Book Review--The Monk who sold his Ferrari..

It was March 2007, when I first started reading the book ‘The monk who sold his Ferrari by Robin Sharma’. However I could not complete it due to my pre engagements and lack of interest after reading few pages. During my summers, I again got the prospect of reading it…

Robin Sharma has always been a fabulous storyteller and this notion of mine has been reassured after reading this enlightening book. At first look, the title of the novel is misleading but as you keep on reading…You will realize how Ferrari has been associated with the millionaire lawyer turned enlightened monk. A beautifully woven story with few incidents and objects is core of the novel..

Garden being symbolized as human mind to emphasize on cultivating our mind• The quality of your life is determined by the quality of your thoughts
• There are no mistakes - only lessons. See setbacks as opportunities for personal expansion and spiritual growth

Light house in the garden specifies the purpose of life constantly.• The purpose of life is a life of purpose
• Discovering and then realizing your lifework brings lasting fulfillment
• Set clearly defined personal, professional and spiritual goals, and then have the courage to act on them.
A 90 kg weight sumo wrestler is being resembled to an important concept ‘Kaizen’ of continuous improvement.• Enlightenment comes through the consistent cultivation of your mind, body and soul.

And the list is on…it talks about self discipline, time as the most precious commodity and our ultimate purpose in life is to selflessly serve others. The one thing which separates it from other self help books is the techniques which have been given to achieve the transformation that can enhance the life of every individual…A must read for all!!
Few Lines from the novel…
on an average day
the average person runs about sixty thousand thoughts through
his mind. What really amazed me though, was that ninety-five
percent of those thoughts were the same as the ones you thought
the day before!"
This is the tyranny of impoverished thinking. Those
people who think the same thoughts every day, most of them
negative, have fallen into bad mental habits. Rather than focusing on all the good in their lives and thinking of ways to make things even better, they are captives of their pasts.


Now am looking forward to read ‘I who bought his ferrari’ by some other author..

Indira, a biography...Book Review

The author Pupul Jayakar, a close friend and confidant of Indira Gandhi. She traces the history of the Nehru family right from the Mughal times, where an ancestor of theNehru family occupied a position in the court of the Mughal Emperor, FarrukhSiyar. The book deals with the journey of the ancestors of the Nehru family fromthe Kashmir valley to the court of the Emperor in Delhi and to their finalsettlement in Allahabad.

Indira was born on 19th November 1917 in Allahabad, India, to Jawaharlal and Kamala Nehru.

Book is clearly segregated in parts, first 1919-1934 where Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister and Indira’s father constantly advised her to mould her future through the answers to the questions which have been put up by the circumstances. Book gives you an insight about Indira’s unpleasant childhood as she was frequently a victim of sardonic laughter by her aunt, VijyaLakshmi Pandit. Indira’s encounter with freedom movement came at an early age of 4 when her father and grandfather were jailed for the first time.

1935-1945, this was the period when she suffered a personal loss in form of her mother Kamala’s demise by tuberculosis. Indira grew as a solemn, introvert and precocious child.

1946-1966, India’s independence with the ascension of Indira as a fierce and modern leader. Meanwhile, she took the audacious step to marry Feroz Gandhi who was not only a parsi but his ideologies was completely different as of her. Year 1966, also witnessed the oath of Indira as the first lady Prime Minister of India.

Indira’s political career climbed all heights; however emergency calamity, cases of corruption and nepotism always surrounded her. Lady as fierce as Indira seemed precarious in her decision at times because of her overwhelming love towards her son, Sanjay. Nevertheless, nationalization of banks, initiation of Green revolution and Lenin Peace Prize are some of the timeline achievements.

One thing in which book lack behind is the critical judgments, it may be because of the close intimacy shared by Pupul and Indira.

Lastly, book acts as a huge source of inspiration for women who aspire in participating in political activities and believe in bringing out change in the system.