A note on Books (almost all) read/reading since December 2008!
Dibs:In search of self (Aug 2012).
An excellent book on child development, research and psychology. One of the recommended reading in my course. I would think it should be a recommended reading for anybody remotely thinking of having kids.
AIDS Sutra (July 2012).
Very well written. Again in the same genre as Unknown Turf. Again issues that we turn a blind eye to.
Trouble in the Graveyard (July 2012).
A Novella by Satyajit Ray. A surprise find at Just Books. RAndom read. May read a few more of these Feluda series.
A short History of Nearly Everything (July 2012).
A second read after 5-6 years. A must for every home, library, school…wonder why it can’t be a part of the curriculum of middle/high school children?
Down Under (June 2012)
By the most engaging writer – Bill Bryson (applause all around)! Nobody can write a travelogue better than him and that too on Australia and a novel-sized book to boot. Made me laugh in between “disagreeing” with Dadda.
Behind the Beautiful Forevers (June 2012)
On my wishlist for a long time. Absolutely stunning narrative. Stunning in more ways than one. Almost shakes you into action! A must read for anybody blind to our realty and farce of our living!
River of Smoke (June 2012)
Sequel to Sea of poppies. Absolutely gripping and detailed description of the period in history I
amwas clueless about. CAn’t wait for the next one.
Zero Day (May 2012)
A fast-paced and gripping book by the master story teller.
The Glass Palace(May 2012)
Another fluid book by Amitav Ghosh. I am in love.
Sea of Poppies (Apr 2012)
Beautifully written period novel. Especially because of the period and the setting.
Drive (March – Apr 2012)
Don’t even realise I am being educated. A must read for all parents, professionals and anybody in-between.
Infidel (Apr 2012)
Very thought provoking. As usual an eye-opener and a shake-up to get out of my comfort zone.
Rascist (Mar 2012)
Decent read when you have nothing else to read!
28 books in 2011. Dismal reading time. Looking forward to a more entertaining year.
Art of Travel (Dec 2011-Jan2012)
Love the author and his style. Started and got promptly hijacked by my grandmom. I loved the half smile expression on her face totally engrossed in the essays. Looking forward to getting back to it.
Jaane Bhi do Yaaron (Dec 2011)
A book on the movie.
Just started.Having watched the movie in the DD days, was interesting reading about the making. Must watch some of the movies mentioned in the book AND must definitely watch the movie again. Maybe a new perspective.
Brothers at War (Dec 2011)
The second in the series – Empire of the Moghul. All about Humayum that you wanted to know…OK not everybody does. I am a Moghul fan and loved every bit of it. Well written history with bits of fiction thrown in.
Raiders from the North
My love for the Mughals re-ignited. Waiting to read the sequel.
Riot (Sept 2011)
Had chanced on this book by Shashi Tharoor in my favourit second hand book store. Interesting style and interesting phase in India’s history. Good thoughts to top it up. Me happy.
More Twisted (Sept 2011)
I thought Twisted was enough but these short stories are also awesome. A sure shot thriller for anybody.
Memoirs of a Geisha (Sept 2011)
Been on my wish list for a long time.
Chanakya’s Chant(Aug 2011)
A friend was reading it when he visited us in July. It got on my wish list. Our second-hand book store had it right on my face. A very fast and engrossing read. I liked the ancient part better then the modern part though.
The Secret of the Nagas(Aug 2011)
My first pre-launch book purchase. Had loved the first of the Trilogy. MAde Dadda chase the courier guy for it. Worth waiting for. Waiting for a movie to happen on this. Would have liked better editing. Nonetheless a good read.
Catch 22 (June 2011)
Have read it before. Decided it was time for another read.
My friend Sancho (June 2011)
A last resort book. Average. Fiction. Time pass.
In Fact- The Best of Creative Non-fiction(Apr 2011)
Beautifully written essays. The topics are wide and the language fluid in most of them. A very good read.
Man’s search for meaning (Apr 2011)
A very powerful read. Very apt for our current state. Would need to revisit during saner times.
Catcher in the Rye (Mar 2011)
Would probably be my last book in die Schweiz.
Like what I have read till now but also dieing to reach the end. Recommended top 50 fiction books to read.
Omnivore’s Dilemma (Mar 2011)
A book by a scientific journalist on the food chain. What a nightmare? I am spending thrice the time in the grocery store than I should and this is when our grocery cart has not more than two processed foods including the cookies…
Loved reading every bit of it. The section on hunting is amazingly poetic. I would highly recommend this book for anybody.
Witness the Night (Mar 2011)
So under the cover India. Got it in the afternoon from a friend and have been reading it through Scooby’s playdate with the twins and Uvi poking me for attention. Says something about the book! After ages completed a book in 24 hours. What a read!
Food Rules (Feb 2011)
Rules on good eating can not get simpler.
Bird by Bird (Feb 2011)
A book on writing. Still going strong on it. A chapter at a time. Funny.
Point B (Feb 2011)
Discovered this book in the shelf yesterday night. A very crisp and short read on change management by Peter Bregman. Looking forward to using some of this in the “future” consulting assignments.
Never let me go (Feb 2011)
Had seen a part of the movie one of the “Dadda-not-at-home” nights. For some reason did not complete it. It’s a good read. There is something complete when we can “hear” the characters think. Any day a book over a movie. A very dark book but the background itself could be very true (I just hope not).
Granta Pakistan (Feb 2011)
Bought the Granta – Pakistan Issue for Dadda but ended up reading it first.
So far so good. The front cover is amazing. Learnt loads about the country. A totally different planet!
Nurture Shock (Feb 2011)
Re-read this after a gap of a year. Am glad I did. HAd forgotten parts of it, contexts have changed, have read more books around the subject in this year. A detailed journal is in order.
Inverse power of praise-Praise effort not intellect. Take from Mindset. Brain is a muscle. It develops and form connections all the time. Praise needs to be specific and sincere. excessive praise can make children loose sight of intrinsic motivation. Heavily praised children are afraid of making mistakes and underperforming. Depriving a child to discuss failure cannot teach them to counter mistakes and learn from them.
Sleep hours- Brains are a WIP till the age of 21 and much of the work is done while sleeping. Less sleep can cause obesity, ADHD, can permanently change the structure of the brain, moodiness, depression and binge eating. Weekend shift in sleep can change I.Q. scores. Sleep deprived people fail to recall pleasant memories, yet are able to recall gloomy ones. Sleep in teens is different to pre-teens and grown-ups. they tend to fall 90 minutes later than adults and children and hence are drowsy in the morning. Sleep deprivation causes obesity since wrong hormones get released.
Racial education-More diversity in school creates more division between students. Increased opportunity to interact is also to reject each other. Explicitness works.
Why kids lie- Children start experimenting with lying as early as 4. With older sibling even earlier. Most lies to parents is to cover up for a mistake/transgression. So talk about the lie and not the transgression. Children are much more disapproving of lies than adults. Makes the person a bad person. Any false statement-regardless of intent or belief is lie. Lying is a developmental milestone. The child must recognise the truth, intellectually conceive an alternate reality, and then sell it convincingly as a new reality to someone else. Therefore it demands an advanced cognitive development and social skills. Any sudden spate of lying or dramatic increase in lying is a sign that something has changed in her life in a way that troubles her. Kids lie to be in parents’ good books. So it’s important to offer them immunity and a clear route to good standing while dealing witha lie. They learn lying from parents. Wrong to say “don’t tattle” since they come to us after they reach a road block.
Selective admission-brain development a continuous process. I.Q. as afixed number, a fallacy.
Sibling effect-Siblings who ignore each other have a tougher long-term relationship than the ones who fight. Kids who could play in a reciprocal, mutual style with their friends would have a good relationship with their sibling. Getting what a kid wants from a parent is easier than from a friend. This forces a child to develop skills.
Science of teen rebellion – Biggest reason for teen lying to protect their relationship with their parents. From a teen’s POV seeking parents help is to admit to immaturity. Best to have a few rules but enforced and explained. Gives more truthfull teens. Ojection to parental authority peeks at 14-15. Boredom in teens sets in in the 7th grade. The more controlling the parent, more likely for the child to be bored. Does not have intrinsic motivation and does not know how to fill up time. Arguing is honesty.
Can self-control be taught
Playing well with others
Speech science
Supertrait Myths-
Quantum (Jan 2011)
Was very curious to read this but has the history of all discoveries around the quantum theory. Shelved.
Known turf (Jan 2011)
Articles by a journalist. Very real, very disturbing. Every bit of it was thought provoking. I guess I am missing India.
Kafka on the shore (Jan 2011)
A book full of metaphors. Can’t decide if I liked it or not. Must say that the crow and the cat-talker and the driver and the listless lady got to me by the end.
How to Travel with a Salmon (Jan 2011)
Anecdotal essays. Very short and funny read. All the reading shows hubs not in town and kids being kind to their mother!
The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work (Jan 2011)
How poetic can it be to writet about “Transmission Engineering” or “Rocket Science” or, for that matter, “Biscuit Manufacture”? Read it to believe it. I am hooked. Beautiful essays.
Immortals of Meluha (Jan 2011)
Thirsting for more! Not fair. Write a good first book of a trilogy and customers are hooked.
Very well-written fiction around myth. Making of Shiva – the god!
37 books in 2010! Am proud of myself!
Turbulence (Dec 2010)
A well written bollywood movie … joking! Very badly written – gave up mid-way!
How reading changed my life (Dec 2010)
Very well written essay/book.
Twisted (Dec 2010)
Totally twisted short stories. Very fast, twisted read!
Who moved my Blackberry (Dec 2010)
A very aptly written book on corporate workings. All in e-mails.
Should be a couple of days reading.What a blast! As projected, lasted exactly two days.
To Kill a Mocking Bird (Dec 2010)
Re-reading a classic. Love it all over again. What a masterpiece? The most amazing character portrayal and storytelling.
Fine Balance (Nov 2010)
Another of the “Book Club” type of book. Somebody mentioned, from one of the book clubs, that it was a book about India. And I would say, no! Atleast not the India that we know of. About a subject that I have been looking at reading for a long time-Parsis and the internal emergency of 1975.
So far so good!Very depressing and not even “up-lifting” in the end. Grim realities of India that I would prefer to ignore- sorry escapist me!
Delivering Happiness (Nov 2010)
What a simple book on the BIG quest of our generation!WOW! A very fast read and loads of takes.
My take
Pipeline-identification, courses, philosophy
Alignment-across the board, literally.
Help! (Nov 2010)
Very riveting. Fast read and touching.Loved it. Three characters writing their stories in the first voice was very interesting. The story itself was about the very little things but very thought provoking, enjoyable and funny. Dil mange more!
First Times (Oct 2010)
My gym book. A sweet book with short stories on various firsts- first pair of jeans, first job, first night alone in the house as a teenager…a good read on “the waves”.
The Girl who kicked the Hornet’s nest (Oct 2010)
A continuation from the previous. Good read. Going strong. Almost sad that it is over. The characters almost grow on you.
The Secret of Happy Children (Oct 2010)
Looks promising. By the author of Raising Boys. At it again after all “The Girl…” books. Is a quick, crisp read.
My take
Hypnotising children hypnosis is an everyday event. We can choose to make it positive or negative. The old concept that hypnosis requires an altered state of mind is not true. It is only one form of unconscious learning.
Hearing has two components- what the ears actually pick up and what we pay conscious attention to. Impact on children- what they hear when we are thinking that they are not.
Power to our message-non-verbal signas that reinforce it. e.g. touch, eye contact or strength and tone of voice.
Positive wording – crispness in words to get the message through.
Reasons for using put-downs – 1. repeating what is said to us 2. thinking that it is the right thing to say. 3. being stressed out.
Need for physical contact– A few hugs a day go long way for adults as well. This could also be while sleeping. Reduced physical contact makes teenagers look for contact elsewhere.
Why do children act up-1. They are bored. 2. Feel unwanted 3. Gets them noticed 4. Overstimulated and need help to calm down.
Helping kids to deal with the unkind world- Resort to active listening rather than “Rescuing, lecturing or distracting”.
Emotions and kids – 4 basic emotions- fear, anger, sadness and joy.
Why emotions-anger-keeps us free, fear-keeps us safe and sadness- in contact with the world and people.
Handling anger- use words and not actions to express anger, connect feelings with reasons, let them know that feelings are heard and accepted, hitting is not acceptable, help them to voice their wants, show by example.
Handling fear – two purposes of fear- to focus and to think.
1. be matter of fact 2. talk fears over 3. don’t encourage unrealistic fears 4. underly fears.
Rackets –
forms of rackets – Anger i tantrum, sadness is sulking, fear is shyness.
Dealing with tantrums- calm yurself, help your child, don’t give in, talk it through, prevention.
Assertive parent – clear, firm, determined, confident and relaxed.
Fathering – backing up your partner without interfering.
Kids and housework –start as early as two years. Focus on tasks that are regular, easy, self-care and contribute to family welfare. Self esteem comes from contributing. Teach competence to live and create rounded adults.
Family shape– 10 minutes to saving your marriage. 1. meet when you are home together.2. eat a substantial snack so you are full to deal with the evening. 3. Put the kids to one side. 4. Drink 5. Talk if you want to but positive things. No “miserable day comptition”.
The Girl who played with fire (Sept-Oct 2010)
So far – great!
Very gripping writing. After ages read through a book in one go.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Sept 2010)
Am definitely behind in fiction reading. Published in 2008. Reading in 2010.
Hooked! Finished. After ages read a fiction with so much dedication. All elements of a good fiction although disgusting in some places (i.e. for my taste). Amazed at how people can imagine such disgusting details and, if not imagined then all the more disgusting.
Ready for the next one. Will take a break and finish Mindset first. That has been on for a long time.
Mindset (Aug-Sept 2010)
Just finished the intro. Seems promising. Life/mindset changing read. A must read for parents, educators and everybody else.
Positive labels – Praise effort not ability to avoid fixed mindset setting in.
Artistic ability – Is hardwork and dedication. May or may not be a talent.
Language with the kids has changed. I am glad.
How Starbucks saved my life (Aug 2010)
Fun read. Just started.
Well written with snippets of wisdom. Does generate a whole lot of respect for Starbucks. If nothing else, a good marketing tool.
The Checklist Manifesto (Aug 2010)
Another book with awesome takes by Atul Gawande. READ-DO and DO-CONFIRM format, pause points and minimilistic. Love his storytelling style. Can’t wait to use in work and am already working on for home.
Palli Samaj (July 2010)
Again a translated book from Bengali to English. A novel by Saratchandra Chattopadhyay. Very well translated. Great read.
Aparajito (July 2010)
Translated from Bengali to English. A novel by Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay .
A very acclaimed novel but did not quite relish the translation. When translated seems very hollow.But then have not read the original (and will not be able to ;)). I guess language connotations do make a difference.
An Unsuitable Job for a Woman (July 2010)
My first P.D. James. Fast read for a holiday. Will read some more.
Raising Boys (June 2010)
The boy in question does not let me read it. As soon as I pick it up, he wants to read the farm animals puzzle book.
What a WOW book? An eye-opener. Every page is loaded and there is a take! Just a little bit more to go.
Three Stages –
– 0-6-mommy boy
– 6-14 – Daddy boy
– 14- adult – mentors/role models
From six-fourteenth b’day is a major opportunity for dad influence on the son. Lay down good memories. Have one-on-one.
Five Fathering Essentials
– Start early
-Make time
– Be demonstrative
– Lighten up – quality time is a myth. Quantity is required.
– Heavy down – Parenting as a team can add a new bond beteen parents. No good-time dad involve in day-to-day homework/housework.
Fourteen And Onwards
-800 % increase in testosterone levels
-argumentative, moody and restless ‘coz of new birth. Need to find answers to big questions, begin new adventures and challenges.
– mistake-do not offer more of the same. ready to break into adult mode but should wait for another 4-5 yrs. BIG Problem!
– Channelise young men’s desire for glory and heroic roles to avoid risk-taking, alcohol, et.
– learn from old societies- Parents cannot raise teenage boys without getting the help of other adults. Look for trustworthy and willing to be involved long-term.
…give-up! Have ordered the book for keeps! Will need it as a ready reference!
The Amateurs (June 2010)
A book on rowing and about four men. A great case-study on self-motivation. Liked it most of the time but found it just a little bit long at the end. (Improved “rowing” vocabulary.)
Beatrice and Virgil (May 2010)
From the author of Life of Pi. That’s why I have bought it- made my FIL buy it and am riveted. Very lyrical prose.
Not done too much, like it so far.Amazing. What a great piece of story-telling?!!! WOW!
Three Cups of Tea (Apr-May 2010)
An amazing true story of a mountaineer turned social worker. Had chased this book in Scooby’s library for a few months before I got hold of it.
An absolutely wonderful read. Every sentence is loaded. Love the snippets from other books, random information and cultural inputs.
Still at it.Am inspired!
The House of Blue Mangoes (Apr 2010)
Reminds me of The Suitable Boy. A good read on the cultural nuances of Southern India pre-during independence. A very verbose read but liked it. Missing India, I guess.
Wings of Fire (Mar-Apr 2010)
Just started an Autobiography of Sahab Abdul Kalamji. A man who has intrigued me to no end and whom I highly respect. Looking forward to understanding a great being. Nowhere close – i.e to understanding!
Great book for workable management gyan. I wish there was more on his personal life and what makes him tick.
The Breadwinner (Mar 2010)
I was chatting up with a friends daughter (in the fifth grade) over a quiche and casually asked her about her current bookshelf and what she was reading. She mentioned about the reading marathon in their class. And one of the books that she had mentioned was this. I was intrigued by what a ten year old would read and bought this from the book fair in Scooby’s school the other day. (Another reason being a gift for my niece who is also ten).
A very apt read for our sheltered children.
The Innocent Man (Mar 2010)
Absolutely useless! Shelved!
Inside Steve’s Brain (Mar 2010)
A fast-paced read on THE Apple guy! Can call it a biased, repetitive book. Managed to complete and convinced that I need a few Apple products in the house.
The Palace of Illusions (Mar 2010)
Mahabharat written from the point of view of a woman. Can’t get back to reading it…alas, only bedtime reading available!
Don’t want it to get over. I love the layman p.o.v. on the epic. Alas, over! Probably would read it again after a few years. Great read.
Go, Kiss the World (Feb 2010)
Very digestible read on life and experiences of an Indian entrepreneur. Love the tit-bits of gyan.
Nine Lives (Feb 2010)
Another page turner and enlightening book from my favourite travel writer for India.
Done four lives,itching to complete the next five.Great read on nine forms of bhakti in and around India.
Shakspeare (Feb 2010)
A very well written book on somebody we don’t know much about. By “we” I mean “me” and not the world at large because he was not my favourite author in school. Pranam to Bill Bryson for writing a good book on a “no subject”!
A Thousand Splendid Suns (Feb 2010)
A gorgeous read. Have read half the book in one and a half days. Have nt done this in years. Am still at it. WOW! A page turner. Gorgeous descriptions. Poetic prose!
The Brethren (Jan-Feb 2010)
What a waste of reading time!!!
It’s not About the Bike (Jan 2010)
As clichéd as it sounds – life is stranger than fiction. What an awesome biography. Parts of it brought tears to my eyes.
It’s a biography of LAnce Armstrong’s struggle to survive cancer in more ways than just physically.
Can’t wait to get back to it! Very inspiring.
Growing up Creative (Jan 2010)
Another good book strictly on parenting and teaching shared with me by Scooby’s co-class-mom. I need to journal it. Just too many points that would need to be remembered and recollected.
Recognising children’s creativity:- Anything novel and appropriate.
Ingredients of creativity:- Child’s creativity in any domain will depend on 1. domain skill 2. creative working and thinking 3. intrinsic motivation
Thinking styles of creative children and adults
- breaking set- think out of the ordinary
- Understanding complexities- appreciating that things are not simple
- keeping options open as slong as possible
- suspending judgement on ideas
- thinking broadly to relationships between ideas
- accuracy in memory
Motivation for creativity- must be intrinsic.
How to destroy a child’s creativity- by evaluation, reward and competition or restricted choices. Rules that control rather than inform can kill creativity
Keeping creativity alive at home:- great deal of freedom, moderately close emotionally and emphasis on moral values rather than rules. Achievement not grades. Independent active parents. Appreciation of creativity. Vision. Humour.
Creative ideas:- Strengthening intrinsic motivation-Leading Question
- What did you enjoy most today? Why?
- learning the most
- surprising thing learnt this week?
- what makes you more curious this week? why?
- favourit books? why?
- What do you do best? How do you feel about it?
- who do you think has the most enjoyable job? why?
- What would yo like to be an expert in?
- love to do better?
- 5 adults you admiremost? why?
- what would be the one thing that you want to do all day long?
Games you can’t lose-interesting people for dinner every month. Opposites game with no right answer. Trading places.
Creative fun:- Handmade gifts. Music painting i.e. paonting to music. Mystery weekend with no destinations.Waiting games in the waiting room on a scribble pad. Creative parties.
The Kite Runner (Jan 2010)
Beautifully written book. Brought out my ignorance of Afghanistan. People angle changes our perception of things in a very powerful way.
Thirsting for more.
The Reluctant Fundamentalist (Dec 2009)
My first read in second person narrative. Very apt for our times. The author was mentioned in The Element by Sir Robinson.
Whiteout ( Dec 2009)
Ken Follet’s Biowar fiction. Part of the Reader’s Digest novel digest.
Nurture Shock ( Dec 2009)
An author we had previously read- Po Bronson. Had read his book What should I do with my Life? and quit my perfectly well paying job to pursue my own.
We claim to be book-parents but this book takes parenting research to another level.
The inverse power of praise – how generic praise can undermine a child’s confidence in herself and the care-giver. Performance results indicate praising the effort.
The lost hour- importance of sleep on brain development, obesity, teenage issues and health.
20 books in a year! Is that OK?
Are your Lights on? ( Nov 2009)
A book on problem solving. Just started.WOW!
An all time good read on problem solving.
The Element ( Nov 2009)
Got introduced to Sir Ken Robinsons work and thought process through the TED talks by Dadda. Fantastic read on types of intelligence and the business of education. Just started. Excellent!
The Element, In the Zone, Zoning Out,
Still to make my notes on it.
Requiem for a Glass Heart ( Oct 2009)
Uvi decided to raid my bedside book basket and I ended up reading a fiction in between reading “Brain Rules”. A decent fiction and good read.
Brain rules ( Sept 2009)
Awesome book on the working of the brain by Dr. John Medina.
My take from the book
Rule 1. Exercise – to improve thinking-move, get the kids to encourage running around in the recess
Rule 2. Survival-human brain evolved too. The quality of education may depend on the relationship between the teacher and the student. If someone does not feel safe with a teacher, the student may not perform to his potential.
Rule 3. Wiring:-every brain is wired differently. What we do or learn physically changes our brain. No two people store the same information in the same way in the same place. We have a great no of ways of being intelligent, many of which does not show on IQ tests.
Rule 4 . Attention-People do not pay attention to boring things. Logical. The brain can focus on only one thing at a time. No multitasking.Emotional arousal helps the brain learn. Audience chks out after 10 mins. Grab them back by telling narratives or creating events rich in emotion.
Rule 5. Short term memory- repeat to remember. Recreate the environment in which you first put it into your brain.
Rule 6. Long term memory – remember to repeat. It takes years to fix into the cortex. To make memory reliable is to incorporate new information gradually and repeat it in timed interval.
Rule 7. Sleep – The neurons show vigorous rhythmical activity when we are asleep. Probably replaying the learning of the day. Kids need to adequately sleep to learn better. Loss of sleep hurts attention, executive function, working memory, mood, quantitative skills, logical reasoning and even motor dexterity.
Rule 8. Stress- Stressed brains don’t learn the same way. Our body’s defense system is designed for immediate response and not prolonged stress. It affects our immune system and the basic functioning of our body. Worst kind of stress is “helplessness”. Emotional stress has huge impacts across society, on children’s ability to learn in school and on employees’ productivity at work.
Rule 9. Sensory Integration-Stimulate more of the senses at the same time.
Rule 10. Vision-trumps all other senses, taking up half of our brain. We remember best through pictures and not through words-spoken or written.
Rule 11. Gender- Male and female brains are different.
Rule 12. Exploration-We are powerful and natural explorers. Babies are the model of how we learn-by active testing through observation, hypothesis, experiment and conclusion.
Sunlight On A Broken Column (Sept 2009)
Interesting fiction by an Indian author with a background of pre- independence from the Muslim angle.
Outliers (Aug 2009)
Another good fantastic read. Has troubled me since I picked it up. Makes me wonder about parenting, about success, about my understanding of the world from success vs. failure. Great insight into the success-process. Convinces the mathematically-inclined in me.
Huge take for me from a parenting angle. Be it the fact about 10,000 hours or about geniuses or culture code or rice vs. wheat fileds. Still at it. Wish could read it in one sitting. Finished it last night and loved every word of it. I would rate it as one of my imprint books. What an amazing collation of information.
What I Wish I Knew When I was 20 (Aug 2009)
A mouthful for a title but gives a good gist of the book. Has been three days since I started and look forward to my nightly read. Have resolved to read a chapter a day so that I can absorb some of it. Ooozing with ideas!
Good read. May inspire me to do something more in life.
Awesome banter. Simply written profound/cliched thoughts and ideas. A must read for all ages and a must gift for a 20-odd-year old.
Wild Fire (July 2009)
One of the 9/11 novels. Could have done without but did read through. Not my kind of a plot.
Snow Wolf (July 2009)
Fun going back to my Ken Follet days.
The White Tiger (June 2009)
Waiting for it to gain momentum…BTW just started.
Great read. Just loved it. A very vivid potrayal of the India scene.
Tick Tock Man (June 2009)
Time pass read on bomb disposal professionals.
Nudge (May 2009)
Great read! Libertarian Paternalism is an interesting thought and a POV on POVs.
Enjoying it enough to not put it down after a long day of sight seeing. Let’s see how far it goes…with me shelving two books in this quarter.
Itching to use the concept of “choice architecture” in parenting. Just reached the chapter where there are pointers on when, where and how to use this. Waiting to get back to the book.
Why Beautiful People Have More Daughters (May 2009)
Almost on the same line as “Predictably Irrational” but then not really up to it! I guess should have taken a break from psychology before starting this.
Talks about “Evolutionary psychology” as an emerging topic and the various everyday aspects of human behaviour which can be attributed to evolution. A good read but could have been better.
On second thoughts…CAN”T read it any more! Shelved!
Predictably Irrational (Apr 2009)
Fantastic read. Dan Ariely has a great style of writing. What could have been a dry topic – actually no topic-has been handled with loads of humour.
Decoy effect has a big take for me. In the future I should be a more rational decision maker.
Also, I need to be rereading the adventures of Tom Sawyer. I had no idea that the stories can be assimilated from an Economics perspective.
On Uvi-tuvi’s mundan we almost crossed social norms to market norms and were about to destroy a relationship. The hairdresser had told us that he would charge for our haircut and not Uvi-tuvi’s since it was a special occasion for us. We wanted to pay him for his services, in any case. So Dadda gave him around 20% more than the said cost stating that it was for the Mundan. The hairdresser was absolutely offended and was in the process of returning the money when we saved the situation by saying that it was for the job well-done for us. He was delighted!
I am delighted to have a take from the book and use it the same day when I read it!
Burning Man, Black Rock Dessert, Nevada is a must visit to see “social norms” in action.
The chapter “Influence of Arousal” must help me become a better parent.
…to make informed decisions we need to somehow experience and understand the emotional state we will be in at the other side of the experience…
Keeping doors open is a great chapter on having options open and why we should not.
Babyhood (Mar2009)
Humour. Haven’t read too much as yet. Have a funny feeling that I have read it before or dejavu.
It has been shelved. Seems like reading our life.
Complications- A Surgeon’s Notes On An Imperfect Science (March 2009)
When I picked up the book the other night, I balked. Did I want to read a book which will make me question the Medical profession? But, then had loved “Better” by the same author (Atul Gawande).
It is a fast and interesting read.
To quote the intro
“Medicine is …a strange & in many ways a disturbing business. …We drug people, put needles and tubes into them, manipulate their chemistry, biology & physics, lay them unconscious & open up their bodies…is how messy, uncertain, & also surprising medicine turns out to be.”
Wondering,…about stuff…about medicine!
One take – Morbidity & Mortaliy Conference-WOW Best practice
Understanding “pain” better.
Now I know why I blushed incontrollably-“pathological blushing”. From the chapter “Crimson Tide”
“…one fears blushing, blushes, and then blushes at being so embarrased abot blushing…”
Chapter-The Man Who Couldn’t Stop Eating-This one makes me wonder about my eating habits-both quality & quantity.
I am an enlightened AND a scared patient now!
Art of Possibility (Feb-Mar 2009)
This was a very thought provoking read. Am aiming to use this in my parenting pursuits and relationships in general.
Must write some bullet points about the book here. More on that later
Silos, Politics & Turf Wars (Feb 2009)
A business fable.
Did I need to read it now? No.
Will I need it later? Maybe.
Did I like reading it? Yes.
Brick Lane (Feb 2009)
Fiction.
Do not care much for the style of writing but like the story…hmmm if that is possible?
Annabel Karmel’s – Complete Baby & Toddler Meal Planner (Dec 2008…)
Currently my ready reckoner for planning Uvi-tuvi’s first tastes and meals.
Just love it!
A more confident “feeding” mom.
Must mention the dislikes here when they come up!
Actually have a ready dislike-Cream of Broccoli.
Tried Butternut Squash & Pear (Mar 24). He loved it.
Chicken Soup, Apple Pear & Apricot and Sweet Potato chicken (April)
Current favourite – Lentils & Sweet Potato and Spinach, peas & sweet potato-(May 4)
Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problem (Jan 2009)
My life saver … actually my sleep saviour.
365 Things That Every New Mom Should Know (2008-09)
My every day read – almost everyday!
A Whole New Mind (Nov-Dec 2009)
A very interesting book on understanding left & right brain, and honing right brain thinking.
Must write some bullet points here. Will do!
etc. 