Tag: mustread

Eat, Pray and Love| Life lessons to look forward to!

You need to learn how to select your thoughts just the same way you select your clothes every day. 

Summary:

Elizabeth Gilbert’s perfect world comes shattering down when she gets divorced. She then embarks on a journey across the world in an attempt to rediscover her true self.

Book adapted from: Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia

 “Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it.

Review:

Liz Gilbert- a women in a subtly failing marriage, successful life, and a safe home. She has everything one dreams about. She hits the stage of crisis in faith and realizes hard truths of her marriage. She leaves him and travels around Italy, India and Indonesia to find herself. Doing so isn’t easy. She hits roadblocks and understands that she, herself is her biggest hater.

Liz went to Bali for a Yoga magazine work, and she met Ketut Liyer. He reads her palm and lays out her near future. He inspires her to travel to know answers to her questions. She regains her love for cuisine, her body, her likes, and her dislikes. After meeting and conversing with people she meets in Italy, her love for food and meaning of life starts building. The notion of perfect body, extreme diet, and insecurities one might have about their body is pondered upon here.

She visits her guru’s ashram, introduced by David, a short love-interest she had after her divorce. Her initial days at ashram is challenging. She meets Richard from Texas, who gives her a push in understanding the true meaning of meditation and life here.

Instead of trying to forcefully take your thoughts out of your mind,  give your mind something better to play with. Like pure divine love.

She then tries to focus her prayers on someone and find more meaning to “Praying“. She then decides to stay there for few more months. Richard helps her to find freedom- letting go, forgiving- and resolves things between her and her ex-husband. She is greatly affected by meditating in Ashram. The Author has left 2 poems to express gratitude.

“I’m here. I love you. I don’t care if you need to stay up crying all night long, I will stay with you. If you need the medication again, go ahead and take it—I will love you through that, as well. If you don’t need the medication, I will love you, too. There’s nothing you can ever do to lose my love. I will protect you until you die, and after your death I will still protect you. I am stronger than Depression and I am braver than Loneliness and nothing will ever exhaust me.”

She visits Bali, Indonesia to meet Ketut Liyer again, She meets Felipe and her journey to refine the meaning of “Love” and trust again begins.

“Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. 

This movie, book and several more books by Elizabeth Gilbert is going to be a part of my life forever. The moment we let ourselves be receptive to healthy thoughts, they are bound to be grown when you nurture them occasionally with love and faith. Even the slightest beam of sunlight (Metaphors for faith and hope) is enough to keep you going, trying again and again without pondering over growth rate compared to others. Go with your own pace.

it is a book and a movie which you must see and read at least once.

Books on Indian History which You Must Read

Indian History has been the theme for many books. Whether its fiction or non-fiction, there are plenty of books which deserve to be on the list of must-read books written on the topic of history. These books give one a detailed understanding of India’s history.

Be it comprehensive historical books or fictional accounts of a historical incident, there are many options for you to choose from. If you are a person who loves both reading and history then the following 5 books are just the right choice for you.

The Argumentative Indian by Amartya Sen

Amartya Sen is an Indian Economist and writer who had won the Nobel Prize in 1998. This book is a collection of essays and it will help one understand the Indian polity. It focusses on the importance of public debate, argument and intellectual diversity in the Indian civilization of the past. Sen writes about his view on how and what will lead to the success of democracy in India.

India After Gandhi by Ramachandra Guha

Ramachandra Guha is an Indian writer and researcher whose areas of interest include society, politics and history. India After Gandhi is a book describing the journey of modern India, from post-independence from the British in 1947 until the 1990s. The book will provide one with a thorough understanding of India’s social and economic spheres. It covers the country’s political history over the later part of the 20th century.

The Last Mughal by William Dalrymple

William Dalrymple is a Scottish historian, writer, critic, art historian and curator. He has won several awards and prizes for his writings. The book is a comprehensive description of the time period when the Mughal empire started declining in India. It will be a treat for people who love reading history. It is about the last Mughal ruler, Bahadur Shah Zafar II, and it provides an account of 19th century India with the tale of the emergence of the British Raj. Another famous book by him is White Mughals which is his fifth major book, it tells the story of the love affair between James Achilles Kirkpatrick and Khair-un-Nissa Begum at the backdrop of nineteenth century Hyderabad.

The Discovery of India by Jawaharlal Nehru

Jawaharlal Nehru was India’s first prime minister and he wrote this from 1942 – 1946. This book was written by Nehru when he was imprisoned by the British. It is a tribute to the rich cultural heritage and legacy of the country. It provides an account of all major developments in the subcontinent from the period of Indus Valley Civilization to the last years of the British rule.

The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is an award-winning writer, novelist and poet. The book is about the tale of the epic Mahabharata, written from the perspective of Draupadi (Panchaali). It tells the story of the woman who fights, endures a lot living in a patriarchal world. It is a historical fiction which traces the historical tale and the life of Panchaali.

The Kite Runner – Book Review

Author – Khaled Hosseini

Language – English

Publisher – Riverhead Books

Publication Date – May 29, 2003

Country – United States

ISBN – 1-57322-245-3

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini is a historical fiction which is set in Afghanistan and America at the times of the Soviet Afghan War. It is one of the most loved books by readers across the world. The Times describe the book as “Heart breaking”. It was a number one New York Times bestseller for over two years, with over seven million copies sold in the United States. It has also been made into a motion picture after being a bestselling novel.

The book is a beautiful and endearing tale of two friends, Amir and Hassan who grew up together in ”a peaceful but prejudiced Kabul”. They share a beautiful bond of friendship but the surrounding social prejudice intervenes in it. During their childhood years, they spend their days flying kites along the streets of Wazir Akbar Khan district. Amir occupies a special place in Hassan’s heart and he expresses his love for Amir in a few words, ”for you, a thousand times over”. These words happen to be the book’s most iconic lines. Hassan who was the servant’s son was a Hazara and suffered tremendous social and cultural discrimination for that. During a kite flying event, an incident changes their relationship forever. Eventually Hassan and his father move out of their house.

Their lives change dramatically when the Taliban arrives in Kabul and the Soviet Afghan War changes the entire atmosphere of the country. After 5 years, Amir and his father escape the country and move to America to start a new life. Amir continues to suffer with guilt for the past. It is after he grows up to be a successful writer that he receives a call from a familiar voice of the past and goes back to Kabul. The story takes a different turn at the end when Amir discovers the truth that his relationship with Hassan was deeper than he realised.

Born in Kabul, the author draws inspiration from his own life as well but the plot and characters of the book however are fictional. The characters of the book are beautifully woven and the story is unforgettable. Several conflicts within the plot makes the readers fall in love with the characters. The book created some controversy within Afghan readers as it portrayed Pashtuns as prejudiced towards Hazara people. The racial and religious extremism is deeply saddening and the violence is frightening. The kite has been portrayed as an important symbol which represents Amir’s guilt for his betrayal towards Hassan and thus he does not fly a kite after that incident until the very end.

The book encourages its readers to look at the world in a new way and provides a different perspective for a country which has long been stigmatized. The message conveyed by the book towards the ending offers some hope for its characters and also for war torn Afghanistan as well. The book is highly recommended and it is sure to make a lasting impression on readers.

Reading Habit

One of the many goals which we want to achieve in life, developing a reading habit should be one. It may seem tough at first but with time and practice, everyone can achieve it. While some have mastered it, others might be struggling to be consistent with it. Many of us have tried reading at some point of time and failed to keep at it consistently. This may happen for a number of reasons but none of them mean that we can’t start with it again and give it a try. One of the most common ways in which people start reading is starting with a list of “Good books to start reading with”. The internet is flooded with such lists and many people have shared their suggestions. A book which has some literary value, is easy and engaging is a great choice to start with.

According to many bloggers and writers the following list of books can help someone who has been trying to start reading for a long time. 

Photo by Leah Kelley on Pexels.com
  • The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
  • Train to Pakistan by Khushwant Singh
  • The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
  • The Harry Potter Series by J.K Rowling
  • Becoming by Michelle Obama
  • The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

While it may work for some, others may not find it helpful. One of the common things which we fail to notice is the fact that most of us can’t bring ourselves to sit down with a book. This may be due to lack of time. In the middle of a busy day we fail to make time for reading. External factors like a proper surrounding can also be the reason for us getting distracted and impatient. So for people who can relate with these, a few suggestions can work.

Firstly, set a separate time for reading. Look at your schedule and take out a time which may be ideal for starting a new activity. Setting aside a specific time of the day for reading will help you focus more and be attentive.

Second, create a good reading atmosphere. Clean your surroundings and declutter everything around you. Attention depends a lot on external factors and an unkept background can often make you inattentive and disturbed.

Third, make a reading list. Write down all the books which you want to read next and keep ticking them off once you’re done. This will be like a to-do list and will motivate you to read. You can also take up reading challenges like ‘Ten books in a year’ or ‘One book a month’. Remember to start small and go one step at a time.

Fourth, start reading with a friend. Select a book and make plans to discuss with your friend once you complete it. You can also start talking about it among yourselves and discuss about what may happen next. This will definitely make you finish the book and also speed up your pace.

Fifth, be consistent. Make it a point to read every day. Even a small 15 minute would do. Once you skip a day it will become a habit and you’ll start repeating it. The same goes for the opposite. Once reading everyday becomes a habit you have developed the habit of reading quite well. So happy reading!

Don’t let the desire of a successful future destroy your present

Vaishali Singh ( Cheenu Singh Rathore)

This four lettered word “LIFE” is the synonym of living and nothing else, don’t waste it about thinking over the things which have either happened in the past or more likely have not even happened yet, this is a constantly changing world, everything is temporary in this world even you and me, we are perishable, then what are you doing why are you wasting your life over thinking of the things which are just confined within your mind doors, they are not reality they just exist within in your mind most of the problems you have in your life have originated from overthinking, be in now and enjoy this moment, live this moment because this moment is life, don’t take it too seriously, don’t put too much pressure on your mind, don’t let the desire of a successful future destroy your present, if you think that a sad present can give you a beautiful life then you’re wrong because life is now and if you can’t make yourself happy being in this moment then how can you expect it from yourself that attaining a certain goals will make you happy? If something doesn’t satisfy you today then how can you think that it will give you a beautiful and peaceful life, most of the people destroy their life either thinking about their past or caring about their uncertain future, we human being have only 5 senses, we can never analyse what’s going to happen in the future the only thing which is in our hand is to take actions but we can never predict the result of our actions and most of times the way we perceive our future is not exactly how it turns out to be, now the current scenario of world is a good example of the uncertainty of life, no one knew that this would happened in the beginning of 2020 all of us had a tons and tons of plans for our new year but our plans got failed they turned out to be something called “LOCK DOWN” we are at our home today, probably many of us had a lot of plans and wishes with our family, or friends but today it’s not safe to step out of our homes unnecessarily, this is life man, this is the reality and nothing can change the fact no matter how many plans you make, no matter how much time you waste in figuring out your life, at the end you will have even more questions than before. So live your life instead of worrying.