Tuesdays with Morrie - Mitch Albom

          Maybe it was a grandparent, or a teacher or a colleague. Someone older, patient and wise, who understood you when you were young and searching, and gave you sound advice to help you make your way through it. For Mitch Albom, that person was Morrie Schwartz, his college professor from nearly twenty years ago.

          Maybe, like Mitch, you lost track of this mentor as you made your way, and the insights faded. Wouldn't you like to see that person again, ask the bigger questions that still haunt you?

          Mitch Albom had that second chance. He rediscovered Morrie in the last months of the older man's life. Knowing he was dying of ALS - or motor neurone disease - Mitch visited Morrie in his study every Tuesday, just as they used to back in college. Their rekindled relationship turned into one final 'class': lessons in how to live.

Review:

Mitch Albom

          A typical self-help book trying to answer all questions in life but not exactly managing to add anything new to what is already known.

          I took this book on a rainy Sunday morning and finished it by that night. It was an interesting read and I must say I was impressed with the simplicity of the narration. The book is about a reunion between a teacher who is counting his days on earth and his favorite pupil. Morrie, the teacher, manages to exude a positive vibe even in his dying days. His last lecture to his favorite pupil, Mitch, is about life and its various aspects like marriage, family, goals etc. This book teaches you to appreciate the small things in your life and not to put your happiness on material things.

          Morrie is diagnosed with ALS, an incurable nerve disease and is said that he has only a few days left. Now, he has two choices to live the rest of the days - brooding over his impending death or to appreciate and enjoy every moment of his last moments on earth. Morrie chooses the latter.

         Mitch, a pupil of Morrie at college, is a journalist who is constantly busy and flies all over the world to cover news. He promises to keep in touch with Morrie during his graduation but fails his promise in his busy career. He comes to know about Morrie's fatal disease through a TV show and visits him immediately apologizing for meeting him before. The two decide to meet every Tuesday and talk about anything that comes to their mind. On those Tuesdays, its just like the old days - Morrie delivering his lecture and Mitch actively listening. They end up talking about Death, Fear, Aging, Greed, Marriage, Family, Society, Forgiveness and a meaningful life.

          The book is loaded with motivational quotes that are guaranteed to make you feel better when you are experiencing mood swings. One quote that I loved is "Dying," Morrie suddenly said, "is only one thing to be sad over, Mitch. Living unhappily is something else. So many of the people who come to visit me are unhappy"". This book is a nice little light read that lightens up your mood and makes you see things around you in a different light.

          I'm not a big believer of self-help books and I feel there is no magic formula for success and happiness. But I highly recommend this book as it puts various aspects of life in the right perspective.

Quotes:

"Dying," Morrie suddenly said, "is only one thing to be sad over, Mitch. Living unhappily is something else. So many of the people who come to visit me are unhappy"

"Death ends a life, not a relationship."

"If you hold back on the emotions--if you don't allow yourself to go all the way through them--you can never get to being detached, you're too busy being afraid. You're afraid of the pain, you're afraid of the grief. You're afraid of the vulnerability that loving entails. But by throwing yourself into these emotions, by allowing yourself to dive in, all the way, over your heard even, you experience them fully and completely."

"Love wins, love always wins."

Find more such life-changing quotes here

Links:

About Mitch Albom
Buy the book on Amazon

Related Books:

The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

For One More Day by Mitch Albom

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch, Jeffrey Zaslow

I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban - Malala Yousafzai, Christina Lamb

I come from a country that was created at midnight. When I almost died it was just after midday.

When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan, one girl spoke out. Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education.

On Tuesday, October 9, 2012, when she was fifteen, she almost paid the ultimate price. She was shot in the head at point-blank range while riding the bus home from school, and few expected her to survive.

Instead, Malala's miraculous recovery has taken her on an extraordinary journey from a remote valley in northern Pakistan to the halls of the United Nations in New York. At sixteen, she has become a global symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

I Am Malala is the remarkable tale of a family uprooted by global terrorism, of the fight for girls' education, of a father who, himself a school owner, championed and encouraged his daughter to write and attend school, and of brave parents who have a fierce love for their daughter in a society that prizes sons.

I Am Malala will make you believe in the power of one person's voice to inspire change in the world.

Review:

Malala Yousafzai

This is that kind of book that makes you look back at your own life and think, "Gosh! How many things have I taken for granted!" This book is a complete eye-opener for me and has been written with brutal honesty exposing the dark reality of basic human rights suppression in some places. The story of Malala serves as a reminder for everyone, reminding us the amount of work that is yet to be done to ensure a better life for most people in the world.

Malala Yousafzai, the Nobel Prize winner, has absolutely stunned the entire world with her audacity to stand up to her rights and this book brings out all the struggles and hardships that she had had to endure in order to get her much desired education. It also provides insights into the happenings at terror-hit regions and I must say I was shocked on learning that there are some people in the same world that I live in, who are not allowed to go to school or walk in the streets freely.

The way Malala revisits the fatal day when she was shot and her subsequent recuperation is sure to bring tears to anyone. Another unsung hero in Malala's life, which I came to know after reading the book, is her father. Her father had been completely supportive of Malala's efforts from the very beginning and it was him who sowed the seeds of the need for education in the minds of her daughter. His struggles to provide good education to his community members is what led Malala to understand the value of education.

Regarding the book, it is beautifully written, making sure that even a common man can understand and appreciate the life of Malala. It is a simple, yet from the heart tale of the girl who rose above all hurdles to get what is rightfully hers. After reading this book, I searched for Malala's speech at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony and I must say, I was completely bowled. For a 17 year old girl, to have such clarity of thinking and a visionary perspective is completely unheard of. This girl is going places.

A must read for everyone - it will change the way you look at things you have in your life!

Links:

Read more about Malala Yousafzai here.
Buy the book here.
Watch Malala's Nobel Peace Prize Speech here.

Quotes:

“We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced.”

“Education is education. We should learn everything and then choose which path to follow." Education is neither Eastern nor Western, it is human.” 

“I told myself, Malala, you have already faced death. This is your second life. Don't be afraid — if you are afraid, you can't move forward.”

Find more quotes here.

The Test of My Life - Yuvraj Singh, Sharda urga, Nishant Jeet Arora

A personal account of Yuvraj Singh’s journey through cancer with the 2011 World Cup victory in the background‘

That day I cried like a baby not because I feared what cancer would do but because I didn’t want the disease. I wanted my life to be normal, which it could not be.’

For the first time Yuvraj Singh tells the real story behind the 2011 World Cup when on-the-field triumph hid his increasingly puzzling health problems and worrying illnesses. In his debut book The test of my life, he reveals how—plagued with insomnia, coughing fits that left him vomiting blood, and an inability to eat—he made a deal with God. On the night before the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup final, Yuvraj prayed for the World Cup in return for anything God wanted. In this book, he lays bare his fears, doubts, and the lows he experienced during chemotherapy— when he lost his energy, his appetite, and his hair—and his battle to find the will to survive. Poignant, personal, and moving—The test of my life—is about cancer and cricket; but more importantly, it is about the human will to fight adversity and triumph despite all odds.

Review:

Yuvraj Singh

This is one of those few books which makes you stop, look around and feel thankful for everything that is around you. Only a few books have such raw power to sway the reader's emotions and make him want more and more from the book. This is one such beauty.

This book, the story of how Yuvraj fought his demons, is simple, straightforward and brutally honest. The Yuvraj we know, the fun-loving, cheerful and prankster guy can be seen in the first half of the book. I've always been a fan of Sharda Ugra and have been following her writings in Cricinfo. She has a simple yet powerful way of conveying her thoughts and that style shines through in this book as well. Yuvraj's early childhood days, his happy family and his passion to become someone big are brought out beautifully in the initial part of the book. The first tears arrive on the reader's eyes when Yuvray describes his struggles during the World Cup 2011 series. I am one of the ardent followers of Indian Cricket and I must say I noticed nothing wrong with Yuvraj when the series was going on. Yuvraj's passion for the sport, his strong desire to be a part of World Cup winning team had enabled him to conceal his physical struggles and go through with the series. And how he fought in the series! Like a raging bull, ready to decimate anyone who came between him and the World Cup. Winning the World Cup was a fitting tribute to his man and his hunger to achieve big.

And then came the Cancer! It was so sudden, so shocking that no one knew what to do. It was obvious Yuvraj was suffering from some physical ailments but no one imagined it to be this big! Yes, it was CANCER - the deadly killer!

Yuvraj had fought a lot of bowlers on the field, but this was different. This was his first battle off the field, and this was against a deadly disease. Yuvraj, being the warrior he is, did not lose hope. How he fought it and came out a winner is best left to the book to describe. It is enough if I say the book has done a great job of it.

Yuvraj's fight against Cancer, the help he received from various friends and family members, the love and support he got from the entire world are sources of great inspiration for all those Cancer fighters out there. Yuvraj's victory is a testimony that Cancer can be defeated and overcome. That he managed to return to competitive cricket in such a short time is proof his passion for the game.

It is only when life puts us in such tough situations that we learn to understand the value of the small things and the people around us. This book brings out this fact in an exemplary manner. A must read book for everyone - a true source of inspiration!

Quotes

“I was not going to feel sorry for myself. No, why should I? When my form came back, or when I picked up wickets, or when I got the big scores, or when I got player of the match, or hit six sixes, had I ever asked God, ‘why me?’ Of course not. Often in my career, I have been the man with silver in the fist. Have I ever asked God, ‘why me?’ No, never. So when the illness came I had no right to ask ‘why me?” 

“What was seminoma, I asked Dr Ashish at one point. A rarest of rare kind of germ cell tumour, he explained, a manageable tumour. I asked him to explain further and this was his reply: Look, he said, your tumour may not be Sachin Tendulkar, but Virat Kohli it is. He can also be dangerous and after all you do need to get him out. I still laugh at this analogy. Later one day I remembered to tell Cheeku about this and he couldn’t believe how much respect the doctor had given him.” 

Other Links

View this book in Goodreads, Amazon, Flipkart.

Read about Sachin Tendulkar here.

The Story of my Life - Helen Keller

 About the book:

          Recounting her triumph over deafness and blindness and her journey toward becoming one of the most successful and admired women of this century, Helen Keller writes her own remarkable story, providing an emblem of hope and possibility for all.

 
          I've been meaning to read about Helen Keller's life for a long time and this book has set me on my way. I first heard about Helen Keller way back, when I was in school. At that time, I couldn't fully comprehend the struggle she had to undergo, the battles she had to fight to become what she had become. Nevertheless, her name had stuck to my mind, and for years I went around meaning to read her life, but just couldn't get myself to do it. A few weeks back, as I was roaming Starmark with my friends, I came across this book and immediately got a copy and set about reading it. I must say I regret not knowing her before.

          What an extraordinary life this woman has had! This book is so full of raw emotions and struggles that will make your heart weep for the pour soul trapped within. This book is a rude reminder of the things that I have taken for granted, of the gifts that have been so generously bestowed upon me and the luxuries that I have been overlooking everyday. To be deaf and dumb and yet get educated and go on to become a political and literary figure is no less a miracle and this woman is no less a true hero in every sense.

          Now, as to the book, it mainly deals with Helen's education and the role of her teacher Anne Sullivan in it. It is a honest and humble account of the author's life, her mood swings, her strong passion and unbreakable will.She also traces the various people who have played their part in making Helen what she had become. The one thing that struck me as extraordinary was Helen's indomitable spirit, her willingness to strive for betterment no matter whatever your drawbacks are. Her ability to draw life lessons from nature is sure to leave an everlasting impression on the readers. 

“Indeed, everything that could hum, or buzz, or sing, or bloom had a part in my education--noisy-throated frogs, katydids and crickets held in my hand until, forgetting their embarrassment, they trilled their reedy note, little downy chickens and wildflowers, the dogwood blossoms, meadow-violets and budding fruit trees. I felt the bursting cotton-bolls and fingered their soft fiber and fuzzy seeds; I felt the low soughing of the wind through the cornstalks, the silky rustling of the long leaves, and the indignant snort of my pony...” 

          My first tear was shed when Helen understood the word "water". What joy! What relief! What delight to the soul. 

“It is so pleasant to learn about new things. Every day I find how little I know, but I do not feel discouraged since God has given me an eternity in which to learn more.” - these lines pretty much sum up her desire to explore, learn and understand the world.

          The book is so full of such motivational messages, as listed here. A must read story of success for everyone!

About the Author:

         Helen Keller would not be bound by conditions. Rendered deaf and blind at 19 months by scarlet fever, she learned to read (in several languages) and even speak, eventually graduating with honors from Radcliffe College in 1904, where as a student she wrote The Story of My Life. That she accomplished all of this in an age when few women attended college and the disabled were often relegated to the background, spoken of only in hushed tones, is remarkable. But Keller's many other achievements are impressive by any standard: she authored 13 books, wrote countless articles, and devoted her life to social reform. An active and effective suffragist, pacifist, and socialist (the latter association earned her an FBI file), she lectured on behalf of disabled people everywhere. She also helped start several foundations that continue to improve the lives of the deaf and blind around the world.      

Sachin Tendulkar - Playing it 'MY' Way!

   I remember that match clearly. I was only 7 years old, but I did have some knowledge and taste for cricket. It was a time when the Australians ruled the cricketing world, ruthlessly dominating and crushing everyone who came in their way. But that day, things were about to change. A batsman named Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar starting hitting the likes of Kasprowickz and Warne to all parts of the ground.(Of course he had played a few scintillating knocks earlier, but that was the first time I saw him play). The Australians were left baffled as Sachin finished with two centuries in that tournament and single-handedly taking India to victory. For me, that was the rise of the batsman, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar.

    From then on, this man has grown from strength to strength, cunningly adapting and improving his technique to suit the needs. The Indian batting mainly revolved around the four stalwarts for the next decade or so and he played a major role in making India a global threat. A perfect gentleman, his on-field aggression with the bat and his on-field cool demeanor fetched him millions of fans as he became India's proudest possession. You ask any child with a stick playing cricket in a dirty street,"What do you want to become?". The reply was prompt. "I want to become like Sachin". Such was his name and fame that people started considering each and every run that Sachin scores as their own. A happy Sachin, a happy India. Yes, he was India's child born to play cricket. Apart from cricket, Sachin Tendulkar has also left behind a rich legacy that is so hard to find in modern cricket. The so-called 'gentleman game' is rich with sledging and abusing now. But Sachin, considered to be one of the greatest ambassadors of cricket never showed his emotions on the field as he led a perfectly controversy-free career. As Kapil Dev rightly said, "The way he has played cricket over the years, he has inspired a generation to play cricket".

     The whole world knows about his batting prowess as he engraved his name on almost all record books likely to stand the test of time. He stood grounded during his highs and came back strongly during his lows and each time his reply to his critics was with his bat. Though , there was one dream that was constantly denying him - the World Cup. He had never made a secret of his desire for the World Cup. He almost realised his dream in 2003 as he aggregated 673 runs in that tournament. But fate had other plans and he had to content himself with 'Man of the Series' award. But cometh 2011, under the brilliant captaincy of the man with the Midas touch, Sachin touched the World Cup to the excitement and delight of a million fans.

    With the 100th century also coming his way, there was nothing more to achieve and Indian team was in the hands of a bunch of talented youngsters. Sachin  retired from all forms of cricket but the legacy he has left behind, the service he has done to cricket, his charisma will stand tall for the future generations to speak about. His quirky problem with the sight screen, his occasional leg breaks, his boyish smile, his bullet straight drive, his clumsy running will all be missed but Sachin, as a person and a player will keep playing his shots in our hearts forever. SACHI-I-I-I-N.....SACHI-I-I-I-N will keep reverberating in our hearts forever!



  And now, Sachin is back with a bang with his autobiography - Playing it My Way ! Go grab one and relive your childhood!

Sachin Tendulkar: Playing it My Way - My Autobiography: Amazon