Book Review #119 : The Light Catcher

Title - The Light Catcher

Author - Sameer Chopra

Genre - Fiction

The Light Catcher is a story of a young artist called Purab who, in search of a comfortable life, enters the competitive corporate world. He is constantly pushed to fulfil targets.  The story points out the stark reality of what happens in the so called corporate world which is full of favouritism and treachery. Amongst all this confusion he finds solace in photography and the company of Rati, his co-worker, who herself is pulled towards the glamour of this world.

I was attracted to the jacket of the book that tries to illuminate several themes that are addressed in the book. It shows a great city with skyscrapers staying awake all the night, the protagonist standing alone and observing the city with a camera in his hand in a hope to get famous and mark his existence in the maximum city. The title has a deeper meaning itself (which you come to know of later in the story)!

With an easy narration, Sameer Chopra deals with the themes of self-discovery and following one’s passion while recounting the struggles one undergoes to survive in any industry.

The author recounts situations with so much detail that a corporate worker will definitely be able to relate to. Purab’s dedication and belief on his work to the extent of disregarding authority or dominant social norms set a strong statement throughout the book.  The plot was entertaining as we follow Purab and Rati taking decisions and facing their consequences.

I liked the author’s writing style as he solidly described a typical 9 to 5 job system. I am glad author kept the whole thing crude and practical rather than showing unreal and overnight success kind of a fairy-tale. The details of photography are also mentioned in a way that non-photographers will also enjoy how a photographer has to get into details before clicking a picture of yours.

Overall, a realistic and well written contemporary fiction that is based on the mad rush and competitive environment of the corporate world. The characters are so nicely elaborated that you understand the pain and confusion of each one of them. Specially, the protagonist, Purab, becomes a part of yourself as the way his thoughts and approaches are discussed makes you relate yourself with him after every 2-5 pages. Purab’s character may inspire, irrespective of all the hurdles one has to cross or even putting at stake everything one owns, to create new possibilities and follow one’s passion.

Great narration and splendid sequence of events explained vividly in this novel. This novel is about a story of the protagonist who wanted to pursue his dreams - dreams of catching the light. 

If any reader is interested in the genre of Corporate Drama, then she/he can definitely check the book out. In short, the book is engaging, riveting and keeps the readers glued to turn every page until the story ends. This book despite of being a debut novel by the author has got all the elements in place!

Rating : 4.5/5

Book Review #118 : How I survive: Vizmom

How I survive: Vizmom is a common-sense guide to managing everyday stress. As I started reading the book, I realized that the author had put a lot of thought into her own life experiences. 

The cover is very mesmerizing to look at. It has a philosophical and soothing feeling to it, which suits the genre of the book perfectly.

The anecdotes and stories from which the lessons are drawn are very inspiring. The language is very simple to understand. It is written with a first person narrative which makes it easy for the readers to connect.

The basic ideology behind this book is to ensure that none of the working women feel that she has been left alone or she has to carry all the burden over her shoulder.  The book is a real interesting read since each of the 77 chapters does not stretch beyond 3 pages. The content is given in short and crisp manner which makes it really appealing.

The book is a non fiction account of a working mother who is a doctor and a responsible mother. It outlines various effective measures for issues faced by working mothers who constantly juggle their life between home and workplace. A lot of patience, compromise and sensible thinking are required to cope with the stress that comes along with this role.

The chapters highlight the power of positivity, gratitude, creativity, forgiveness, humility, meditation and various aspects which are essential for a stress free and peaceful life. Dr Vidhu Bhatnagar successfully draws parallels between the positive and negative outlook towards life and how the former can aid in turning every odd in your favour!

According to the author, the key to mental happiness is having a healthy response to stress and not avoiding it. The arguments presented are lightweight and reasonable at the same time. 

However, the book does come with certain drawbacks. There are several grammatical errors and that might make the otherwise simple dialogues ambiguous. Even the title is incorrectly punctuated.

Verdict — Overall, this book is more than just being a self-help book. It has the calibre to enable the readers to become stronger- emotionally and spiritually. A light read, indeed! A must read for all parents.

Rating – 3.8 / 5

I Love You — Now Change Yourself For Me

What happens when you try and change the person you love? They love you back a little less? No, well that doesn’t happen directly. Essentially, the person you claim to love, starts loving himself/herself lesser. And I strongly believe, you cannot serve from an empty vessel. If they don’t love themselves enough, they cannot love you enough, as well.

When you change the way they look or dress, or for that matter take away who they are- by not being accepting of their passion, they no longer remain the person you fell in the first place for. Some people change others for the need of everything being a “certain way” they want things to be.

You shouldn’t feel pressured to drop all of your interests. That is not a sign of a healthy relationship. If you have a strong sense of how you like to look, then by all means, don’t change. If you're happy with how you dress, and it feels like an honest reflection of your personality and your wardrobe makes you feel in Beast Mode every day, then definitely don't let them tell you to change your appearance to suit their preferences. But if you end up changing how you dress, in a way that feels negative, you will hate yourself for it, if not immediately, but surely later.

This is a conscious rethink we need to develop our minds into, that changing someone unless it is a really bad habit - that affects their health, is not cool. This too should not be a command/demand, but a healthy request.

Real love is not asking someone to change himself/herself for you. I believe people change, and sometimes, people change for people, sadly. Which sucks. We humans, have this amazingly illusional habit of “fixing” others. The thinking here is if he/she loved you enough, they would perhaps change. It is intoxicating. Trying to change your partner interferes with your ability to practice forgiveness. When you try to change them, you are always looking for flaws.

You’ll be inclined to bend on many things that are a part of your personality, if you really, really love the person — but , but, it’s a bad idea to do so, all the time.

Don’t resort to fixing or changing someone. That will only create resistance in relationships. Let love change you for better, not your loved one. And even when required, compromises and adjustments shouldn’t just be one ended. Remember, there is nothing wrong with you and there is nothing you are doing wrong. You are worthy of feeling peace and being accepted just the way you are. You are enough exactly as you are.

Nothing you say, nothing you do and nothing you wish for is going to motivate another person to make long-term change if they do not internalize the need for it. You should change, not because you’re being asked or because someone else thinks it’s good for the relationship, but because you, inside yourself, wish to be different.

Love someone where they are, not where you want them to be. It is very basic to show respect for the other person’s autonomy. Relationships are based on compromise because, despite rom-com fantasies, there is no such thing as a “perfect fit” between people. There are some “almost-there” fits and “pretty close” fits, but you’re never going to find someone who just so happens to conform exactly to the life you’ve established as a single person.

You should never let yourself believe things like, “If only I were different, this person would love me more.” That line of thinking is destructive; your partner should love you for your core self , your soul and your essence.

Love is not a power play, not roles and dynamics and shoes you must fill. You don’t need to become something better just to have someone’s affection, even if the other person’s intentions are pure. If the changes are insignificant or reasonable, it is acceptable. But you can’t make someone change for your reasons, or even the right reasons—an individual changes because he or she wants to. For themselves. Not for you.

All in all, it’s a wonderful thing to learn from a lover. If they can introduce you to new ideas, concepts, and experiences, your relationship will be all the richer. But don’t let it take over and influence what you have been, before they even entered your life. Don’t betray who you are. You need to be open to small changes for one another, but you cannot have a personality transplant, all of a sudden.

Imperfect, raw, and real. Proud being that way.

Book Review #117 : Knock Knock…I am Your Anaesthesiologist

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"Knock Knock I Am Your Anaesthesiologist" by Dr. Vidhu Bhatnagar is an inspiring and engaging account of her journey as an anaesthesiologist. The memoir is well drafted and executed, beginning with author's journey commencing to become an anaesthesiologist. The author takes the readers on a ride with her to the medical world, acquainting readers with jargons of medicine while keeping the readers completely engrossed.

I always knew that anaesthesia is a drug that is given to a patient when he/she is going to undergo a surgery. But after having read this book, I came to know that it is a science in itself. The author explains what the anaesthesiologists or the pain fighters usually do. The humor and laughter inculcated in the prose is remarkable, which keeps the reader glued even though it is a non fiction. She brings out various emotions from excitement to frustration, restlessness to exhaustion to surface. The book offers a real insight to medical science.

The language is simple even after the inclusion of medical vocabulary. Description and narration is vivid and relatable. The book is systematically written into 30 different chapters all of them are short in nature so one can read through quite easily.

I found the cover simple and sober, relatable for the memoir. Blurb is concise and could've been elaborated a bit. Title is quirky and appropriate for the book.

And yes it is, right from the time a patient is brought to the hospital and to the time she or he is taken to the operation theatre and brought back out, after successful completion of the operation an anaesthesiologist ought to be there up in arms. The author beautifully explains every aspect of it in detail.

Vidhu trades you through screening, optimisation and its importance, resuscitation, ICU, etc. The author also explains about the quality of life and that death is an inevitable part of our lives. This book sheds light on the myths related to the science of anaesthesia and anaesthesiologists. Wannabe doctors and nurses must surely get in touch with this book and read it. The author describes her journey that was fueled with grit and determination. And one can definitely take motivation!

Because the book contains a lot of medical terminologies, which a layman reader might not be familiar with, I wish there was a glossary or annotated text towards the end or below each page.

Overall, an interesting, entertaining and informative account, bound to engage the readers till the end. Towards the end of the book, the author talks about her growth as a doctor, how her life being changed for betterment. Kudos to Dr. Vidhu Bhatnagar for this book!

Name: Knock Knock…I am Your Anaesthesiologist
Author: Dr Vidhu Bhatnagar
Paperback: 144 pages
Publisher: Quignog; First edition (1 January 2018)
Language: English

Ratings : 4/5

Book Review #116 : Surviving Stress

Title	Surviving Stress: Rediscover the Awesome You!
Author	Vidhu Bhatnagar
Publisher	Educreation Publishing, 2017
Length	251 pages
ISBN	9781545708200
Subjects	Self-Help

”Surviving Stress and Rediscover The Awesome You!" Is a book that helps you learn to deal with stress constructively. Stress in everyday life is a killer in itself and when we become parents, the stress multiplies. The first section in this book deals with my ways of surviving stress, balancing between work, patients, kids and home with patience and acceptance. 

This book is divided into two sections - the first section deals with the lessons regarding stress management and the second is devoted to learning about the societal conditioning and rediscovering our awesomeness. 

Vidhu explains how societal conditioning restricts our growth; how we need to identify our bonds so as to free ourselves and become our awesome self. Identifying the clutches of conditioning and then disentangling from them is the second part in this book. 

“Surviving Stress” is a sincere attempt by Dr Vidhu Bhatnagar to throw light on the delicate and hidden threads that hold the life together. It is these threads that need to be cherished and nourished so that they become stronger with each passing day. Deriving learnings from her own experiences, the author explores the mesh that we build around us and make our life more complicated. The book aims to offer a more simplified and more realistic approach to understand the complexities of life. 

The book is extremely well written. The language is simple, yet riveting. The editing is superb. The book is divided into several short chapters which make it super easy to read and help us retrospect on one aspect of our life that hampers our ability to live happily. This book is simple and practical. Some stories urge us to reflect on our flaws and accept them. The title of the book is catchy and apt. The cover of the book, however, fails to catch attention because it is very simple. 

The book is interspersed with wonderful quotes. The tips offered are not unique, really. They are common enough to have been tried and tested. So the author is sharing useful information, without being preachy. Truly inspiring. If are struggling with stress, this book could be your ultimate saviour. 

Rating - 4/5 

About the author : 

Dr. Vidhu Bhatnagar completed her graduation in 1999 from AFMC, Pune and has been practicing as a full time professional, since then. She proceeded to commence her post-graduation in Anesthesiology in Dec 2003. She was blessed with her first born in August 2006 and the second born in Jun 2009. She commenced her super specialization in NeuroAnesthesiology in Jan 2011 and successfully completed the same in Dec 2013. She is presently working in a tertiary care hospital as an Associate Professor and Neuroanesthesiologist. The stress of pursuing higher education, handling relationships and managing kids was overpowering and it took some time for her to realize the ways and means to handle everything optimally. She became an ardent follower of alternate healing practices including Reiki and Pranic Healing during this journey. She also is a Tarot card reader and Oracle Card reader and paints 'Mandalas' for relaxation.

Book Review #115 : IKIGAI

I recently completed reading a very inspiring book — IKIGAI — The Japanese Secret to a Long Happy Life. The book is authored by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles. Today, I am going to talk about my learning from the book. The book touches the various aspects of life which can help us achieve a long happy life. It is based on ancient, well practised Japanese technique called — IKIGAI.

If you google the word, you will get various meanings like : A reason for being, encompassing joy, a sense of purpose and meaning and a feeling of well-being, Or, The word derives from iki, meaning life and kai, meaning the realisation of hopes and expectations. But the one I liked the most is — “A reason to jump out of bed each morning!” This book helps you deep dive into discovering the meaning of your life. It is quite evident that the authors stress more on discovering the meaning of life rather than creating one for you! If you have discovered the meaning of your life, you need to completely immerse into the experience without being distracted by the surroundings and you attain the flow. The book also talks about some very interesting techniques to practice which can help you achieve the flow.

Wabi Sabi Technique:

The book concludes after introducing to another Japanese Technique called — Wabi-Sabi. This techniques talks about finding beauty in imperfect, incomplete things. Here flawed is preferred over perfection. Japanese believe that only imperfect, incomplete and ephemeral things are beautiful because they resemble the nature.

Negatives:

What I found a missed opportunity was the fact that the writers didn’t include a resource list in the book with references. Many of their statements can be backed up with books and studies. I think the addition of sources would have made their message even stronger.

Also, it was sometimes difficult to determine whether the book was about how to get old healthily instead of finding your ikigai. I was imagining sometimes,  is this a book about finding your inner happiness or about healthy aging?

Verdict:

To conclude, I think the book is extremely inspiring and full of content. I could attain my flow while reading it. It is a nice, entertaining book that reads very easily and quickly and can certainly motivate you to live healthier. I wouldn’t go so far by saying that this book will help you to find your own ikigai. This is something very personal and this can be something very big or something very small. This book is not really about that. However, it gives you an idea of how it feels once you’ve found it and explains why it’s so healthy. I can also recommend this book if you’re looking for great insights and inspiration to live healthier and more positive. A great self help book.

Rating: 4/5

P.S: The book was a precious birthday gift.

Book Review #114 : the sun and her flowers

The Sun and Her Flowers, by Rupi Kaur, is perfect for anyone who has recently broken up with someone who did not nurture your soul sufficiently to sprout. For all shattered spirits in search of a safe haven, this poetic collection is nectar to busy little injured bees. In a garden where precious buds are in dire need of water, The Sun and Her Flowers reflects souls who rise above the barriers that hinder their growth. It is a passage between decay, awakening, and healing. Rupi Kaur’s most recent anthology is “the recipe of life.”

Rupi Kaur vividly plays with paradoxical symbols. The book cover contained sunflowers, typically resembling joy and vitality, and its content depicts themes of woe and melancholy. It symbolises the process of regaining light after prolonged, somber nights of despair. Even vibrant and cheerful beings, like sunflowers, can wilt and suffer with scarce nurturing.

The Sun and Her Flowers encompasses an enticing table of contents, akin to a flower cycle: wilting, falling, rooting, rising, and blooming. Each category portrays poems with illustrations done by Kaur herself, relevant to their respective themes.

One of the many reasons to love this book  is its capacity to truly mend and heal broken hearts stuck in despair and darkness. This anthology provides light at the end of the readers’ tunnels, and give hope to souls who consider themselves unfortunate.

If you read her first book (Milk and Honey), it's still in Rupi's signature style, but she manages to cover similar topics from a different standpoint. It kind of feels as though her books are maturing with her, as this one handles the issues from Milk and Honey in a more mature, learned tone.

Even if some of the poems in the sun and her flowers seem like recycled oldies-but-goodies, there's no denying that Kaur is brilliant. She's not afraid to speak her mind and talk about taboo subjects, such as female infanticide, immigration, rape, abuse, mental illness and sexual empowerment. Her poems contain difficult subject matter and can be hard to read, but they all hold a unique power that can and will speak to many people around the world. This leaves readers feeling as though Kaur has gone deep into the depths of their personal lives and put all the heart-wrenching feelings they once felt down on paper.

Reading The Sun and Her Flowers will honestly change your life and your relationships with yourself and others. I am truly looking forward to reading her future publications. Definitely recommend that ALL young women read this, if for no other reason than to see that we are all sharing very similar struggles in love and life in general.

Ratings : 5/5