Book Review: Revved! By Harry Paul and Ross Reck

‘Revved!: An incredible way to rev up your workplace and achieve amazing results’

By: Harry Paul and Ross Reck

Tata McGraw Hill Publishing Co Ltd

ISBN: 0-07-061833-X

Revved! is a wonderful book on self-management and motivation. Written in a novel format, it is the story of Katie who loses track of her promising career due to tragedies in personal life… She locks herself into a shell and her team’s performance at the workplace dips to the bottom. Threatened of losing her job, she gets to reach Dr. Allen who guides her to greater successes in her career…

The lessons from this book are universally applicable. The language is simple and there are no heavy philosophies shared. I am sure every reader would feel enriched and enthusiastic at the same time after finishing the book. That’s why the title of the book is very apt.

Highly recommended to everyone…

- Rahul

Book Review: Simple.ology: The simple science of getting what you want by Mark Joyner

‘Simple.ology: The simple science of getting what you want’

By: Mark Joyner

John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

ISBN: 978-0-470-09522-5

Here is a book which promises to teach you how to go from where you are to where you want to be. And that also in very simple steps… The title and the subject are curious one and I think the job for the author was to live up to the expectations! I think he has fared well. The book does teach, or let us say reiterate the need of following basic secrets of success. These secrets might have been taught or told to you by your parents or grandparents straight from childhood. But that doesn’t mean you should skip this read.

The five laws of Simple.ology come much later in the book. The journey till then is absolutely delightful… Especially the pointers from psychology are amazing. As they say, everything starts in the mind…

It is a very nice read on self-help and self-management… I would recommend it to all.

- Rahul

Book Review: Saadhana by Rabindranath Tagore

‘Sadhna’ (in Hindi)

By: Rabindranath Tagore

Rajpal & Sons

ISBN: 978-81-7028-768-1

‘Saadhna’ is a collection of philosophical pieces of writing by Rabindranath Tagore. I was interested in knowing the inner philosophies of Tagore and when I saw this book, I realized I had got a good opportunity. Within the pages of this book he shares his thinking on many aspects of our life and spirituality. Chapters of this book are “Vyakti ka vishwa se sambandh”, “atmbodh”, “paap ki samasya”, “vyaktitva ki sarthakta”, “prem sadhna se Prabhu prapti”, “karm-sadhna se Prabhu prapti”, “saundarya-sadhna”, and “anant ki sadhna”.

From what I read from this book, I got to realize that Rabindranath’s core ideas were from Hinduism or Vedanta. Since I am reading parallel some books on Hinduism and Vedanta, I could see the exact mapping of ideas. It gave me a good feeling.

Highly recommended to all those who want to understand the philosophies and spiritual forces running within Rabindranath Tagore…

- Rahul

Book Review: Religion and Dharma by Sister Nivedita

‘Religion and Dharma’

By: Sister Nivedita

Advaita Ashrama (Publication department)

ISBN: 81-7505-128-0

‘Dharma’ is a term which has larger and more complex significance than the word ‘Religion’.  Yet it is by and large used for ‘religion’ almost everywhere. Dharma literally is the force or principle that binds together. Dharma for Hindus includes the whole social conception of law and conduct and worship. Sister Nivedita preferred to translate the word Dharma as the “National Righteousness”.

This book is a collection of essays written by Sister Nivedita in the early years of 20^th century. All the essays are relevant for today and for long time to come in the future also. In the pages of this book the author talks about topics of national and spiritual interests, like “Mukti: Freedom”, “Hinduism and Organization”, “the past and the future”, “the spirit of renunciation”, “the sacred and the secular”, “luxury and manhood”, “character”, “fitness”, “national righteousness”, “the task before us” and “the ideal”. All are wonderful topics which provide us with as much food of thoughts as they give us glimpse into the mind of the author.

Some quotations from the book:

“As the ignorant fight, from selfish motives, so must we fight unselfishly. Our struggle must be as intense as that of the meanest miser. We must labor for the good of the others as the drowning man clutches at a straw….”

“The struggle with material conditions is eternally necessary to the upward growth of the spirit. When Karma has been exhausted, and the moment of enlightenment is at hand, this condition also must be held to have transcended.”

“Nothing is a greater test of education than the noble employment of leisure and means. It is not nearly so much by our performance of duties, as by our selection of interests, that our character is revealed.”

This book has been a wonderful read and it provided me with much knowledge enrichment on the world at large and also insights on Hinduism and India are wonderful; an awareness of the same to the general masses is the need of the hour.

Highly recommended book for all.

- Rahul

Book Review: Vedanta for the Common Man by Swami Sarvagatananda

‘Vedanta for the Common Man’

By: Swami Sarvagatananda

Advaita Ashrama

ISBN: 978-81-7505-331-1

This book is a compilation of lectures by Swami Sarvagatananda of Ramakrishna Vedanta Society, Boston, USA. Some lectures were delivered at Massachusetts Institute of Technology around Jan 1981. And what a compilation it has become! I think it is one of the best books when it comes to explain Vendanta concepts to the uninitiated… Swami Vivekananda puts Vedanta to be ‘the future religion of the world’. When we learn about it, we can only be proud of the wisdom our Rishis shared with us and some of the greatest souls in Hinduism have experienced divinity first hand.

If you want to know and understand what Vedanta is, this can be the perfect first book on this journey. Highly recommended read to all.

- Rahul

Book Review: In Indian Culture Why We do...

‘In Indian Culture Why We do...’

By: Swamini Vimalananda and Radhika Krishnakumar

Central Chinmay Mission Trust

ISBN: 9788175970717

Hindu culture and concepts of Hinduism are one of the most interesting ones one can get across. The deepest philosophies of this world are symbolized in such simplistic signs and rituals which are done almost daily, that the outsiders will only keep wondering at those… But those who take interest in the matter and want to dive slightly deeper Hinduism has only an ocean of knowledge and wisdom to offer.

Why do we light a lamp? Why do we do namaste? Why do we wear marks on the forehead? Why do we apply the holy ash? Why do we regard plants and trees as sacred? Why do we fast? Why do we chant Om? Why do we do aarati? Such and numerous other questions are answered in this book. The writing has really excellent quality and explanations are easy to understand. This small booklet is one of the best books on this subject. I am sure every reader will end up enriched many folds if one reads this book.

Highly recommended to all.

- Rahul