Book Reviews

The Alchemist

2006-01-23T00:35:00.000-05:00

Author : Paulo Coelho
Recommended to me by: Nisha

This is my fav book. This is one book everyone should read. Do I say that for every book? :):) But no this is one book really everyone should read. This is not about current affairs or some novel or anything. It is about life. It is about achieving ur dreams.

Book talks about a journey of a young guy achieving his dreams. What he learns on his way. Author talks about omen's. God gives you hints at every stage of your life it is you who has to pick them up and proceed in your life. It tell you about

Truths and omens come and go like grains of sand and desert winds in this Celestine Prophecy-like tale of our alchemical kinship with one another in mind and spirit. It teaches us about our inherited strengths, which many of us sadly fail to realize as we go through life.

It is a very simple and good read. You will be able to read it in just few days. I will recommend this to everyone of u. So do read and tell me if you liked it...

Enjoy.

The World is Flat

2006-01-17T01:31:00.000-05:00

Author : Thomas L. Friedman.
Today I completed reading this book. It took a while but it is one of the most important books I have read. IT is actually an eye opener. Every person who wants to excel or even survive in this global world should read this book. It is worth a read.

The book is about globalization. Author talks about a flat world. How technology has brought everyone in the world to the same level playing field. How 11/9 and 9/11 have changed the world. One was the day when berlin wall fell and world was united(East and West) and one was the day terrorists attacked USA.

Author has done a great job of explaining every aspect of globalization. He explains why the world has become flat in last few years. Why India and China have an edge. What should a person do to survive in the world and how we can solve problems in the world keeping the flat world in mind. Finally author also explains the problems in unflat world especially conservative communities of Arab Muslims and what needs to be done to get them up to the speed. He tries to compare the Muslim population in India which is progressive and forward looking to the one in Saudi or Egypt where they feel opressed...

Great read. Everyone should read this book. I was so impressed by this book I gave J my fried at work a copy of it as gift... U guys need to read it.... Get it today...:)

Freakonomics

2006-01-08T23:22:00.000-05:00

Author:Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J Dubner

I read this book a while back. Actually it was recommended by our micro economics professor in UNC. Amazing book. Author has done a great job of explaining general phenomenon like why crime went down in 90s or why drug dealers live with there grandmom or what is similarity between comics and KKK... Its amazing how author can take such controversial topics and provide at totally unimaginable explaination and support it with statistically facts...

It is a fun read. Everyone should read it. IT will open ur eyes to some real critical thinking... So enjoy a great read...

Louder than Thunder.

2005-11-24T17:50:00.000-05:00

Author: A Contemporary Business Parable by Carol, Ph.D. Dunitz, Helen Gotlib (Illustrator)

“Louder than thunder” is about a very successful CEO who is going to retire. She calls her 3 vice presidents and asks them a question “What is louder than thunder, as highly charged as lightning, and more powerful than the fierce North Wind?”, whoever comes up with best answer to this question will succeed her.

The book begins some childhood stories of the CEO and lessons she learned from them like:
§ Know what you really want.
§ Listen and observe.
§ Think before you speak.
§ When there’s a prolonged pause in an offer, the person speaking first generally loses.
§ Speech is silver; silence is golden.

The three VP’s have varied backgrounds like manufacturing, sales and HR. They try to answer the question based on their own areas of expertise and talking to their own people.

This book is very useful for general managers as it talks about effective organizational and interpersonal communication. Book stresses on importance of listening in any form of communication.

Note: The book is just 100 pages and you can read it in less than an hour. Once I picked it I had to finish it. It was so good.