Shadow of Life

While some books keep you interested regardless of the plot, others demand your attention. Then, some show you the mirror and don't differentiate between good and evil. It keeps everything as it is to make you understand what is right or wrong, for you, not for anybody else. This book made me look into myself, my bad habits, my traits where I excel and also those where I can do well. I believe the purpose of reading matters while reading self-help or motivational literature. It is like attending a class where you want to learn something or pass the time. You can only learn about things when you are will take action. So, this book might mean different things to different people. I loved how it taught me to examine my behaviour and rearrange some aspects of my life to address the problem. As is often remarked, all it takes to find a solution is to alter our perspective on the situation. And for that, we need to keep our minds open. Whenever we struggle, one thing occupies our mind so...

It is a book about three characters, Ruhi, Aisha and Tejas. Their lives are interconnected as they work in a publishing house. The book begins on a positive note, discussing the inner workings of publishing houses and the lives of editors, authors and social media administrators. As the title suggests, the book discusses the issues adults face daily. Like anxiety, body-shaming issues, manipulation, coming to terms with our unhealthy eating habits and accepting ourselves, being under the constant pressure of doing things right because of our parents, writer's block, not knowing how to come up with a solution to the mistakes we have made without even realising. It also talks about adult relationships where we forget a few clashes and support each other when it is needed. Not necessarily, being friends, but being a good acquaintance. Also, I found it interesting to observe human behaviour in certain circumstances and reflect on how we behave emotionally rather than being rational abou...

When you hear the word "Sugar bread," what comes to your mind? For me, it was some sugar sprinkled on the bread, just like how my brother and I used to eat during our childhood days. Having something sweet to eat back then was a privilege, and this was a perfect replacement. We don't make it often now, but we still love sugar paranthas. See, I also told you a tale about myself behind this. Similarly, this book is all about mini-stories that involve food. It gives off a warm and fuzzy vibe, where everything looks straightforward, but it isn't. When we witness our elders spending their lives in the same way day in and day out, we tend to assume that adult life is the best. Everything appears to be perfect, but things change once we put ourselves in their shoes. There are moments in our life that change for the better or good we don't get to know at the moment, but they leave us so vulnerable that it becomes difficult to make sense of anything. Here, the mother alway...

Covid - It changed how we looked at life and people. It changed the world. I believe it made us more emphatic. On a small scale, every person has gone through a difficult phase, but if looking at it as a whole, the problems look complex. They can't be solved without proper planning and resources, and the government has tried to do as much as it can. This book intrigued me because I wanted to know more about how the government dealt with the Covid situation. The book talks about both the first wave and the second wave. It gives you a first-hand experience of things that happened when we were sitting in our homes and waiting for this pandemic to get over. The advances government took and the resistance they faced is all there in the book. It was interesting to know how our officials planned everything to cope with the Covid crisis. Had it not been the case, it would have been a scary sight even with the first wave itself.  The narration is simple and to the point. Though it is non-fi...

Isn't it dangerous when you read a book written 76 years ago, and it still stands true? It was scary reading this book and knowing how falling into the footsteps of wicked people can reverse a situation. It is crucial to take note of our conscience and be aware of circumstances around us. To have knowledge about the economy, in general, is a boon that we take lightly. Also, half-knowledge is dangerous as people can cook up stories and force you to think what they are saying is true by sugar-coating facts. It shows us how a corrupt leader can ruin the productivity of the people and make them think they are not working up to their 100% capacity. It also showed the difference between autocratic and democratic economies. In one, you get to select the person and voice your opinion, whereas, in another, the leader elects himself and makes you believe it was a unanimous decision. In this book, the farm was taken over by the animals and Pigs, who think they are the smartest, become the lea...

I was very excited to read this book because this was supposed to tell me the journey of a person trying to be himself and find his place in the world where being LGBTQI+ is a crime. Things might have improved for them in the modern world, but this wasn't the case previously. So, no matter how hard you try to understand, you will never know their suffering. You can only be empathetic. While reading the book, I felt like my friend was trying to tell me his story. I have read reviews where people said it felt repetitive. But I felt like I could listen to his story over and over because, after all, isn't that what we do when someone is trying to share their grief or joy. They tend to repeat a few things and emphasize some moments more than others. The sole reason for me to read this book was to know my friend better and understand how difficult things were/are for him. It might not be the same, but I got a glimpse of everything. This book was too personal, as the author has poured...

Poetry books are always beautiful because they speak more with fewer words. To grasp the underlying meaning, you need to reach the depth of the expressions. They make you feel things that you have forgotten about and make you forget those that you don't want to remember. Poetry is a wordplay where you like some and love some a little more than the others. Lullabies take you to places from where you do not want to come back. I really loved a few pieces of poetry. They spoke to me in a language which I'm unable to express. Some were too distant for me to reach. It might be because of the way I approached them or never had that kind of experience to get those. It is a combination of poetry and excerpts. I have always loved Lang Leav's posts. Hence, the book came with a familiar aura of wishful emotions. If you are a connoisseur of poetry, you should definitely try it. It might not be best, but it will provide you with something useful. Rating - 3.5/5 Genre - Poetry