By: Vintage Koestler
Pages: 211
Fiction
My recommendation: 8 / 10
Date read: 27th Dec' 2020
Brief review: When Rubashov, once a powerful player in a totalitarian government, is arrested for treason, he reflects upon his life and politics. An extraordinary piece of work that is meant only for those who love classics. The book was recommended by my father as the top 5 books to read. I started late with this book but I am happy I read it. Storytelling at its best.
By: Michael Isikoff & David Corn
Pages: 325
Non Fiction
My recommendation: 9 / 10
Date read: 20th Dec'2020
Brief review: Few expected Donald Trump to become U.S. President in the 2016 elections. Despite losing popular votes and to surprise many, he won. Many Americans believe Russia played a big role to influence the U.S. election. Nobody knows for sure. Two of the best investigative reporters of current times give a detailed account of how Russia meddled with U.S. elections. It is hard to ignore the facts presented in the book. Whether or not you are interested to know about U.S. politics, reading this book will give you great insights into how governments think and act and what powers and resources they have to influence the general public. A brilliant read.
By: Derek Sivers
Pages: 140
Self Help
My recommendation: 10 / 10
Date read: 14th Dec' 20
Brief review: I have been following Derek Sivers for many years now. He inspires me with his life and work. His message is to live with freedom and do what you love. He walks his talk. In this book, he encourages readers to pursue their dreams and take courageous decisions. He gives numerous ideas on marketing and branding your product. He also gives valuable insights into human behavior which if we apply in our own lives, can give fantastic results. Written in simple words with tonnes of examples, you will enjoy reading this book.
By: Douglas Abrams
Pages: 351
Self Help
My recommendation: 8 / 10
Date read: 8th Dec'20
Brief review: The book is filled with golden words, motivation, and inspiration from two of the world leaders, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu, Archbishop Emeritus of Southern Africa. In simple words and beautiful examples, they provide life lessons on living with joy. This is not a book that is meant to teach us. Rather, it feels like a conversation with two legends who have themselves lived a rich and fulfilling life. From forgiveness to gratitude and fear to generosity, the reader will surely find peace and get the conviction to stay happy all the time. A brilliant work by Douglas Abrams.
By: James Crabtree
Pages: 358
Non Fiction
My recommendation: 8 / 10
Date read: 10th May'2020
Brief review: It's a story about modern India. It is about India's super-rich business tycoons, political cronyism, scams, and more. From the fall of Vijay Mallya to the rise of Arnab Goswami and the forgotten story of Lalit Modi of IPL fame, Crabtree tells us the inside story of how it all happened. From scrutinizing the impact of Narendra Modi coming to power to an end of an era with Jayalalithaa and from betting scandal in cricket to highly leveraged Indian conglomerates, Crabtree goes deep into the subject and provides an interesting perspective. Whether you believe him or not, you will definitely be engrossed in reading what he has to say.
By: Ricardo Semlar
Pages: 275
Business
My recommendation: 9 / 10
Date read: 8th April'2020
Brief review: Ricardo Semler is a Brazilian businessman who transformed his company, Semco Partners, by growing over 40 times over a few decades while enjoying a lot of free time himself and creating a working architecture that gives a lot of freedom and flexibility to employees. His ideas are radical; like, allowing employees to fix their own salaries, anybody can sit anywhere, new hiring is interviewed by a group of existing employees who may not hold senior management positions, etc. The first impression of a reader would be - oh! this won't work at my company. Yet, it offers meaningful insight into human behavior and how we can enjoy our personal life while achieving great results for the company as a whole. A very interesting read.
By: George S. Clason
Pages: 155
Self Help
My recommendation: 8 / 10
Date read: 25th Nov'2019
Brief review: A short book with loads of wisdom on how to become wealthy. As the name of the book suggests, the richest man in Babylon shares his secret on how to become rich. We know most of the things told in the book but it will still refresh your mind and reinforce your learning's. I would recommend this book to one and all, specially children and young adults who will get timeless wisdom about creating long term wealth.
By: Steven Pinker
Pages: 525
Non Fiction
My recommendation: 10 / 10
Date read: 25th May'2019
Brief review: A fabulous work by Steven Pinker. The book gives us hope about the future amidst current pessimism with regard to several issues being faced by mankind like global warming, food shortage, nuclear weapons, increasing inequality, the rise of artificial intelligence, etc. Supported by data and research, the author suggests that we are currently living in a time which is unprecedented. We are now more happy than ever before, have longer lifespan, more prosperous, more healthy and the world is more peaceful. While there are negative news all around, the world is in fact getting better and better on almost every account. The arguments placed in the book are difficult to refute and gives hope for a better tomorrow. A long read but an unputdownable book.
By: Michael Bar-Zohar & Nissim Mishal
Pages: 338
Non Fiction
My recommendation: 10 / 10
Date read: 18th May'2019
Brief review: Mossad is considered to be the best intelligence service in the world. It could also be termed as the most lethal. This book captures details of several real missions carried out by Mossad over the last 60 years. From finding and killing the attackers of Israeli players during Munich Olympic games to successfully rescuing its people from terrorists at Entebbe airport in Uganda in 1976, 4,000 km away from Israeli soil; Mossad is credited with the most daring operations the world has seen. The book tells us an inside story of how a secret service operates and what are the stakes. A excellent read.
By: Helen Keller
Pages: 408
Biography
My recommendation: 8 / 10
Date read: 24th Apri'2019
Brief review: It's a story of a girl who, by her sheer grit and determination, overcame her limits and inspired the whole world. So much so that even after a hundred years, she still keeps motivating millions of people to live a life of choice and never concede to the challenges we face. Although deaf and blind, she became an author, political activist and a lecturer. The book is written in short chapter format where in Helen Keller navigates the reader through her eventful life. A short and captivating read.
