Book review : The Art of Living

“The Art of Living” is written by Bob Proctor. I have listened to the audio book. I think its mostly a transcript of some of the seminars he has conducted. Some parts of the book is like he is talking to us in some speech and others would be like dialogues between Bob and someone who is attending his course. Bob in many places highlights he’s own journey from rags to riches, how he was able to achieve so much wealth by creating his company to clean offices. His secret is law of attraction. The more one’s thoughts are focused towards positive and aboundance, the more it becomes part of one’s life. He makes many reference to the book by Napolean Hill “Think and Grow Rich”.

Rating: 3/5. And inspiring book with nothing new to offer but pleasant to have gone through.

Book Review : Resilient

“Resilient: How to Grow an Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength, and Happiness” is written by Rick Hanson. I have listened to the audio book. Its a sensible book, a bit over stretch. Its quite long and for most part repetitive and boring. There are many places where you can relate. The book is about centering one-self even when there is struggles going on in life. The book offers good advice and some practical exercise to follow with them.

Rating: 3/5. Book and approach could be contained. Provides many practical ways to work with one’s deficiencies to attain stability.

Book Review : The Great Mental Models

“The Great Mental Models: General Thinking Concepts” is written by Shane Parrish and Rhiannon Beaubien. I have gone through this audio-book. In it he provides a brief overview of some of the mental models. To make decisions one should have basic understanding of all the related areas and not just stick to one.

Rating: 3/5. Its a small audiobook and I don’t remember much of it. May be I will revisit and give better review sometime later

Book Review : Inner Engineering

“Inner Engineering: A Yogi’s Guide to Joy” is written by Sadhguru. I have listened to the audio version of this book narrated by Sadhguru. Its book that mostly deals with Indian mystiscism, yoga and gives some practical exercises to get in sync with one’s inner self. The book starts with short biography of Sadhguru’s initial journey towards his spiritual enlignment. Some things he discusses from the view point of a mystic. Many he discusses on the practical aspects of spirituality. He discusses things more wrt sharing rather than emphazing his viewpoints. Topics like Yoga, Adiyogi, Tantra,Mantra,Isha Foundation etc are discussed.

Rating:4/5. A good book, written honestly with the aim of improving the quality of life, lessen the burden of material possession and bring overall happiness to one’s existence.

Book Review : Mindwise

“Mindwise: How We Understand What Others Think, Believe, Feel, and Want” is authored by Nicholas Epley. Its a book concerned with mind reading so to say. The author lays the foundation that is very difficult to guess what the other person is thinking. Even if we put ourselves in the other person’s shoes its difficult to imagine what she/he thinks, unless we have had a very similar experience ourselves. So to really understand someone we need to communicate and ask the other person. This is the most simple way to understand the other. Body language may reveal a lot but it will never be precise.

Rating: 4/5. The book has many findings which I may have already come across. Its theme resonates a unique good idea that communication is the key to understanding others.

Book Review : The Art of Thinking Clearly

“The Art of Thinking Clearly” is written by Rolf Dobelli. I have listened to an audio version of this book. This book I had completed last year and am reviewing it after long gap. Might not be accurate. This book about a number of tips which will help one in decision making. Its a book that takes note of our baises that go into decision making. It gives us a sense of why we are subjective rather than objective when approaching various circumstances in life.

Rating: 3/5. Book with lot of discussion on out biases. Nothing new but is interesting.

Book Review: The Paradox of Choice

“The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less” is written by Barry Schwartz. I have listened to the audio version of this book. Its an ok book. The author touches upon the commercialized world and how companies as try to get profits by increasing the choices given to people. Increasing the choices has the cost of trying to decide. The paradox here being with more choices our deciding ability is dulled. The authors emphasizes this in different rather long and not to the point discussions.

Rating: 2/5. Could have been shorter and sweeter. Information presented here is something I have already come across.

Book Review : The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking

“The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking” is written by by Edward B. Burger and Michael Starbird. I have listened to the audio version of this book. The authors present an approach to effective thinking with 5 parts – fire, earth, water, air and change. “Fire, Earth, Water and Air” are concerned with how to effectively challenge a notion and actively participate in questioning an approach (like “what if”,”what’s correct”, “what’s wrong”). Through this inquiry one could try to challenge and solve problems. One should be willing to “change” to develop this inquiry mindset.

Rating: 3/5. The ideas presented are well known already. The presentation of book is good and concise.

Book Review : How To Stubbornly Refuse To Make Yourself Miserable About Anything, Yes Anything

“How To Stubbornly Refuse To Make Yourself Miserable About Anything, Yes Anything” is written by Albert Ellis. I have listened to audio version of this book. The author tells about the reasons we become miserable- the shoulds, the musts, the oughts. We need to recognize these thoughts. These are called irrational beliefs (IBs). We have to counter these through thoughts and establish rational beliefs (RBs). Is the IB true? Could I be absolutely sure it is true? Written version of this book would be betters as there are some exercise and some reflective time is required on some issues. I don’t think I will be able to debate on thoughts, especially emotional ones. I don’t think it will work in that case.

Rating : 3/5. The book is interesting with the technique and steps to follow. It repeats at lot of place and I don’t feel the technique is very convincing in all situations.

 

Book Review : The Big Picture

“The Big Picture: On the Origins of Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself” is written by Sean Carroll. I have been through an audio version of this book. I enjoyed the whole book. Its interesting because it deals with physics, cosmos, spirituality, human life, thinking. I understood Bayesian thinking in which one has some preconception about a fact, he tests the fact and then updates the understanding about the fact. Something what many may not like is the discussion in which the author supports on naturalism and almost may turn you into atheist.

Rating: 3/5. The discussion on lot of topics on physics and cosmology is good. The discussion on naturalism and thinking is stretched. At some point one could think that the author is only discussing of his interests and not connecting with reader.