Book Club

• bey0ndM@gz!ne
• January 29, 2021
• Books-Poetry, Trending
• 0 Comments

“Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people, citizens of distant epochs, who never knew one another. Books break the shackles of time–proof that humans can work magic.” – Carl Sagan

Writing is a craft that develops with conscious effort and practice – be it short stories, novels or poetry. The writers featured below don’t just have fantastic work behind them, but are themselves fans of an eclectic group of authors. Written in their own words, let us see what makes these books special, and why they come highly recommended.

SHOBHA NIHALANI

Book: Outrageous Openness
Author: Tosha Silver

Once in a while a book comes along and really shakes you up. Tosha Silver’s Outrageous Openness is one such book. It is a collection of short little gems that really stretches our natural thought process. In our daily life, at times we feel like we are out of sync with our inner selves and struggle to find our balance. Outrageous Openness is like a spiritual compass, guiding us back on track. Silver’s writing is warm, witty, and totally engaging. She writes as a friend and well-wisher. Her stories uplift and explain subtle details that draw out ‘Aha’ moments. We discover that in life, letting go and trusting in a higher power really works. Silver explains that the way to accept our destiny is to let go; to give all our troubles to the Divine. When we relinquish this sense of control, we allow our life to unfold in wonderful ways. Silver frequently refers to Florence Scovel Schinn’s book The Game of Life & How to Play It written in 1925. Schinn was a pioneer in the field of how thoughts affect outcome.

Outrageous Openness is not dense or preachy, but a modern, clever, and relatable way of expressing our relationship with ourselves and the Divine. Silver reminds us to be receptive, to be loving and kind, and grateful for who we are and what we have. Her upbeat energy is the reason why I tend to open the book at any page, and start reading. It never fails to provide the right wisdom at the right time.

GEET JADHWANI

Book: Working with Emotional Intelligence
Author: Daniel Goleman

Daniel Goleman, PH.D. the author of the worldwide bestseller Working with Emotional Intelligence has been nominated twice for the prestigious Pulitzer Prize. In this book, he merges science and common sense, and has fascinated thinkers all over the world. With ever-changing rules and diverse group dynamics within the work place, IQ, degrees and technical expertise alone will not be your unique differentiator in the workforce. Enter the gamechanger, Emotional Intelligence, which is the subtle yet profound sense of self-awareness, self-confidence, self-control, the ability to communicate and influence, and the sensibility to initiate and accept change. The concept of a “managed heart” and “emotional self-regulation” is no passing trend and is here to stay, according to the author.

With the narrative from a business standpoint, the book has been divided into five sections; Beyond Expertise, Self-Mastery, People Skills, a Model of Learning and the Emotionally Intelligent Organisation. Each section builds upon one another to communicate the importance of bringing awareness to your emotions and extolls, emphasising the fact that it takes more than intelligence to act intelligently.

Thoroughly researched, thoughtfully written, brilliantly explained and highlighted with numerous case studies, this is a must-read business book.  It has gathered immense interest eliciting subsequent studies from the corporate world, all with the intention of better understanding “soft skills’ to empower individuals in their personal and professional lives.

A line from the book has had the most profound effect on me, ‘in a very real sense we have two minds. One that feels and one that thinks’. The statement has taught me a sense of control and to ‘respond’ instead of ‘react’. So, if you wish to refresh your mind, I highly recommend this one!

BHAKTI MATHUR

Book: Daring Greatly
Author: Brene Brown

I recently completed my second reading of ‘Daring Greatly’ by Brene Brown. This book has changed my view on an emotion that I struggle with – vulnerability. Brown explains vulnerability as emotional exposure, uncertainty and risk. She says that love, belonging and connection is why we are here on this planet. For us to feel a connection, we have to allow ourselves to be seen, deeply seen, and in order to achieve this, we have to expose our vulnerable side.

She goes on to say that there are many individuals who feel a deep sense of love and belonging (she calls them ‘wholehearted’) and those who struggle for it, and that there is only variable that separates the two. Those who experience love and belonging simply believe that they are worthy of love and belonging.

The ‘wholehearted’ don’t have easier lives or fewer struggles. However, they have developed practices that enable them to hold on to the belief that they are worthy of love and belonging, mainly, courage (to tell the story of who they are with their whole heart), compassion (to be kind to themselves) and authenticity (to be willing to let go of who they thought they should be, in order to be who they are). When we spend our lives waiting until we are perfect to walk into an arena, we sacrifice relationships and opportunities that may not be recoverable, we squander our time and turn our back on our gifts.

Brown reiterates, we must walk into the arena – despite what holds you back – a new relationship, a creative process or a difficult family conversation, with courage and willingness to engage. We must dare to show up and let ourselves be seen, rather than sitting on the side-lines, watching life pass by. This is vulnerability that we should all aspire to.