Category: Spectrum -My Book reviews

Book Review 2026.02: Human kind, (2019), Paperback, 399 pages, March 12, 2026 Picked up this book in my first book browsing haunts of 2026. After reading it, I feel I could not have picked up a better book for its optimism that is backed by evidence; limited, but significant. This book reinforces the optimism in me and cleared the rosy lens with which I view the world for better view. The author starts by contrasting the two conflicting word views …

Book Review 2026.01: Art Experience, (1954), Hardbound 83 pages, January 19, 2026 It is not often that you can say a book is worth its weight in gold. I am sure most readers of this book will concur with me that an exception can be made for this short book of 83 pages that delves deep into the rarely explored topic of aesthetic experience through the lens of Indian philosophy. While the lens used is of Indian philosophy, the value …

Book Review 2025.19: The Gifts of Imperfection, (2010), Hardbound 167 pages, November 25, 2025 This book was a gift I received after a talk I delivered at a corporate event and not a book that I choose to read. Having got it, I decided to read as I wanted a different experience of reading something that I had not selected myself.      Reading this book made me introspect and identify a few of my short comings. It was a timely …

Book Review 2025.18: The Seven Arts of Change, (2010), Hardbound 177 pages, November 10, 2025 In my four-decade corporate experience and five-decade personal adult life, I have been intrigued by why change initiatives are unsuccessful. Despite clear and pressing need, and significant investments the desired change does not happen. Browsing through this book in the shop, I saw glimpses in it that had the potential to answer this lingering question prompting me to buy it. Having read it, I can …

Book Review 2025.17: The Art of Creative Thinking, (2007), Paperback 127 pages, November 6, 2025 On a trip to Hyderabad last month, I indulged in one of my favorite pass times of browsing through book-stores. For a book lover, Abids on Sundays is a delightful feast for you get to see a wide range of books on display on the pavement. Sold at price pleasing to the pocket, the only constraint is your storage. This is one of the three …

Book Review 2025.16: The Quest After Perfection, (1952), Paperback 146 pages, October 15, 2025 I don’t know what made me pick up this thin book during my book browsing haunts, but I am delighted to have picked it. With most books, I feel happy as I near completion, however this book left me with a tinge of sadness as I neared completion as I realized my session with Prof. Hiriyanna is ending. How I wish I had been his student …

Book Review 2025.14: The Pursuit of Happiness, A book of studies and strawings, (1893), Paperback 226 pages, August 15, 2025 Reading a book written in 1893 CE, and finding it relevant after 130+ years on a subject like pursuit of happiness was to me astounding. For this book is not a philosophical work, and neither is it a self-help book, but reflections of the author on the subject. But for a major blemish, reflecting the racist attitude of a white …

Book Review 2025.13: the War of Art, Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles, (2012), Paperback 165 pages, July 17, 2025 Dissatisfied by my inability to sustain writing despite trying all techniques that I had followed to write my two books published in the last decade, I googled and found this book. I don’t know why it took another two months for me to sit down and read it, but once I started, I completed in two …

Book Review 2025.12: What Money Can’t Buy, The Moral Limits of Markets, (2012), Paperback 203 pages, July 15, 2025 A book that completely resonates with my own thinking that in the last four decades markets have overreached their domain to the detriment of our society. Dreaming the utopian world of wanting to living in a world without money, I was attracted by this book’s title while browsing in a Church Street book store last week. I completed this book in …

Book Review 2025.11: The Road Less Travelled, A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and Spiritual Growth (1980), Paperback 3114 pages, July 5, 2025 Acting on my new year resolution for 2025 to re-read some of the classics in my library, I picked up this book. Purchased more than twenty years ago, I had only scanned through it. Maybe it is my age or the time I have on hand now that made me introspect and reflect on many of …

Book Review 2025.10: Coaching and Mentoring, What they are and how to make the most of them (2010), Paperback 214 pages, June 6, 2025 Picked it up being the first book on Coaching and Mentoring that I came across in recent times. Having been identified to coach /mentor, I felt the need to learn more about these concepts. Despite the fact that I was familiar with these concepts for most of my life, I had no occasion to critically examine …

Book Review 2025.09: Predictably Irrational (2009), Paperback 244 pages, May 27, 2025 I like behavioural economics for it negates the concept of “no free lunch” espoused by the traditional economics. Not only it negates, it also identifies multiple points where “free lunches” are served. Aptly titled “Predictably Irrational -The Hidden Forces that Shape Our Decisions”, this book identifies situations where we behave irrationally, but predictably enough to create free lunches opportunities. The author identifies twelve situations where this predictably irrational …