A Passionaate Gospel of True Love by Poonaam Uppal
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Poonaam UppalA Passionaate Gospel of True Love

Title: A Passionaate Gospel of True Love
Author: Poonaam Uppal
Publisher: Levaanah Publishers
Price: INR 595
Pages: 1084

'A Passionaate Gospel of True Love' is a story about life and love. It portrays the journey of a small town girl with big dreams and her unprecedented faith to achieve them.

The story describes the challenges, this girl faces to reach her ambition of becoming an internationally acclaimed designer. And, when she is at panache of her career "Love" attracts her.

She is convinced by external supernatural forces and internal instincts (read to know more about them and what they are) to find her true love. Her search for true love connects her with her past life and love experiences.

With such astounding revelations, she is compelled to understand and know about love more deeply. She goes on to decipher KamaSutra. She finds that physical intimacy in a relationship is not just about making love but, it is about making a soul connection through bodily experiences.

As she decodes love, the universe conspires her to become a 'Love Messiah' for the rest of the world.

The book is beautifully written and the story has been narrated powerfully.

Although lengthy (about 1000 pages!) the book keeps the reader hooked with its twists, turns and tales!

'A Passionaate Gospel of True Love' will excite those who crave for love, romance and thrill!


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And We Remained <by Asad Ali Junaid And We Remained: An absorbing story told differently... by Asad Ali Junaid
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Asad Ali Junaid

Title: And We Remained
Author: Asad Ali Junaid
Date: 2014
Price: 249
Pages: 267

'And We Remained' is a journey down memory lane. It is a story of five college friends, love, career and ever evolving life relations and circumstances.

Initially, the narrative might seem a bit ambiguous but, gradually the reader gets hooked and can decipher the link drawn between the past and the present. The writer has used active voices to describe the notions of its characters and it has all come out really well. Whether it be the emails or the dialogues one can feel to be a part of it.

The book is ever entertaining, one seems to get involved with the story and its ups and downs. The friendships and love appear to be all real and happening. Once engaged a reader can't put it down without completing the entire story. And must say, it is a quick read.

The book offers to be a perfect travel companion and needs to be read and enjoyed!

Kudos! to the debutant writer, the book successfully conveys its story to the reader and leaves him/her with countless memories of love and friendship.


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Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Nothing motivates a person better than the sweet smell of success. Each and every person at every phase dreams to achieve his/her perfect life with all the world's happiness, health and wealth. Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich promises to deliver just that to you.

Written in 1937 the book has sold over 70 million copies and still continues to be in demand. Although the book's title creates an impression that it's about gaining wealth and financial freedom, but, it represents the author's philosophy about gaining success in all walks of life.

The book presents author's research of rich and successful people of that time and describes what made them victorious.

Based on his research Napoleon Hill has suggested 13 principles that ought to be followed to achieve ones wants/dream. These are:

1. Desire
2. Faith
3. Auto-suggestion
4. Specialised Knowledge
5. Imagination
6. Organised Planning
7. Decision

8. Persistence
9. Power of the Mastermind
10. The mystery of sex transmutation
11. The subconscious mind
12. The brain
13. The sixth sense

At the beginning of the book, Napoleon Hill has clearly stated that one needs to firmly believe in the mentioned principles for them to work. If one has any doubt on the working of these principles than they will not work.

While reading the book, one is often bewildered on Hill's faith in these principles.

Is this book really helpful?

Yes, most definitely it is. If you are looking for motivation to start a project, stuck in a rut, doubtful about life and its course, struggling to maintain a relationship… this book will give you positive aspirations and courage to get back on track.

However, those of us looking for motivation at advance levels like planning and management, this book might not serve the purpose.

To begin with, it is a good read :)

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The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"Cancer" a word, a disease - has become a sad quintessential truth of our lives today. We see, hear and experience how cancer impacts individuals and their families and changes their life forever.

The Last Lecture was written by Randy Pausch, a Computer Science Professor at the University of Carnegie Mellon University who died at the age of 47 due to Pancreatic Cancer. The book is an adaptation of a talk he gave at the university. It was a part of series of lectures being developed at the university, wherein the professors were asked if this was the last lecture to be delivered by them, what would they say? What did they want to be their legacy?

Randy Pausch's lecture was titled "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams", it gave a glimpse of the principles and values that Randy Pausch had based his life on. It was a make believe lecture on if you can dream it, you can achieve it. He gave real life examples about how to overcome obstacles that come in one's path in order to reach one's goal.

As he said, 'The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out; the brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. The brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough. They are there to stop the other people!"

The professor started the lecture by introducing his audience to the "elephant in the room" i.e. the cancerous tumours inside his body, and the fact that doctors said that he had only 3-6 months of healthy life left. He completely disregarded any sympathy that came his way. He was rather optimistic and believed that it was better to die this way, as one gets the time to prepare their near and dear ones of their departure. And that's exactly what he did, throughout the book, he has mentioned the various steps he was taking to ensure a healthy life for his wife and children. He infact, said that he gave the last lecture for his own kids, but it was great that it was helping others as well.

"We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand. If I don't seem as depressed or morose as I should be, I'm sorry to disappoint you." remarked the ever optimistic professor.

Randy Pausch, told people that in order to really live your life, one must do things that one is passsionate about. He emphasised on the fact that all of us have a limited time here, and should spend it efficiently like money.

The book may be best described in his own words, "It's not about how to achieve your dreams. It's about how to lead your life. If you lead your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself. The dreams will come to you."

The Last Lecture came on to become a phenomenal success. It was on the New York Times bestsellers list from 2008 till the summer of 2011 and has been translated into 48 languages.

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Letters from a Father to his Daughter by Jawaharlal Nehru
Letters from a Father to his Daughter by Jawaharlal Nehru
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I remember visiting Raj Ghat many years back with my father during summer vacations to collect first hand information for my History project. From the book store, my father choose this wonderful book for me to read. I read it then and loved it. Today, decades later when I am expecting, I had an urge to read the book again. And well, I did.

The book 'Letters from a Father to his Daughter' is a series of letters written by India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to his daughter then Indira Priyadarishini, later Indira Gandhi, in 1929. As Pt. Nehru mostly remained occupied performing his duties as the country's leader, it left him with very little time to spend with his daughter. To make up for his lack of absence, he wrote letters to her about various subjects as nature, formation of Earth, civilisations and mythology that he'd like to share with her.

The narrative style may seem quite back dated now but the content makes up for it. Complicated information like the Big Bang Theory, story of formation of civilisations and Ramayana and Mahabharta has been written in a manner which can be easily understand by a ten year old.

The letters represent the keenness of a father to share his knowledge and wisdom with his daughter. Written in a time when there was no Google, the book makes up for an interesting set of facts and information for children.

It's a classic, I'd like to pass it on to the next generations to read and learn.

Letters from a Father to his DaughterJawaharlal Nehru



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Selected Short Works of Khalil Gibran by Khalil Gibran
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Khalil Gibran - The man and his words have left the world in awe. His poetry takes you to a different world, a world full of infinite pleasure, pure love and discrete pain.

His stories have the power to make the reader feel what the characters feel, this makes the reader one with the story. The stories are both spiritual and inspirational. They are brimming with wisdom. Are both abstract and completely natural at the same time.

The Prophet, Nymphs Of The Valley, Jesus: The Son Of Man are just some of his greatest written treasures.

His stories must be read by every reader, for his words touch the soul of all beyond boundaries.

"Keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry, the philosophy which does not laugh and the greatness which does not bow before children." ~ Khalil Gibran

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