Richard Branson's - Screw it, Let's do it

Genre : Non-Fictional
Rating : 4/5

Blame it to my bad –eyesight or my impatience, before this one, I could never finish reading a complete e-book. Though I started reading it reluctantly I absolutely enjoyed its font size.

Screw it, Lets do it is full of anecdotes from Richard Branson’s life. Richard Branson is now serving as a CEO of Virgin Airways. Like autobiography of any other successful entrepreneur, this book also points the success stories and struggle to achieve the success. You may ask, So how was is this book different from other biographies? Well, while proving his views he does not beat around the bush, instead he directly comes to the point. And he does that in just 110 pages ; )

The book is full of truisms as – Believe it can be done, never give up, have faith in urself, have no regrets et al… But Richard doesn’t drool over it, instead he explains all the points as moral of his short stories which gives this book a feel of collection of stories rather than boring self-improvement material. It covers Richard’s success chronicles right from his winning a swimming bet at age 4-5 till today when he is the successful CEO of one of the best airlines in world. ys, \ it as an ideal example! on'do it. bleood read.ter instead of capital. cannot do it. ries he did not stick to this prI respect Branson’s success but I don’t feel his every step is worth following.

He was or shud I say, he IS a real go-getter and has can-do attitude. He displayed don’t-give-up trait even as a 4-5 yrs old boy and has retained it till now. Richard Branson says family should be given utmost importance. But while reading through his stories I felt he did not stick to his own principles at times. He had 2 kids and wife to take care of and yet to prove himself he accepted the foolhardy challenge to cross Atlantic Ocean on the gas balloon. He has taken lots of risks in life and many were to prove ppl wrong who had challenged him that he cannot do it. His mom had the same can-do characteristic and he has exemplified how she got into 2 jobs in spite of all odds. But weren’t they the wrong examples? Hello!!! She got both the jobs by dishonesty. If you have to compromise your honesty to do what you want to do, won’t you rather not do it? Ok, even if you do it.. at least don’t consider it as an ideal example! Anyways, lessons from this book cannot be totally neglected. His experiences can teach you a lot.

The aversive thing of this book is the typo! Looks like somebody did not do their job well in editing it. There are many gaffes which could have brought into notice even in one read. There are lots of spelling mistakes or missing characters and at places even the names of individuals are starting with small letter instead of capital.

Except for few glitches I guess this book is an ok read.

Richard Bach's - Illusions

Genre : Fiction
Rating : 5/5

Initially I always kept this small wonder in my car so that I can read it when I am waiting for someone / something. But as I read through couple of pages (20-30), 3-4 pages in single sitting, I realised this book deseves better concentration and shud be read continuously.

It is one of those philosophical books and yet not boring at all. Sprinkled with humor, this is one of the best books which tries to explain you your life is like an 'ILLUSION' and if you want to change it, you always can. It depends on how you view it. Similar to what they tried to explain in Matrix (I could not understand that movie at all) Even this book, when read 1st time, made me say...' Wow.. what did this book just say?' And the very next second I opened the first page and gave a cursor glance to entire book again! Though I could understand it well 2nd time I am still intrigued by it. I wont be surprised to find myself flipping through it again in the future.

It is the story of a pilot of sight-seeing planes, Richard and his interaction with Messiah, Donald Shimoda, also a barnstormer. Don's mystic behavior attracts Richard. He is in awe to see Don walk on river and swim through the land. Don explains it as Illusions. Don pursues Richard to become a Messiah and gives him a handbook for tips to be one – The Messiah's Manual (funny, isn't it?). This manual is full of brilliant quotes but is without any page number. Don says - Every time you open the book, the parable quoted on that page is right for you at that moment. For eg - When Richard is aprehensive about his friendship with Don, he opens the book and this is what is written on that page -

Don't turn away from possible futures before you are certain you don't have anything to learn from them.

I was amused to read this part of the fable – Donald says – We are all free to do whatever we want to do.... and Richard corrects him .. We are all free to do whatever we want to do, as long as we dont hurt somebody else. Adding the last part - as long as we dont hurt somebody else . When Donald is trying to explain his point, a vampire appears and asks Richard if he could suck his blood. Certainly, Richard denies and vampire returns being sad and hurt. That's when Donald explains that Richard chose to do whatever he wanted without caring Vampire's feelings and thats the reason why he did not add - as long as we dont hurt sombody else.

Totally illuminating conversations between Richard and Donald spiced with equally thought-provoking messages from the Handbook makes this book as one of the best truth-seeking book. Along with Richard you begin to believe how true the quotes are and are completely startled to read the last quote in the handbook. I better not reveal the quote!

Amongst all, my favorite was - Here is a test to find whether your mission on earth is finished: If you're alive, it isn't.

This book is better than author's previous book Jonathan Livingston Seagull! Is that a proof enough that Illusions is really a must-read?

Sudha Murthy's - How I taught my Grandmother to read

Genre : Short Stories
Rating : 3.5/5

This book is the collection of short stories about the influence of people around Sudha Murthy that have taught her something or the other to be successful, happy and content in the life.
How I taught... is one of the stories in the collection where Sudha Murthy describes her grandmother's determination to learn to read in the old age.

The book covers around 32 stories with each story having a moral. Few are snippets from the lives of J. R. D Tata, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam and Narayan Murthy. In many occasions, to explain the moral, author compares two incidents – one good and other bad. Except for few, others are cliché.

The backcover says book is about people in Sudha Murthy’s life but almost in every story I felt it was more about Sudha Murthy, her philanthropy, her opinions, her style, her foundation, her kids, her observation, her influence on her students, her teachings, her benevolence, her simplicity, her intelligence et al. The way the author observes people around and opines about them made me little uncomfortable. With all due respect, I felt stories slightly reeked of hatred for rich people especially those who are not openhanded. Throughout the book author tries to keep a low profile but at times I felt, in doing that she is blowing her own trumpet.

Sudha Murthy has excellent style of narrating stories. She did a great job in explaining the moral. As an author she is good. I do not deny the fact that she has helped lot of needy people by going out of her way. And I sincerely admire her munificence but I would have really enjoyed these stories of her generosity, had they been penned by some third person and not by herself.

Betty Mahmoody's - Not Without My Daughter

Genre : True Story
Rating : 5/5

My Mom-in-law, an avid reader, almost forced me to read this book ;) She has brilliant choice of books and it is her collection of books that kindled my interest in reading. Couple of weeks back, when I told her about - Mariane Pearl's Mighty Heart she said, 'You HAVE to read Not without my daughter. I am positive that the book won't let you down!'. And guess what, she was 100% right. It is one of the most compelling stories (true) I ever heard or read of!

The story displays the courage of the woman to escape from Iran, the struggle of the wife to get freedom from her husband and the love of the mother for her daughter. That woman, wife and mother are one personality - author herself - Betty Mahmoody.

Betty, an American divorcee and mother of two sons meets an Iranian Dr Sayyed Bozorg Mahmoody or 'Moody'. Moody had been staying in America for last 20 years and was completely Americanized. They fall in love and get settled in Michigan as husband-wife. Eventually they have a daughter named Mahtob. Everything is honky-dory until Moody's nephew comes from Iran to Michigan for his surgery. After nephew's stay, Betty sees drastic behavioral change in Moody. Moody who was once very reluctant to visit his family in Iran suddenly accepts nephew's invitation to visit Iran for two weeks. Betty has a feeling that Moody would plan to settle in Iran and would not return back. But only after Moody swears on the holy Koran that he will not keep her or their daughter there, Betty agrees to fly with him. On August 1984 Betty, Mahtob and Moody set to visit Moody's family in Iran. Right from the first step on the soil of Iran, Betty loathes it. She dislikes his family, the surrounding filthiness, Iranian culture, their dress code, the pitiful treatment towards females. Same things bother Mahtob (who is now 4 yrs) too. On the day of returning when Betty and Mahtob are ecstatically packing their luggage Moody breaks the news that he has lost his job in America and has now decided to settle in Iran. Devastated by this, Betty decides to go back with Mahtob. But Moody denies. When Betty rebels, Moody entraps her in his sister’s house. As Moody doesn’t have any house in Iran he stays with his nephews. He either keeps Betty under house arrest or shepherds her everywhere she wants to go. Sensing that Betty would influence Mahtob against Moody, he keeps them separate for couple of days. It was heartbreaking to see Moody change from loving husband/father to a beast. At times he ruthlessly beats them both and declares in public that he will kill Betty. None of their relatives come to Betty's rescue saying that - Moody is her husband and he has the rights to treat his wife as per his wish.

Clandestinely Betty tries to meet U.S embassy people but they are helpless against the Iranian law which states that Betty cannot do anything against her husband's wish. The only way that is open to get outta the country was to divorce Moody. But as per Iranian government, in case of divorce, father takes the custody of the child. In no way Betty is ready to sacrifice her daughter for her freedom. As the days pass by she displays the liking for Iranian style of living and acquiesces to everything that Moody says. But inside, every minute she concocts plans to get out of Iran, to get out of Moody's life. Gaining Moody's confidence enuff to move around in the city all by herself to run errands, she stealthily uses Hamid (a shopowner's) telephone to call embassy people. Betty tells Hamid about her being trapped and as a good samaritan he helps in every means that he can.

Now couple of people come to know about Betty's plight and offer to help her in escape, but Betty lets down their offer coz their plans had no Mahtob! Except one lawyer - Amahl who promises to smuggle Betty along with her daughter, into Turkey. Months pass by and he is not able to make any arrangements for their escape. Then one day, Moody tells Betty to go to America to visit her folks and get some $s by selling Moody & Betty's property in America. Betty gets ecstatic .. but Moody makes her go all by herself, without Mahtob. Unwilling to leave her child with Moody, Betty refuses to go. Against her wish Moody books her flight ticket and makes it clear that she doesnt have any other choice. With just two days left in hand Betty secretly takes Mahtob with her to Amahl and compels him to get her out.

Betty and Mahtob's journey after that is deadening. Their travel through the snow, their journey through the mountains, their encounter with strangers.. everything.. brings goose bumps all over the body. They have to stay without food for days. It is hard to fathom the difficulties this mother-daughter duo faces to run away from the man, to whom once they proudly referred as husband / father.

Betty's courage is laudable but Mahtob's behaviour is more admirable. That four year kid was lot matured for her age. She always stayed by her mother. She could understand the pains of Betty. She kept her mother's visits to embassy and clandestine phone calls as a top secret. On her ardous journey to reach Turkey border she never complained about the hunger or about the cold. Time to time Mahtob has displayed her maturity. I really liked her!

And after being almost kidnapped for 18 months Betty manages to reach America WITH her daughter.

The book has well chroniclized the events in Betty's life in Iran, hopscotching when necessary into their past happy marriage life. It is totally gripping and even after you have read the last page Betty and Mahtob do not leave your mind. You can not help pondering over the harsh reality of female lives in Iran. May be there was little exaggeration in describing Iran and its culture. May be the unhygene was confined to Moody's family and few others and not to all the Iranians. May be the Iranian men were not as cruel as male characters in this book but I just gave little discount to Betty's words for Iran (and its people) and moved with the story. Unless we hear Moody's side of the story it would not be fair to say Betty was right in whatever she did. However, this story has certainly made Moody look as a self-centered cruel person.

Not Without My Daughter is for those who appreciate the freedom-struggle stories.