

The author also supported each and every point conveyed with an example. The examples range from day to day life, science, mathematics, philosophy etc.

Somewhere between the book, I sadly could not follow through and lost the connect. After that, I was just reading and not able to catch up. The reason might be because of too much knowledge. Honestly, I did not find anything bad about the book, I was just not able to grasp after a point. I think it needed more intense editing on the examples given and the connect between each other – there are a lot of random examples which I feel would have worked better for articles.

For me, it did not work very well. At the same time, I would like to mention that it’s me who might not have like it. It is a decent read for the people who enjoy reading physiological non-fiction books and of course movie buffs are going to relate the most out of it.

                                                      

3 Steps To Himalayas: A Practical Guide To Achieve Your Goals by Ramesh Kundu

The Blurb:

We have become prisoners of our times and the result is a stressful lifestyle. This race to compete with everyone else is leading to irreversible destruction of the environment and social institutions. We have more comforts now, but pay the price with serious health problems & psychological issues. We are less happy now and peace of mind is just missing from our lives. 
This book is an attempt to look at simple solutions for all such challenges faced by a majority of us. 
Going to class with swollen faces after being slapped for 150 times; spending three days & nights in a police lock up; your friend fighting back a leopard with bare hands & surviving; watching helplessly as a person is hacked to death in front of you - all these experiences have brought enough learning for a lifetime which have been shared in this book. 
To live a stress-free life, we have to understand and face our fears, understand and find reasons for our limiting beliefs, have control over our anger and suppress our greed. 
Self-awareness, self-management and self-development are the keys to evolve and make our lives better. For being successful, we need to re-look at our passion and skill sets, and find opportunities for what we are good at. 
Let us start our journey to the Himalayas…

The Book:

3 Steps To Himalayas, as the title very clearly states is a three step self help book to accomplish one’s ambitions. It is also a practical guide as all the points covered by the author Ramesh Kundu are also supported by real life simple stories.

The introduction section made me think if I had made the right choice as I am not a fan of self help books. It was not too late when the supporting stories made their way.

The best part about the book were the quotes or the teachings at the top of each story. The tiny stories also varied in all emotions and aspects of life. A few stories felt quite emotional while at the same time, few of them were funny yet delivering their intended message aptly.

Although the broader perspective of the book is only 3 steps, but in the process of which there are 10 sub topics covered which in turn have multiple sections inline. Now, that is the reason which made me done. I know I may sound a bit rude, considering the reviews I read from other readers, but then, that’s my take. As mentioned, I am not a self help book person, but there are a few of them I have really enjoyed. But, somehow, by the middle of the book, I was too impatient to finish it and put it aside.

For the people who like reading non-fiction and self help, I must admit it’s a good and full of learning one time read.

                                                                    

Whale Done!: The Power of Positive Relationships by Kenneth Blanchard Ph.D., Thad Lacinak, Chuck Tompkins and Jim Ballard

The Blurb:
A compendium of straightforward techniques on how to accentuate the positive and redirect the negative, increasing productivity at work and at home.

What do your people at work and your spouse and kids at home have in common with a five-ton killer whale?

Probably a whole lot more than you think, according to top business consultant and mega-bestselling author Ken Blanchard and his coauthors from SeaWorld. In this moving and inspirational new book, Blanchard explains that both whales and people perform better when you accentuate the positive. He shows how using the techniques of animal trainers -- specifically those responsible for the killer whales of SeaWorld -- can supercharge your effectiveness at work and at home.

When gruff business manager and family man Wes Kingsley visited SeaWorld, he marveled at the ability of the trainers to get these huge killer whales, among the most feared predators in the ocean, to perform amazing acrobatic leaps and dives. Later, talking to the chief trainer, he learned their techniques of building trust, accentuating the positive, and redirecting negative behavior -- all of which make these extraordinary performances possible. Kingsley took a hard look at his own often accusatory management style and recognized how some of his shortcomings as a manager, spouse, and father actually diminish trust and damage relationships. He began to see the difference between "GOTcha" (catching people doing things wrong) and "Whale Done!" (catching people doing things right).

In Whale Done!, Ken Blanchard shows how to make accentuating the positive and redirecting the negative the best tools to increase productivity, instead of creating situations that demoralize people. These techniques are remarkably easy to master and can be applied equally well at home, allowing readers to become better parents and more committed spouses in their happier and more successful personal lives.

What I Felt About The Book

I saw this book on my manager's desk and as usual was curious to know what he was reading. Honestly, when I first had a look on the cover, title and back page; I had the impression of another blabbering self help book. But still, I read the first few pages and was glad to find that the author(s) have chosen to teach the lessons through story telling.

ABC Of Performance

What I Liked About The Book:
1. Short Book and thus short chapters having big font: Yes, the really like the books with font big enough to be read with naked eyes without much concentration. Full marks to the publishers for it.
2. Failure Scenarios: Generally, book like this skip the hardships people face while applying the underlying strategies or techniques. I really liked the part where Wes had trouble applying Whale Done Principles in his office. The detailing could have been better though.

What I Did Not Like About The Book:
Though it is a very very short book, I got the jest of all in less than half of pages. After that, everything was just the repetition of all excellent principles and it did get a bit boring.

In a very short book too, there were instances when I found myself nodding sharply and smiling at others. Picture below lines from the book:

Catching people doing things wrong is easy.

The very basic example is how we help and groom our kids with basic activities like walking. They never ever succeed in first attempt.

Good thing I didn't spank the kids when they didn't stand and walk perfectly the first time. We'd have had teenagers crawling around the house.

Another set of lines were around common gossip we all do when we see a person yelling for no reason - "must have got into a fight with the spouse", "must have got a good hearing from the manager"and many more.

Ripple effect of GOTcha. The boss yells at one of his managers, that manager yells at one of his associates, who goes home and yells at his spouse, who yells at the kid, who kicks the cat.

And there were more:

When you're dealing with an eleven-thousand-pound animal who doesn't speak English, you do a lot of learning.

The more attention you pay to a behavior, the more it will be repeated.

You got to ac-cen-tuate the positive, e-lim-inate the negative, Latch on to the affirmative...

The one thing your competition can never steal from you is the relationship you have with your people, and the relationship they have with your customers.

And the final and most liked ones - i think;

Book Review - The Killing of Aarushi and The Murder of Justice by Rajesh Talwar

The very gruesome and mysterious murder of teenager Aarushi Talwar and her house help Hemraj is not new to the whole India and is even widely known all over the world because of vast media coverage. After a number of courtroom sessions, various hypothetical stories, long debates, candle marches, media highlights of all forms, the judiciary system held parents of the teenage victim responsible of her murder and sentenced them to life time imprisonment.

I must mention that I have zero knowledge on the procedures of any legal charges, but still, the fact that two people are a sentenced to 'rigours imprisonment for life' just on the basis of fictitious facts derived on the basis of different theories is still indigestible to me. Of course there are reasons and some conclusion drawn on the basis of various evidences (many of which were not even collected from the crime scene or were lost due to delay in collection), medical reports (which were again questionable and the judge himself agrees that they cannot be relied upon as the doctor 'lacks expertise and his evidence cannot be accepted'), statements recorded by various witnesses etc. .


The clear picture is yet to surface and I doubt it would ever float over.

The book gives a very minute and interesting examination on the verdict given by "the Court of Additional Sessions Judge/Special Judge, Anti-Corruption, C.B.I., Ghaziabad" led by CBI judge Shyam Lal. Divided in four parts, the author has tried his very best to probe all possible sides of the case.

There are 4 parts in the book:
Part one - Rajesh Talwar and Nupur Talwar murdered Aarushi and Hemraj
Part two - The servant's associated committed the two murders
Part three - Someone else killed Aarushi and Hemraj
Part four - The murder of Justice

The imaginary sarcastic conversation with regard to lawyers statement derived from his own marriage when he tries to prove that the old servant had physical relations with the teenage girl was hilarious. I cannot stop smiling with surprise every-time the concept comes to my mind...

Even when as a reader, I knew all details and findings, specially after the movie, it was interesting to get a through peek at all plausible angles. I even had a look at the 210 page verdict out of curiosity. Almost all of it except the details of evidence, witnesses etc is discussed in the book.

Wings Of Fire an Autobiography - APJ Abdul Kalam with Arun Tiwari

About The Author:

A.P.J Abdul Kalam does not need any description. He was popularly knoen as the People'e President, serving India officially as the 11th President from 2002 to 2007. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, is a renowed scientist and has remarkable contiribution towards India's process towards aeronautics. He is also awarded with three of country's most honoured awards - Padma Bhushan (1981), Padma Vibhushan (1990) and Bharat Ratna (1997). The missile man of India passed away at the age of 83 on 27 July 2015.

The Blurb;

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, the son of a little-educated boat-owner in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, had an unparalleled career as a defence scientist, culminating in the highest civilian award of India, the Bharat Ratna. As chief of the country’s defence research and development programme, Kalam demonstrated the great potential for dynamism and innovation that existed in seemingly moribund research establishments. This is the story of Kalam’s rise from obscurity and his personal and professional struggles, as well as the story of Agni, Prithvi, Akash, Trishul and Nag-missiles that have become household names in India and that have raised the nation to the level of a missile power of international reckoning. This is also the saga of independent India’s struggle for technological self-sufficiency and defensive autonomy-a story as much about politics, domestic and international, as it is about science.

What I Felt About The Book
I absolutely loved the book. Yes, despite the fact that the book is more about India's journey to Rocket science, despite the fact that I did not understood a major chunk of the sentences, I was not able to put it down till I finished reading it.

There were some places when I was nodding my head and had to stop reading reminding myself of my own very similar thoughts. For example, one line or quote says -

I used to wonder what made poor people smoke away their hard-earned money.
This is something I keep on repeating whenever I see the rush on any wine/alcohol shop. I seriously wonder the irony - 'I am sure that they would have a reply of no money or poverty whenever when their children ask for a new toy or their wife wished a new ornament/dress. And there they were quenching their addiction of smoking and drinking which in turns take them close to dead end thereby leaving their loved ones with more unfulfilled wishes!'

Success of SLV-3 cought media attention to Kalam. Like all of us, he had same feeling in his heart- "Glory of SLV-3 had not gone to everyone who deserved it". I am sure it is one feeling (either being recognised or being on the other side) each and every individual; must have experienced at least once in his/her lifetime. Great personalities are also humans. We all know this fact. But the mere acceptance of such simple facts gives immense mental peace that they too think like us.

Then, there were some close to heart instances. When Kalam got much needed air Force helicopter ride to Madurai to attend his niece Zameela's wedding - which he had got late for pertaining to his work commitments and was actually feeling guilty for in his subconsciousness, I had the same feeling as Dr Arunachalam - "You have earned this for your hard work..."

The chapter - "STEWARDS" - is quite interesting in terms of forming a team and choosing the leaders to lead them.
- "I had to get the right type of leader who could clearly visualize the goal, and channelise the energies of his team members who would be working at different work centres in oursuit of their own individual goals."

What I Liked About the Book:
1. Former President DR. APJ Abdul Kalam
2. The beginning - The simplicity of life and ability to relate left me awestruck
3. Honest depiction of thoughts at various incidents.

What I Did Not Like About The Book:
Aeronautical Terms - Yes, the book is flooded with them and though, great effort has been done to make the reader understand them, 90% of them went over my head. Result - I skimmed through some pages.

At many places, I had to control my hands really hard to not write those paragraphs of great wisdom. The pages are filled with a number of thoughts to ponder and wow lines.

It's definitely a must read for any one in the field of Rocket science and aeronautics. It's a good read for workaholics.
I would have termed it highly recommended to anyone if the focus was less on turn on aeronautical events and their scientific explanations.

Dancing Through Stereotypes

Sonal Choudhary Proud Dancer

Dance is the hidden language of the soul.

The art of dancing and dancers have always been portrayed as picture perfect figures - thanks to our Big Bang Bollywood sagas.

Behind those bold, fierce full and beautiful dancers, there are people called choreographers. Yes, these masters have come in all shapes and sizes.

Across the world, women more than men have been stereotyped into different roles and responsibilities. Not just experience, but even statistics say the same. Take a look at some of the startling figures that the Nihar Naturals #IAmCapable survey conducted by Nielsen India reveals: 

a. 69% of men agree that their judgement of women is based on their looks.

b. 64% of women agree that the judgements passed on them have affected their ability to reach their true potential.

c. 70%of women agree that majority of judgements on women are from family members or friends rather than strangers.

d. 72% of women agree that working women face more judgements on their looks or their clothes than housewives.

Whenever this topic of stereotyping based on looks is brought up, there is one person, dancer (guess she likes to call herself by it) whose face comes to my mind instantly. Sonal Choudhary - she stands 4 feet 10 inches with 72kg on her tiny toes.

 

Performing at her brothers 1st birthday! (A performer since childhood!)

I have known her since day one of my college. She was the first person from my batch I got friendly with. I had many friends and we did not get though the path of buddies, but have remained good acquaintances since then. She is going to kill me reading it - I know she always rated me in her good friends.

Performing at the song 'Mujhe Rangde' from the movie 'Thakshak' - Oh, I remember watching this one!

 To be honest, I was taken aback too when I learned that Sonal dances. What more? She has a degree in dance! I heard of a degree in that stream first time in my life. 

Performing @ NIIT's 25th Annual Function

The little princess has taken her passion for dancing to next level and never ever let her short height and body weight come her way. Dance classes, standalone practices, school functions, college fests, corporate events, competitions - there would be hardly any opportunity she would have let skip her feet. 

Any dancer would die for this frame!

She has following major achievements to her credit:

• Best student in dance for academic year 2001-2002 in school
• Second place in solo dance competition at inter-college fest at Lingya's Second place in dance at Accenture talent quest in 2008
• Several certificates for various dance forms from reputed dance academies like Danceworx and Shiamak Davar Institutes India Pvt Ltd Learnt Kathak
• Certification/degree of six years called Sangit Prabhakar with first division from Prayag Sangit Samiti, Allahabad

I must confess that I was a part of the group from our college batch which was most famous for its tantrums, pranks and everything naughty once could think of. I never stopped my friends from making fun of anyone, but sometimes, used them to remain in limits which we crossed many times! May be because of this, I was teased as the best friend of Sonal by the gang. Despite being a subject of jokes while in college, I have never seen a blink of hesitance in her eyes or attitude she carries. Kudos to you girl.

The desi gal truly breaks all set roles for a woman and has the courage to follow her heart. She undoubtedly defines the true meaning of #IAmCapable. I wish all the good luck and thumbs up to Sonal for believing in herself and breaking the so called stereotypes made for women in various categories.

I’m breaking stereotypes based on appearance by sharing my experience for the #IAmCapable activity at BlogAdda in association with Nihar Naturals.

Made In India by Biddu

About The Author

Biddu was born in India, where he started his career playing in a pop band whose influences lay in the classic repertoire of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Following his early success, he decided to hear West and move into the international music arena. He struck gold, signing the unknown Carl Douglas and producing "Kung Fu Fighting?" which went on to become a hit all over the world. He also wrote and produced hits for Tina Charles and soul legend Jimmy James. 

Around this time, Biddu became involved in Indian music: he composed the cult "Aap Jaise Koi" for the film Qurbani which set a new landmark for sales in India He followed this up with a pop album, Disco Deewane, with Nazia Hassan, which became the largest selling pop album in Asian history, and was the first Indian album to hit the charts in fourteen countries. In 1995, Biddu wrote and produced the three-million-selling album Made in India with the singer Alisha Chinai. To date, Biddu has sold over thirty-eight million records worldwide.

About The Book

The Blurb Says

As a child, Biddu dreamt of going west and making it big as a composer. At the age of sixteen, he formed a band and started playing in a cafe in Bangalore, his home town, At eighteen, he was part of a popular act at Trinca's, a nightclub in Calcutta devoted to food, wine and music, At nineteen, he had college students in Bombay dancing to his music. 

In his early twenties, he left the country and ended up hitchhiking across the Middle East before arriving in London with only the clothes on his back and his trusty guitar. What followed were years of hardship and struggle but also great music and gathering fame. From the nine million selling "Kung Fu Fighting" to the iconic youth anthem of "Made in India" and the numerous hits in between. Biddu's music made him a household name in India and elsewhere. 

In this first public account of all that came his way: the people, the events, the music tours and companies Biddu writes with a gripping sense of humor about his remarkable journey with its fairy tale ending. Charming, witty, and entirely likable, Biddu is a man you are going to enjoy getting to know.

About The Cover

The cover is simple yet attractive with the Author holding his favourite instrument - the Guitar.

About The Book

Failure to flee from home more than once, travelling in unknown country with just a guitar and small backpack, questioning from police in drug smuggling and many more - these are no doubt experiences of a lifetime.

Honestly, I had not heard of the name before I got the opportunity to read this biography. I have never been very much interested in music and music to me has always been just a form of entertainment once in a while or while driving. But that does not mean I have not heard of numbers like "aap jaisa koi meri jindagi me in aaye" and the anthem of every teenage girl - "Made in India". I have grown up singing these songs by all my heart.

The author has narrated his life story in a short and humorous manner. There were many incidents when I desperately wanted to know the outcomes early and had to hold on myself from flipping the pages and finding out.

What I Liked About The Book:

1. Humour - Biddu has been quite successful in making me smile every now and then.

2. Adventures - yes, as the title states, I loved them specially the one when Biddu got caught by his school after bunking. Some were funny and others were actually scary.

What I Did Not Like About The Book:

1. Professional - although the author has opened up quite a bit about his personal life, I still found the book more professional for an auto biography. I would have loved to read more about his love life, the spiritual connections of his wife with yoga, his mother and many more.

Here are some lines worth noting:

When you are young, failure is not an option.

...youth gives you freedom to fly to the sun.

I knew that music was my mistress and forever I would dance to her tune.

‘Sanctions of any kind only hit the man on the streets, no one else,

It's a learning experience for anyone looking to make a mark in a particular field. Like Biddu, he did work at restaurants, but made sure that he stood close to his field and choose the jobs wisely which landed him with right people at right time.

This review is a part of book tours at Book R3vi3ws

Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg

Lean In landed on my shelf along with another book under same category - Lady You Are Not A Man by Apurva Purohit.

About the Author: Sheryl Sandberg is chief operating officer at Facebook. Prior to Facebook, she was vice president of Global Online Sales and Operations at Google and chief of staff at the U.S. Treasury Department.

She lost her dear husband recently in an accident while exercising.

She can be reached via her Twitter profile at - @sherylsandberg and the Facebook profile at - https://www.facebook.com/sherylsandberg.

The blurb says: Thirty years after women became 50 percent of the college graduates in the United States, men still hold the vast majority of leadership positions in government and industry. This means that women’s voices are still not heard equally in the decisions that most affect our lives. In Lean In, Sheryl Sandberg examines why women’s progress in achieving leadership roles has stalled, explains the root causes, and offers compelling, commonsense solutions that can empower women to achieve their full potential. 

Sandberg is the chief operating officer of Facebook and is ranked on Fortune’s list of the 50 Most Powerful Women in Business and as one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. In 2010, she gave an electrifying TEDTalk in which she described how women unintentionally hold themselves back in their careers. Her talk, which became a phenomenon and has been viewed more than two million times, encouraged women to “sit at the table,” seek challenges, take risks, and pursue their goals with gusto.

In Lean In, Sandberg digs deeper into these issues, combining personal anecdotes, hard data, and compelling research to cut through the layers of ambiguity and bias surrounding the lives and choices of working women. She recounts her own decisions, mistakes, and daily struggles to make the right choices for herself, her career, and her family. She provides practical advice on negotiation techniques, mentorship, and building a satisfying career, urging women to set boundaries and to abandon the myth of “having it all.”  She describes specific steps women can take to combine professional achievement with personal fulfillment and demonstrates how men can benefit by supporting women in the workplace and at home. 

Written with both humor and wisdom, Sandberg’s book is an inspiring call to action and a blueprint for individual growth. Lean In is destined to change the conversation from what women can’t do to what they can.

What I Felt About The Book:

I have to confess that I read other one first because I thought that I would be able to connect more with her being from same culture. I was so wrong as I was smiling and nodding to almost everything. While Sheryl has directed the book towards women and the need of them to be top or executive or senior positions across the world, a major part of book if read properly would also solve leadership issues of both sexes.

Sheryl has divided the book in 11 chapters each of them having instances from her own life and those of her near ams dear ones. She has also done a detailed homework in collecting various research/studies results and eye opening facts and figures.

I found her style of writing simple and clear and the book looked like she is standing in front of me and telling all those golden words. 

There were few sections I simply loved reading:

Sit at the table: reaction of Sheryl to her fifth ranking in Forbes most powerful women list - I might consider revealing that a spoiler, thus you need to read if you want to know it.

Make your partner a real partner: The answer to question what men could go to help advance women's leadership by Harvard a Business School professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter as "The Laundry" need to be displayed in all offices in bold letters.

The inequality imposed by laws when it comes to maternity and paternity leaves definitely need to be brought up more. Imagine 12 weeks for mothers and rarely 15 days for father - both are equal parents. I am glad some one brought this topic up.

The advice to girls for dating all; the bad boys, the cool boys, the commitment-phobic guys, the crazy boys - marrying/settling with the one who thinks women should be smart, opinionated and ambitious and this want equal partners gets a big high-five from me.

What I did not like about the book:

1. Too much concentration about having a baby and being a working mother - I agree that it's a major issue to be talked about, but the whole book need not run around this.

2. Too many statistics - this might be my personal opinion: I really got bored many times reading those statistics and skipped them.

3. Too many footnotes and references:

Frankly speaking, a major part of book looked like a good quality research work for some study. At the same time, kudos to Sheryl for sorting all that data under right sections.

Below are some words from the book which made me pick my phone and type them again:

** A truly equal world would be one where women ran half our countries and companies and men ran half our homes.

** Please ask yourself: What would I do if I weren't afraid?

** Success feels better when shared with others.

** When you want to change things, you can't please everyone. If you do please everyone, you aren't making enough progress.

** If you are offered a seat on a rocket ship, you don't ask what seat. You just get on.

** Letting the other side make first offer is often crucial to achieving favourable terms.

** Taking risks, choosing growth, challenging ourselves, and asking for promotions (with smiles on our faces, of course) are all important elements of managing a career.

** We need more men to sit at the table... The kitchen table.

** Trying to do it all and expecting that it all can be done exactly right is a recipe for disappointment.

** Perfection is the enemy.

** ...success is making the best choices we can ... and accepting them.

All-together, Sheryl has done a pretty decent job and has been quite successful in proving her point of view. At the end, I did not regret reading it and might recommend to someone who looking to collect data for some speech on women related topics.

Title: Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead

Author: Sheryl Sandberg with Nell Scovell

Language: English

• ISBN-10: 0385349947
• ISBN-13: 978-0385349949

Also read the review of Lady You Are Not A Man by Apurva Purohit.

Lady You Are Not A Man by Apurva Purohit

One fine day, my colleague came to office and sent a link to me on this book.  Out of curiosity and the recent incidents that prevailed around us in the workspace, we ordered the book. Thus, there it was my desk!

About The Author:

Currently, the CEO of FM network Radio City 91.1, Apurva Purohit is a smart leader and a visionary who has built several media brands like Zoom TV and Radio City. Read more about her at her blog - http://www.womenatwork.co.in.

The blurb says:

Todays woman wants to make a success of both family and career and is unwilling to compromise on either. But the burden of coping with deadlines, recalcitrant children, lazy husbands, difficult bosses and equally difficult in-laws can be daunting, even overwhelming. In this book, Apurva Purohit, CEO of Radio City 91.1 FM, shows how women can accept, adapt and achieve their way to the highest rung in every arena. Through real-life stories and funny anecdotes, she provides pithy tips on a multitude of topics: from training husbands to training interns, from the right attitude to getting it right with kids, from dealing with household crises to office emergencies, from building a reputation to paving ones way to the top. Warm, witty and empathetic, Lady, Youre Not a Man! is a must-read for every woman on the quest for work-home balance and determined to succeed in her career and live a happy and fulfilling life.

About The Cover:

I liked the cover. It's quite creative and also pops out some hint to contents - which I realised only after reading two-three chapters.

About The Book:

I was all smiles as I read the very first pages. It was like reading about myself! I can bet that any working mother would give a high five to me when they read it.

I also liked the way book is structured. The book is divided into three sections – Acceptance, Adapting, and Achievements. Each section is further divided into smaller chapters. Wait, there is more. Each chapter has footnotes at the end with the headings - "Corporate Mantra of the Day" and "Psst…" giving a crisp summary of the chapter. 

Further, each section is concluded with ten important lessons.

Below were my favourite chapters:

-The suffering Sita syndrome

-Expectant expectations

-Can u give up control

-Oye, lucky madam

-Maintaining one's individuality

-Sexy smart and single

What I Liked About The Book:

1. The fact that I could immediately relate to it.

2. Short chapters.

3. Real life experiences.

4. Witty and funny punches very here and there.

What I Did Not Like About The Book:

1. Unmarried females might not be able to directly relate.

2. Male readers might find it too much boasting about women - but they always do so, remember comments on women day or organisations not celebrating men's day ;)

Over all, I liked the book and can recommend to someone who is looking for non-fiction read over a weekend. Women low on self esteem or giving a single thought to give up their career because of any reason must read it.

I could have copied almost every second line as my favourite except the stories, but I refrained myself hard and below are some lines I noted down as quotes:

    "Priorities need to change at different stages of our life if we want to grow and evolve."

       " We women actually have very simple needs indeed. Give or take a few diamonds, about forty pair of shoes, a few cuddles from our spouses and a reliable cook, all we want is to be happy and successful - both in our corporate lives and at home."

   "Most wars are lost in our minds much before we have stepped out on the battlefield. In a choice between skill and great attitude, attitude always wins, hands down."

     "Pregnancy is not an illness, it's a process of life."

Title: Lady, You're Not a Man! : The Adventures of a Woman at Work

Author: Apurva Purohit

Publisher: Rupa Publications India (5 August 2013)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 8129129043

ISBN-13: 978-8129129048

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