By: Josh Waitzkin
Pages: 266
Biography, Sports
My recommendation: 8 / 10
Date read: 29th Apr'18
Brief review: It's a remarkable story of Josh Waitzkin won the U.S. Junior Chess championship in 1993 and 1994 and also went on to become the world champion in Tai Chi Push Hands within two years of starting to learn martial arts. While many top athlete struggle to be on top of their game consistently, Waitzkin achieved excellence by his sheer dedication and practice. The book is about his art of learning. One of the things he talks about is 'investment in loss' meaning to learn by 'going down first and knowing your weakness' as an effective way to master new skills. The book is a journey of an extraordinary champion and his constant introspection and search for peace. The movie 'Searching for Bobby Fischer' is based on the book written by his father on his life as a chess player.
By: Steve Martin
Pages: 228
Biography, Inspiration
My recommendation: 8 / 10
Date read: 9th Apr'18
Brief review: Steve Martin was one of the world's most sought after stand up comedian during the 1970's. But it didn't last long. Not because people stopped laughing at his performance but because he chose to leave. In this book, Steve tells his story straight from the heart. How he reached from empty halls to massive attendance of over 50,000 people in his shows and why decided to abruptly end his performances. He candidly shares his personal challenges, emptiness and reconciliation with his family. A true story of sheer hard work and dedication. An inspiring and motivating read.
By: Alice Schroeder
Pages: 838
Biography
My recommendation: 10 / 10
Date read: 19th Mar'18
Brief review: A brilliant read. Though we all know Warren Buffet and a lot has been written about him in the world media, nothing comes close to this book. It captures the essence of Buffet's life as he lived it. It highlights his investing achievements and also exposes his mistakes. It gives almost a day to day view to his private life, his legal battles, his attachment of money, his frugal lifestyle, his negotiating skills and his need for female companionship. Alice Schroeder has done a wonderful job of putting down everything as it is and it makes a wonderful read. A must read for every Buffet fan.
By: John Wooden
Pages: 272
Biography, Sports
My recommendation: 9 / 10
Date read: 14th Dec'17
Brief review: I am a fan of John Wooden. He was the first person to be honored with Basketball Hall of Fame both as a player as well as a coach. The book gives a glimpse of his life and career, mostly his coaching stint at UCLA. He guided UCLA to a record 10 NCAA titles (including 7 in a row). You will be enriched with many life lessons and awed with the simplicity of John Wooden. He candidly talks about his mistakes (though they were few). I found a few chapters too detailed and a bit technical at times (since I don't follow basketball much), yet this book is a gem. A must read.
By: Sheryl Sandberg
Pages: 226
Biography, Self Help
My recommendation: 7 / 10
Date read: 4th Dec'17
Brief review: It's an honest story of one of the most powerful woman on earth. Sheryl Sandberg is the Chief Operating Officer at Facebook. She lost her husband Dave at age 48. Broken to the core with two young kids to raise, this book is the story of her struggle to come to terms with life, recover and rebound. This is a story of resilience in the midst of life shattering experiences and how one can rediscover joy. Life has its ups and downs and this book will show you the way how to deal with adversity and renew your life. A good read for everyone, specially those who are going through a rough phase in life.