Audio Book Review - 'Break Free the Leader Within' by Ravish Mani

Author Ravish Mani, in his book “Break Free the Leader Within” shares a highly inspirational case of leadership. It is a well-researched book on an unbelievable case of how a mother who had a left-handed daughter won a battle that is now useful to many other children.

Through the case study, the author tries to bring to light the various traits that leaders possess. How ‘leaders first identify the problem and then find a solution’ and look for various ways to bring a solution to the problem. Here, the problem was that the left-handed child was unable to use the sharpener in its conventional way. Any other mother, in this case, would have tried to help her daughter teach how to sharpen a pencil like a right-handed child does but Shweta Singh, here looked at the bigger picture.

She envisioned how every left-handed child must be facing the same negligence just because they are a minority. ‘Leaders never give up till they reach the destination,’ so she began to write letters to companies in India to find a solution to this. Thus, proving that, ‘Effective leaders are measured by their thoughts and not deeds.’ It’s not just about the sharpener but about justice. ‘Leaders start with a purpose’ and ‘Effective leaders make the path when there is none,’ are some very interesting qualities put forth by the author about leaders. I also liked the quotes from Bhagvad Gita and the quote on ‘trust.’

This book is the right dose you need to get inspired and get going. Every beginner must listen to this wonderful audiobook to get some encouragement. Also, it is a short and crisp book that you can listen at your leisure and convenience. Both, the content and the quality of the audiobook is great that makes it a highly recommended one. I appreciate the author for sharing this inspirational incident with all of us. Listen to this audiobook for the detailed description of this very interesting case and which company came to the rescue and proved to be the leader in the market. It would surely inspire you and help you to break free the leader within!

Book Review : 'Parenting and A Slice of Everything' by Anupriya

Author Anupriya in her book “Parenting and A Slice of Everything” presents a beautiful collection of twenty-six short stories which speak volumes about relationships. She believes she plays a role of a mother, daughter, woman and a human being apart from the current role of an author. She also trusts the magical power of stories and story-telling and it is evident from this book.  

I liked her writing style and the manner in which she narrates each story. Her stories revolve around characters, incidents and emotions that are in one or the other way related to parenting and relationships. Readers can easily relate to the emotions depicted by the realistic characters. Each story is carved out beautifully and described at length.

The only thing which didn’t click was the connection between the title of the book and its content. I picked up the book expecting it to be a parenting self-help book but it turned out to be something different, however, I enjoyed reading the stories. I would advise the author to rethink the title before putting up the book to a larger audience.

I enjoyed reading the stories and would recommend it to all the story lovers.

Book Review : 'Spicy Trail' by Shipra Trivedi

Shipra Trivedi in her book, “Spicy Trail” has mentioned twenty-six different spices in different chapters. She has written about the history, attributes and also the Ayurvedic benefits of all spices. These are the spices that Indian families use in the daily cooking but the author believes there is much more to it. She has thrown light upon the influence of Indian spices on Ayurvedic medicine. 

The use of pictures for the spices makes it interesting and readers can easily relate to it.  Some of the spices are used on a daily basis but we never knew the benefits attached to it. Also, the author ends each chapter with ‘Dadi Maa Ka Nuskha’ which makes it a page-turner. It is a very informative book and you will swell with pride when you will come to know the benefits of the spices that you have been using every day. It has a variety of spices ranging from the common Fennel Seeds and Dried Ginger to the exotic ones like Star Anise and Zafraan. My favourite was the chapter on Poppy Seeds as it is widely used in my home and I relish it to the core. 

The author could have included a few recipes as a part of the book to give it completeness. Also, a little more formatting, like chapters beginning on a new page and small chapters ending on the same page would have given a more attractive and crisp look to the book. The author’s efforts are seen in the kind of research she has done to compile the book. This book can be a great gift for food-lovers. It can also be used as a reference book for people interested in cooking and Indian History. Overall, the author has done a commendable job and the book is a great read.

Switch On The Sunshine

My dad is a cancer survivor. I have seen closely what cancer does to a person. Not just the person, the entire family forgets how to smile. 

Then I come across Sonali Bendre’s video where she puts on a bright smile on her face as she chops off her lovely hair. For a moment, I could feel what exactly she is going through. It is tough.

It is extremely difficult for a cancer patient to stay positive, wearing a smile is out of the question. The moment a person is diagnosed with this deadly disease, the world comes crumbling down. It hits you emotionally and you stop living. It is the most devastating phase and you know there are harder times ahead. 

To smile under such circumstances proves how mentally strong you are. Sonali Bendre’s sunshine smile is highly inspiring and will give strength to many patients and their families. She knows there’s a long battle ahead and she chooses to fight it with a smile. 

Nobody is ever prepared for such a news, it always comes as a shock. It teaches how uncertain and unpredictable life is. People who are lucky enough to survive, come out with a whole new positivity. Their attitude towards life changes forever. If you ever get a chance, speak to a cancer survivor and you will realize how beautiful life is. 

You will stop cribbing about trivial issues and start looking at the bigger picture. You will enjoy each day of your life. You will find happiness in things which go unnoticed. 

It is easy to speak about it but is unimaginably difficult for a person who is going through this tough time. Only a few people are resilient enough to realize this truth and accept it. Such people should definitely share their stories with others and it will spread like magic. Exactly how Sonali Bendre is sharing. We know it’s tough but she is tougher.

Her video will help many to regain that faith and strength that they have lost. I wish I had met somebody so inspiring when we as a family were battling cancer. 

Get well soon strong girl. All prayers for you.