1. Adiyogi- The source of Yoga- Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev
Read- Jan 2018
Pages: 219
Rating: 3/5
It is believed that Shiva was the adiyogi- the first ever yogi who conceived and propogated yoga. Yoga symbolizes union- the union of body, mind and the intellect to that enables one to experientially understand the existence. Popular to the contrary belief, it is much more than a physical process comprising of few postures but something that is more inclusive and has the power to transform the very being. In this book, through a series of dialogue between Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev and the author Arundhathi Subramaniam, the reader is given a perspective into the mystic lore of how the science of yoga was originated and passed along.
The book crisscrosses between science and myth and at times makes it hard to distinguish the two. Nevertheless, makes an interesting read especially for students of yoga who wants to trace back in time.
2. Life and Death - In One Breath- Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev
Read- Jan 2018
Pages: 162
Rating: 4/5
Death, as we all know, is inevitable. So, why is it feared so much? Why do people avoid death so much so that it consumes their very life? Through Life and Death in one breath, Sadhguru explores the mystical realm of death. He redefines death as not only an inevitability but truly a possibility for one to unlock their spiritual self. The title of the book aptly summarizes the topic, wherein the so-called difference between life and death is separated by a single breath. Death is not an end, but a mere continuation. It is only in one's mortality that one discovers the true meaning of living. The time span is not guaranteed for anyone, so might as well live every moment as if it is the last one.
The book also explores interesting concepts in terms of transformation to the body and spirit after the breath stops. The book gave a grounded perspective of what life is and how one can live it to the fullest by being here and now.
3. Mystics Musings- Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev
Read- Feb/Mar/Apr/May 2018
Pages: 477
Rating: 3.5/5
Mystic musing is an exhaustive book that is presented in the format of a dialog. This book is a collection of questions that seekers have posed to Sadhguru over 10 years. Mystic musings address a wide range of topics traversing element of body, mind, intellect, energy, etheric existence, and the ultimate liberation. Book also takes the reader to mystical realms with topics such as the path of energy after death.
4. Option B- Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant
Read- June 2018
Pages: 214
Rating: 4/5
What happend when life throws a total curve ball at you ? What would you do when the very ground you stand on is pulled from beneth your feet in a jiffy ? Option B ,authored by none other than the iconic Sheryl Sandberg- the COO of facebook, is an inspiring tale as the authors put it , of facing adversity, building resilience and finding joy. Sheryl walks us through the story of her personal tragedy wherein she lost her husband- Dave Goldberg (the CEO of Survey monkey) during a vacation. In what was a totally shocking incident, it took Sheryl many months to even acknowledge the situation and comes to terms with the realities. The book focusses on how she focussed on Option B- the only option she had , to standup for her family, play the role of Dave for her children and rediscover the zest of living. Sheryl drives the central point that in life, we more often than not do not have Option A- the option of preference. When we are provided with Option B- the reality, we have to make every bit of it count because the reality is there is NO OPTION A. Moments spent on imagining the futility of a non existant best case option is not only wasteful but also debilitating. Sherly and coauthor Adam Grant also talks us through how other people have leveraged tragedies to pivot , make a fresh beginning and rediscover the pure magic of being alive. Any time you need a dose of inspiration, this book is a go to .
5. The Startup Way - Eric Reis
Read- July 2018
Pages: 400
Rating: 4/5
The Start Up way is centered on exploring how huge organizations can build a culture of innovation and agility to stay nimble in the fast paced environment of change. Eric Reis brings in his wealth of experience working with a diverse sets of organizations to advocate the lean priciples in a larger set up. The central premise of the book is to make innovation a core part of the culture, because that's the only way for organizations to ourlive generations. The book encourages us to start small, fail fast , learn and iterate quickly. In an organization where in decisions comes top down, the vital signals from the people on the ground gets missed which leads to misplaced priorities and ultimately a loss in direction. The culture of the organization should encourage employees to try out ideas, make mistakes and learn from them so that fresh thinking can emerge. This is especially true in the world of technology where change is a constant reality. IBM- the gorilla of mainframe missed the minicomputed wave of 80's which Microsoft capitalized on. Microsoft- the leader of desktop missed the wave of internet and mobile which Google and Apple capitalized on respetively. The next wave of change- Artificial Intelligence and machine learning is a battle being fought and who knows, there might be a new leader who might emerge. It is practically impossible for ny organization to precisely anticipate what's the change around the corner. The key is to keep trying and innovating. If there are 100 ideas in pipeline, 10 might evoke some interest and 1 would end up being a game changer. How do you generate and validate new ideas for your company to stand a chance ? The answer lies in empowering your people and developing an inclusive and innovative culture. Highly recommended read, if you want to be an active advocate of doing the right things in your organization.
6. The Airbnb Story- Leigh Gallagher
Read- Aug 2018
Pages: 217
Rating: 4.5/5
If you need a dose of entrepreneurial adrenalin, the Airbnb story is a must read. The book walks us through how three young folks namely Brian Chesky, Joe Gebbia, and Nathan Blecharczyk went on to find and grow a company that became one of the biggest disruptors of the hospitality industry. Airbnb which is still a private entity (widely expected to go public in 2019) has close to 160 mn guests who avail from a diverse pool of close to 3 million listings ranging all the way from a simple airbed all the way to villas and treehouses. Airbnb although belongs to the sharing economy model of the uber's and Lyft's of the world, it is fundamentally different in that there is much more of a personal connect involved. Going and living in someone's home, making friends with them, using their restrooms and kitchen is very different from traveling with a stranger in his/her car for 20 minutes. So what made this company what it is today?
As they say, necessity is the mother of invention. Airbnb had its early founding in 2007 because of peculiar circumstances. Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia, who were longtime friends and colleagues from the Rhode Island School of Design(RISD), were sharing an apartment in SanFranciso. They were toying with the idea of a startup when out of nowhere, the apartment owner hiked up the rates steeply. In order to get some time to survive and raise some immediate money to meet the upcoming rent cycle, they posted in a scrappily created site that the apartment was available for short-term share. The timing was good because of a conference that was being held in SFO. There were 3 guests who ended up staying with them. It was a mutually beneficial deal, coz the rates were much cheaper than the accommodation for the guests and the hosts ended up getting quick bucks for a couple of days stay. This was a transformative experience that seeded the concept in founders mind. Founders realized that the interaction with the guests during their stay was very different from that of a hotel stay. They made friends with the guests, took them around in SFO and showed them new places. Contrast this to the experience, had the guests stayed in a dingy hotel room with nothing but a television for company.
From this point onwards, Chesky and Gebbia focussed on improving the site. They roped in an engineering maverick in the form of Nathan Blecharczyk. Their target- any major conference that happens around the country because that attracts travelers from other cities in large numbers which in turn becomes catalytic to bookings. The 2008 Democratic convention in Denver turned out to be the silver bullet. Obama was riding high as favorite and there was a massive crowd expected to land at Denver to hear his speech. The opportunity- the hotels in Denver were way below in capacity!!! Through some interesting contacts in press and word of mouth, Airbnb secured 800 listings and 80 people ended up making the booking. This was a great start for a company trying to find it's feet. The only problem was that the bookings plummetted back to zero after the conference. Founders made some really smart move post the convention to fund the business by riding on the election wave. They conceived the idea of cereal brands Obama O's and Cap'n McCains which became a huge overnight success and fetched $25000!!!! Chesky and Gebbia's ingenuity helped them get an admit to the legendary Y Combinator program under Paul Graham. The connections in this program helped them get seed funding from Sequia capital for ~$600K and the rest is history.
A couple of things are surprising in Airbnb's success. The concept of home sharing is an age-old concept. There were many players such as VRBO, Couchsurfing.com that operated way ahead of Airbnb. So what was so unique about Airbnb's model? Well first and foremost, Airbnb was founded by designers and naturally, the site had a super elegant look and feel. They iterated over the product to ensure that the experience is simple and frictionless. During their 3 months program with Y Combinator, they were urged to get closer to their customers. With most of their initial listings from NewYork, they visited each of these hosts with an offer to take a free photograph to be put up as part of listings. Interaction with these hosts helped them get golden nuggets in terms of how their site is used which would not have been possible sitting inside 4 walls. Secondly, Airbnb placed a lot of focus and premium in terms of refining the search algorithm and hyper-personalizing the listings. For instance, if there is a last minute booking being sought for, they render those results higher which had a higher likelihood of an owner willing to accept those bookings. Hyper-personalized search results form the cornerstone of Airbnb as much as it the case with Amazon/Google. Thirdly, payments form one of the most painful aspects involved when a platform is serving as an intermediary between the guest and the host. Add to the regular booking, the complexity with cancellation, refund, and commission to Airbnb, it is a problem on its own. Airbnb went on to develop an in-house payment that is considered highly sophisticated in the industry ( Read this article by Airbnb engineering on the details). Fourthly, Airbnb also placed a lot of emphasis on the customer service since the actual manifestation of the platform happens as part of real-world interaction between the host and the guest. Airbnb which originally started as a place for people looking for cheap accommodation scaled into a massive platform with diverse options mainly because it placed a premium on the guest to host interaction. This was a missing link with the options available until that point which mainly operated as a booking service.
Think of this for a minute. Back in 2007/08, if you pitch the idea of hosting strangers in your home, you might be thought of as a weirdo. What helped Airbnb succeed despite this inherent bias in people's mindset? To start with the timing was good. The economy was coming out of recession, people were looking at cheaper options as part of their travels. Airbnb listings were significantly cheaper than the hotels that made a difference in big cities. Secondly, the sharing economy model was a big shot in the arm for people looking to make some money from their spare apartment, bedroom or even that airbed lying in the living room. The hosts are the biggest strength for Airbnb and their collective voice are even being used as a leverage to negotiate and evolve regulation in favor of the new business model. Thirdly, Airbnb offered possibilities for a traveler that could not be met by a standard hotel. Most of the hotels are in centralized locations and with homes becoming new destinations in Airbnb, the choices are manifold for a traveler. During my consulting days, I also saw a lot of appetite for Airbnb stays for seasoned consultants viz a viz regular hotel which becomes a boring experience esp if one were to stay there every week of travel.
When unknown people are invited to homes, problems are bound to happen. Airbnb has gone through a fair share of controversies that involved guests completely ransacked the place leaving hosts crestfallen. Airbnb has been beefing up the security aspect which forms the cornerstone of a business connecting people. To start with, verified ratings and reviews help both the guest and the host get a fair idea of whom they would be dealing with. Airbnb also offers compensation to the tune of $1mn to the host, in the event of any damages from the guests. The fact that Airbnb is only a platform and does not own any properties makes the accountability part very tricky. This is where the regulations would need to evolve to cater to this way of doing business.
So what next for Airbnb? Accommodation is only the tip of the iceberg for this amazing company. Airbnb is actively working to extend the platform to support an end to end experience for any person looking to make a visit. This initiative termed as "magical trips" encompasses charting the entire itinerary for a person and hyper-personalizing it to suit their specific taste. Check this out for a taste of the concept. It is expected that "magical trips" would change the conventional experience around travel.
To look back at the company valued over $30b today and to realize that it came out of necessity to meet the rent seems magical. But that's what enterprenuership is all about correct? The delta between how the world is and how should be = oppurtunity. More power to this amazing company that has revolutionized staying.
7. Ghachar Ghochar- Vivek Shanbhag
Read- Aug 2018
Pages: 118
Rating: 5/5
Ghachar Ghochar written by the Kannada author Vivek Shanbhag is an elegant book that stands out for the simplicity- the simplicity of the story, its characters, and style of writing. The book which was originally penned in Kannada is translated by Srinath Perur. It paints the setting of a middle-class family who transitions from a modest way of living to a more flamboyant one due to a change in their economic setting. This results in a change to the interpersonal relationships which forms the crux of the story.
I discovered the book, having been referred to it my acquaintance Dhanush Gopinath, who is an avid reader. The book, being a short one with 118 pages makes a breezy read. I was able to finish the book in 3 hours, thanks to the engrossing narrative.
The story is told through the voice of the protagonist whose name is never mentioned anywhere in the story!!! The narrative is centered around the characters in the family- Chikkappa (uncle), Amma(mother), Anita(wife), Malati(sister) and his dad and the dynamics that play out between them. The depth in the character narrative and setting in which the events unfold makes this book a fascinating read. The story starts as well as ends in a bar. In between, it meanders through the mindset of each of the above characters and how they coexist with certain unwritten rules that bind them as a family. There is an eerie reference to ants, that when thinking back, forms an interesting part in terms of bringing out how the characters gang up against a common threat. This behavior lays the foundation for a scary climax that leaves the reader reeling in the world of possibilities. The beauty of a compelling story is the one where the reader is left more to infer than told. This style of narrative also reminded me of a brilliant short story- Chutney that weaves horror through naivety.
The term Ghachar Ghochar as we discover in the book refers to mix up. This is the apt name for a book that delves into the emotional tangle of the relationships. If you are in the mood for a quick read with a pulsating narrative, Ghachar Ghochar is a must grab. I wouldn't be surprised if this book takes the form of a play or movie in the coming years.
8. Streaming, Sharing, Stealing: Big Data and Future of Entertainment- Michael D Smith and Rahul Telang
Read- Aug/Sep 2018
Pages: 186
Rating: 4/5
Streaming, Sharing and Stealing is a fantastic book that paints the picture of how majors across music, movies, and book publishing industries are getting disrupted with the advent of digital and the likes of new players in the form of Apple, Netflix and Amazon. This book was recommended to me by Anush Raman, a great friend and an avid reader I look up to. The book beautifully researched and written by academicians Michael Smith and Rahul Telang who covered the entire arc of the narration backed by solid data. The book concludes with some recommendations in terms of how these majors can leverage the same technology to play to their advantage. The takeaways from the book are applicable to any possible industry you could think of.
Until two decades back there were 6 players (majors) who dominated the movie, music and publishing industry. Disney, Fox, NBC Universal, Paramount, Sony and Warner Brothers controlled 80% of the market for movies. Random House, Penguin, HarperCollins, Simon&Schuster, Hachette, and Macmillan controlled 50% of all publishing in the USA. BMG Entertainment, EMI, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, Polygram, and Universal Music Group were the heavyweights in music controlling 85% of the global music market. All of these majors were having a huge advantage on account of their scale and leverage. The fact that there is a huge upfront cost that becomes an entry barrier in terms of recording, production, and promotion was a huge barrier for a small scale player to flourish. A lot of that began to gradually disrupt in the '90s with digitization and internet.
The book provides interesting use cases to demonstrate how the balance of power is shifting. The classic example is the making of "House of Cards" series by Netflix. Until that point, the typical approach to get your show broadcaster involved shopping it around with major television networks for a pilot episode. Pilot episode involves a 30 min- 1hour time slot during which the characters have to be introduced and developed. If the pilot episode finds some traction, funding would be supported for making a few more episodes. In other words, there was no assurance for a series to be taken to full culmination. A lot of these decisions were based on the subjective discretion of the in-house experts in addition to research inputs by firms such as Nielson. With rejection rates in pilot episodes being extremely high(understandably so since they are all competing for specific timeslots), that is a huge waste of time, effort and energy.
Netflix took a radically different approach. Instead of funding the pilot episode, they funded two series(~26 episodes) right off the bat. What's more surprising, they released all of these episodes in one go providing their customer's complete flexibility to watch it in piecemeal or one go. How were they so dead sure that this is a good strategy? They knew it because they approached it with the lens of a data-driven decision. Netflix knew that a large population of their subscriber base were fans of David Fincher movies starring Kevin Spacey. Netflix as a platform also provides a lot of flexibility for its customers in the form of ad-free viewing and alternate viewing options at their convenience. The pilot free episodes without the botheration of slotting for the ads also increased the creative flexibility for the makers of House of cards that eventually made it a smashing success. There were other innovative approaches tried by Netflix for House of Cards including customizing the trailer for their viewers depending on their past preferences. Netflix and Amazon produced series are a norm in the current times.
Who are your customers, what have they liked before and what might find the best resonance are all questions that are best answered by data. The entity that has access to that data is best positioned to customize and personalize their experience. This is where the likes of Amazon, Google, Apple, and Netflix trumps that of traditional production houses. The same rules apply to the music and publishing industries too. Youtube and Amazon have also opened up the ecosystem to small-scale players, thus bringing in diversity and options for the end customers. The balance of power has clearly been shifting from the majors and the customers have benefitted. The central premise of the book- innovate or perish is a golden adage that holds true for any player operating in these competitive times.
9. THE WHITE TIGER- Aravind Adiga
Read- Sep 2018
Pages: 392
Rating: 4/5
White Tiger by Arvind Adiga was a Booker Prize-winning work in 2008. The novel portrays the rags to riches journey of Balram Halwai the protagonist, who describes his life in the form of letters to the Chinese premier Wen Jiabao. It's an interesting take on an unsophisticated entrepreneur who capitalizes on the chances offered in life by eavesdropping on the right conversations.
The book paints the picture of two India's- a dark rural India plagued by caste, religion, blind faith, oppression, and a thriving urban India, which is a land of opportunity where anyone with talent stands a chance. The story meanders through how Halwai makes his way from village to city, finds a job, secures it with a play of intelligence and eventually gets consumed by the darker shade of the city life that destroys the simple-minded innocence in a villager. Balram Halwai is called "White Tiger"- one of the most intelligent animal in the jungle, an identity conferred in his school days that becomes the guiding light for his self-advancement. The book also has a chilling ending that would send a shiver down the spine of the reader.
The striking aspect of this book lies in it's raw and unfiltered portrayal of the characters and their circumstances. The book painted the darker side of India because of which it faced a lot of backlash when it won the prize. There is a sense of deep realism in Arvind's writing that makes his writing a powerful medium. The author who emigrated to Australia was Oxford educated, served as a correspondent with Time and eventually migrated back to Bangalore to stay true to his writings- which for the most part are India centric stories. More power to Adiga and his literary contributions. Looking forward to reading more of him.
10. Delivering Happiness- A path to profits, passion, and purpose and Tony Hsieh
Read- Sep 2018
Pages: 241
Rating: 4/5
Tony Hsieh( pronounced as Shey) is an entrepreneur best known as the CEO of online company Zappos.com. Tony's story is a classic case study in the silicon valley lore for the success of entrepreneurial spirit. He founded the company back in the late '90s called Link Exchange which was found on an interesting concept - enabling small companies which did not have the advertising budget to get more exposure. Any company or entity could subscribe to link exchange and insert a snippet of code which would cause advertisements to pop up on its site. For every visitor who sees the advertisement in their own site, they would earn credits which would be used by Link exchange to promote their website further on. This concept caught on, was funded by leading venture capitalists such as Sequoia and ultimately resulted in Microsoft purchasing the Link exchange for close to $300 million. There is an interesting backstory wherein Tony left his early job in Oracle without any backup, ideated and came up with the concept of Link exchange that ultimately resulted in a jackpot. They say- the fortune favors the brave. How true!!!
As much as Link Exchange earned Tony a fortune, it also taught him some important lessons. The most important of them all was the emphasis on the culture in an organization. Towards the end of the sale process, the culture of Link Exchange had gone for the worse because it had a mix of people whose motivations were different. After pondering for a while to determine what to do with the money earned, Tony wore the hats of venture capitalist, investing his money into interesting startups. This is how Zappos- a small startup based on the premise of selling shoes online came into his radar. At one point on, Zappos was almost on the verge of shutting down and at this juncture, Tony took over the reins of the company as a CEO to provide more hands-on guidance. The book goes on to describe how Zappos evolved as a concept and was ultimately purchased by Amazon $1 billion!!! While Amazon-the giant technically owns Zappos, the reality is that Zappos is run as an independent entity by Tony and his crew for all practical purposes. The biggest differentiator of Zappos from the earlier experience of Link Exchange is its culture. Tony from the very early stages of Zappos emphasized on developing a friendly, welcoming and a non-bureaucratic culture which helped the foster a sense of family among its employees. In addition to the culture being a pivotal factor, Tony in the book also provides valuable examples of why one should not outsource it's a core competency. Zappos is also known in the industry for its excellent customer service. Unlike many companies which optimize for the cost ( it's estimated that every call on an average of ~$10 to attend to), Zappos places its customer service number front and center.
The idea is to encourage customers to reach out for anything they need assistance with. There is an interesting story wherein a customer reaches out to Zappos for recommendations on pizza for which they are gladly assisted ( Reminded me of a similar story for Nordstrom- the apparel retailer again known for its legendary customer service wherein an early customer was assisted with tire replacement).
Delivering Happiness is an interesting read, not because it outlines how a company is built, but because of the values that grew along with it, The book outlines how one eventually finds purpose through passion and profits. Tony is a CEO with a cut of a difference- he believes in delivering happiness to the world by building a culture based on trust and passion. Tony also leads a pretty simple life, living out of an airbed for the most part. Pretty amazing for a billionaire, isn't it !!!
11. joy- The Happiness that comes from Within- OSHO
Read- Sep 2018
Pages: 179
Rating: 3/5
Osho- originally known as Acharya Rajneesh was a mystic and a controversial figure who created a new wave of spiritual movement back in 1960's and '70s. Rajneesh advocated an open-ended exploration of life and strongly argued for a society that would be free from the political, religious and social constraints that constantly kept it chained down. His appeal was deeply bipolar with masses either detesting or revering what the movement stood for. Rajneesh's international expansion was highly controversy wherein the Osho ashram in Oregon ran into a series of disputes with the locals. Osho was eventually deported from the United States and barred from entry into a number of other countries.
As someone who had read a fair share of Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev's books, I was keen to go back in time and reference Indian mystics from the past decades. My interest lies in understanding what they stood for and more importantly as to what the commonalities and differences are in their teachings. There are many in the list such as Ramana Maharshi, Swami Vivekananda, Bodhidharma- Zen teachings, Akka Mahadevi, Adishankara and sufi saints that I would want to get a closer understanding of in the coming years. All of these men/ women have delved deeply into human consciousness and have pursued different paths to realize the same. While some like Akka Mahadevi, Meera have followed a devout and unconditional path of bhakti(faith), other such as Vivekananda, Adishankara have advocated jnana(intellect) to get to the core of consciousness. Kriya yoga(deeper understanding of energy levels) has been the path of people like B.K.S Iyengar, Osho, and Jaggi Vasudev. There are many paths which can all look seemingly different, but all of which is rooted deeply in the core idea of awakening the bliss in oneself.
Back to the book, Osho starts by establishing the basic premise that Happiness is a question of choice. More often than not, people cling on to their miseries and shortcomings as it helps them to garner attention and feel special. The true joy comes with the realization that one has nothing to lose. Now is the only time and here is the only space. The past and future are nothing but a play of mind. The past is that which is no more, the future is that which is not yet. Both are non-existential. The present is that which is.
When one wakes up in the morning, there are several thousand around the world may not be fortunate to open their eyes to see the bright new day. There is no guarantee for one's existence. We start to appreciate our present only with the realization that this being is mortal and is marching forward straight to the grave. Osho's radical approach to happiness could be understood with the philosophy that happiness has nothing to do with what one has or does not have. Happiness has nothing to do with success. He goes on to say that happiness is always a by-product. It is not the result of a direct pursuit. It happens when one is not even thinking about it.
Osho also has an interesting take on joy Vs entertainment. Entertainment is a way to intoxicate oneself and a way to drown problems and miseries of day to day life. Joy happens only when encounters oneself and truly realizes that mere exuberance of inner self cannot be substituted with external distractions. Meditation involves a few moments when one is not in mind and slips out a bit out of it. One slips into the realm of reality. He makes an interesting observation which is that mind is a mechanism to create unhappiness. When one drops the mind, suddenly he/ she becomes happy for no reason at all.
There are also clear indications in the book which leads one to believe that Osho was not a conformist. He questions the need for bureaucracy and organized ways of society. Osho gives a new way of looking at love wherein says that it about the act and not the object. One can love the plants, the trees and everything in oneself and around oneself. Unconditional love is built on the premise that there are no expectations from one another. Osho concludes by saying that Joy is a state within and has nothing to do with outside. It is a spontaneous flow of energy.
From a personal angle, I found a tonne of similarities between the thinking of Osho and Sadhguru. Both adopt a direct and clear way to seek and understand oneself. There were even some examples such as that of Vaslov Nijinsky that both of them use to make their point. I would recommend this book if you want to get a bold perspective into what happiness is. At the end of it, you may not agree with everything reflected in this book, but hey life is not about conclusion but constant exploration, correct ??
12. What I TALK ABOUT WHEN I TALK ABOUT RUNNING- HARUKI MURAKAMI
Read- Oct 2018
Pages: 180
Rating: 4/5
What I talk about when I talk about running is a nice, breezy read that gives a peek into the life of Japanese author/ runner- Haruki Murakami. Haruki has written several popular books that have found wide acclaim in the west. Interestingly, he is also a seasoned runner who has close to 35+ years of track record, having competed in several marathons and eventually triathlons around the world. In this book, Haruki traces back the months that went into the preparation of the New York City Marathon in 2005. Through the book, Haruki gives a glimpse of the influence running has played in shaping him as an author and a human being.
I was referred to this book by my VP - Miguel Almeida, who is a seasoned endurance runner himself. His word of advice was that for any aspiring runner, this is a book for life. After having completed the book, I am in deep appreciation of the statement since this book is so much more than running. It beautifully testifies, how any endurance sports can give one a balanced perspective of not only his/her strengths but also the limitations. Interestingly, I got hold of this book at a very humbling point in my running journey. After having completed a few 10K's and 15K's, I was well on my way to the big moment in the form of Amica Seattle Half Marathon run. I was training hard with an average of 5 runs every week, gradually dialing up the distance to close to 10 miles as part of the weekend run. Unfortunately, my legs completely gave up and developed severe pain in the form of runner's knee. Consequently, I am taking a break for 2 months from running to come back later on, having to start all the way from scratch when I do so. Reading Haruki's experience inspired me with the fact that suffering is optional and that a lifelong pursuit comes with its own share of up's and downs. This breakdown also made me experientially aware of the fact that my body which is nearing 40's is no longer what it was earlier, and that I need a balanced approach to tuning it back to it's optimum.
Haruki Murakami started his livelihood by managing a Jazz bar along with his wife. Both of them used to put in long hours which made the venture profitable. During the course of time, Haruki developed a deep passion for writing. He made a bold move to sell the bar to fully focus on creating a work that would lend satisfaction. The long hours in the study table, weaving the material for the book made him sedentary, and at the age of 33, he took to running. Since then, he has transformed his body and mind with a steely resolve, that has kept him going on and on. Make no mistake, Haruki by no means is a super fast runner. In fact, he talks in length of several setbacks, such as the time he was disqualified in the first triathlon, how he woefully fell short of the timing in the New York Marathon. The biggest takeaway from this book is the power of human resilience through Haruki, who testifies that no matter what, the only thing that matters in the final count is how hard one tried.
There are two segments in the book that literally makes the reader sit at the edge of their seat.
The first one is the narrative of Haruki's run in Greece( the home of the original marathon) back in 1983. He ran from the city of Athens to Marathon in the month of July. This is the time of the year when everyone stays indoors because of the scorching heat that burns everything down. Haruki was there as a part of a promotional event. He goes on to write vividly, as to how the run which started at 5 am in the morning, turned out to be a race against the sun to get to the finish line before the heat and exhaustion devoured him. The interesting part was that this was a solo run( and not a race) with just a van covering him for the entire duration. At the end of the run, the reader is more relieved than Haruki that he completed the mission successfully!!!
The second episode is the 62-mile ultramarathon run around Lake Saroma in Hokkaido- Japan. This run brought to fore the ultimate endurance and willpower of the human machine. To run a marathon in itself is a feat. To cover, more than double that distance is superhuman. After the 26- mile there is a checkpoint every 6 miles until the finish line and if the cut off is missed, the runner can be taken off even if he/she has run 50 miles already. Haruki breezed through the first 26 miles but from mile 34 to 47, all the part of in his body were rebelling and screeching hard to stop. He pushed through this phase and magically at one point got into a zone wherein he just kept running in an autopilot mode. This was the point in the book at which it dawned on me that running is life. If you are at something long enough with intent, it just has to happen. Haruki went on to finish the race beating several other contests in the last few miles.
At the end of the book, Haruki makes a passing reference of the NewYork City Marathon for which he was preparing for a long time. The timing was way below par of his own expectations. Nevertheless, he makes an interesting point which is - running is not about racing others but racing the course. The only that truly matters is whether one is able to finish the race. As long as that dogged persistence to finish a race is burning in one's heart, all other parameters such as timing, pace etc are inconsequential.
Incidentally one of my colleagues, Todd Ross has won the lottery to run the 2018 TCS NewYork City marathon this week. It's an event I hope to run one day when my body is up to it. Until then, it is about taking one step forward a day- getting through this injury, start walking, jogging, running and eventually getting back to the race mode. After all, both running and life is a continuous journey wherein the only thing that matters is whether you tried sincerely, isn't it?
13. Born to Run-Christopher McDougall
Read- Oct 2018
Pages- 287
Rating: 4.5/5
Born to Run by Christopher McDougall is a FASCINATING book that is informative, entertaining, thrilling and outright mindblowing!!! As an aspiring runner, this book stretched my imagination and transported me to a completely new world of endurance running. The book starts off as an exploratory tale wherein the author goes on a wild goose chase in search of the Mexican Tarahumara tribe that is renowned for long distance running. It is said that almost anyone in this tribe can run anywhere between 300-450 miles in a stretch without a break!!! The author gets fascinated with the secret behind these superhuman feats that leads him to the dangerous Copper Canyons in Mexico where the tribe resides. In here, he makes acquaintance with Caballo Blanco, the mysterious person, who introduces him to the tribe. The book culminates with a fascinating long distance race between the Tarahumara tribe and some of the best endurance runners in the US that goes all the way to the wire.
Although the book is centered on the intensely private Tarahumara tribe, their food habits, ways of living, it meanders through some amazing stories and anecdotes that pertains to running. At the heart of it, the book underlines the fact that humans were designed for long distance endurance running. In the early days, before weapons were invented, humans used to run down the preys. It sounds truly unbelievable, but there is an episode in the book wherein an African tribe- the Kalahari Bushmen, runs down deer just by pursuing them over long distances. While a lot of these animals can run really fast, they cannot sustain the momentum over the long distances. Humans, on the contrary, can run at a sustained pace over long distances, that makes them one of the greatest endurance runners on the planet. Interestingly, women are much better than men in long-distance running(anything over 26.2 miles). The time difference between women and men are comparable as the distance gets longer. This could also be correlated to the fact that women have a higher pain threshold compared to men. With endurance running, one has to tap into the last ounce of that endless reservoir of energy which possibly explains why this could be the case.
Born to Run also paints some fascinating stories of some of the most brutal races in the world. The Leadville 100 miler held in Colorado is the most notable one. Leadville is one of the highest points in North America. It is a brutal race wherein the participants gain an elevation of up to 13000 ft through the rocky mountainous terrain. The difficulty of the race can be gauged from the fact that very few of the participants end up completing the race. Tarahumaras who are extremely shy and modest were brought out of their natural habitat and made to complete the race. Although they lost the first race in which they participated, the following races in 1993 and 1994 became legendary and elevated Tarahumaras to the peak of their stardom. In 1994, Tarahumaras competed with Ann Trason who was one of the finest ultramarathoners in the world and beat her out comfortably. The vivid description of this race would make the reader literally sit at the edge of their seat. At the end of it, one is humbled with the realization that running is less about being a competitive sport but rather much more about a spiritual path towards realizing the true potential and power of being human. Book also makes reference to another killer of a race called Badwater Ultramarathon in California that is notorious for wearing down the participants with extreme heat. All of these endurance runs stand to testify that human ability is limitless.
Another fascinating aspect addressed in the book that kept me riveted was the concept of barefoot running. Humans are naturally born to run. With the advent of modern-day running shoes back in 60's that was heavily propelled by the likes of Nike and Adidas, people counterintuitively became more injured and less efficient in running. When one runs barefoot, the body automatically gets into the right posture and foot automatically adjusts to the terrain. Additional cushioning that the shoe provides insulates the feet from the surface and consequently makes the legs more vulnerable to breakdowns. This really hit the chord with me especially given that I'm going through a phase of a knee injury with running. There is this amazing talk from Milind Soman, who is a seasoned long-distance runner and has run from Delhi to Mumbai on barefoot. Milind makes the point that running barefoot is the right and the best way to run. Barefoot running is something that I've been talking with experience runners in my office. While the concept is great, the years of bad conditioning of the foot would need to reverse and getting to the barefoot running is a long journey. It is a journey that I hope to get on to at some point in my running life.
Born to Run is a book that I would highly recommend whether you are a runner or not. The book connects one to the core of their existence and the very way they were meant to be in this world. Unfortunately, with technology playing more and more into the fold, people have become lethargic and have forgotten the basics of how this body functions. This has lead to the countless diseases that we grapple with today. Running is an aphrodisiac that tunes the body right back to how it is meant to be- it was born to run, to explore and discover the limitlessness of human endurance.
14. Night- Elie Wiesel
Read- Nov 2018
Pages- 152
Rating: 5/5
Eli Wiesel- the Nobel prize winner of 1986 was an eminent activist, author and vocal proponent of anti-semitism. He was widely revered and acknowledged as a beacon of hope, love, and peace in a world that is plagued by bigotry and divide.
The book "night", is one of his best-known works that paint the cruel and heart-wrenching picture of the atrocities committed by the Nazi soldiers (SS) on millions of Jews in the concentration camps of Auschwitz. The book shakes the foundation of one's consciousness with the sheer brutality inflicted by the Nazi regime and steely resilience of the lucky few survivors who were through hell and back several times. Elie Wiesel was one of the 16-year-old survivors who underwent the terrible ordeal and the book is a personal account of his agonizing experience.
Elie was born in Romania in the town of Sighet. Towards the final years of second world war (1942-45), the Nazi's began the mass extermination of Jews. Eli along with his parents and sister, among many others, was captured by the SS and transported to the camp in Auschwitz. The several brutalities inflicted on the inmates are beyond words and emotions. The prisoners including children and infants were lined up and made to jump on a huge pyre. When that became time-consuming, the SS began to exterminate in large numbers by enclosing prisoners in gas chambers. More than 90% of the prisoners in Auschwitz were eliminated. Elie's mother and sisters were separated from him and were killed shortly thereafter. Elie was feeling anger and resentment for much of the early days. That gradually gave way to fear and eventually to indifference. There is this episode in the book, wherein his father is brutally beaten up by the soldiers in front of his eyes, and Elie felt completely petrified unable to react. The concentration camp brought out the worst in a human being, whether that be the SS soldiers who were the perpetrators or the inmates who had become completely frozen and devoid of any emotions. Elie held on and stayed alive so that he could courage to his father and see him through the difficult times. Unfortunately, his father could take it no more and lost his life a few days before the few remaining prisoners were released on April 10,1945.
Imagine for a moment, the plight of a 16-year old whose parents and kin were killed in the most brutal of circumstances. Imagine a boy who underwent severe torture at a young age. What would be his state of mind on becoming a free man? It is natural to be consumed by sheer anger and pure rage. Rage towards oneself and to the entire humanity for having perpetrated the untold terror. Elie was different. He's the kind of the soul humanity gets a few and rare of. Elie tamed his mind and survived on to tell the story to the future generations. His response to hate was love and compassion. Elie became one of the greatest ambassadors of peace, respect, and dignity. He went on to marry a fine lady and raise a son who was named after his father. President Obama described him as "one of the greatest moral voices of our time, and, in many ways, the conscience of the world". Elie is a testament to the humanity that we have a short time in this earth and how beautiful we choose to live it is completely up to us.
The documentary on Auschwitz by Oprah Winfrey with Elie Wiesel can be viewed here.
15. The FIVE DYSFUNCTIONS of a TEAM - Patrick Lencioni
Read- Nov 2018
Pages- 228
Rating: 4/5
The power of any book lies in its story. In the book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Patrick Lencioni weaves a fascinating corporate tale to convey the powerful concept of team building. Kathryn Peterson takes over as the CEO of Decision Tree, a tech startup, that has lost its way. It doesn't help either that the culture of the company was deteriorating with each of the top leaders operating as silos with no true collaboration. The challenge that Kathryn is presented is to uniting a warring group towards a common cause. The story goes on to tell whether she succeeds in that mission or not.
Through this corporate fable, there are 5 key dysfunctions outlined that can lead to the death knell for any organization. These are:
1. An absence of Trust- Trust lies at the heart of every relationship and this very much applies in the corporate world too. In the absence of trust, members hide their vulnerabilities and operate towards optimizing for individual outcomes rather than that of the team. A safe environment to trust each other and to express oneself openly without any inhibitions is also the foundation for building a great corporate culture.
2. Fear of Conflict- When there is no trust, there is no transparency which in turn leads to avoidance of conflict. One of the big takeaways for me from this book was the fact that conflict is an integral part of furthering oneself and the team. A healthy conflict which is intended at challenging each other's ideas would only help to make the concept better. When someone is challenging your ideas, they are challenging you to be more factual and creative. This, in turn, presents a wonderful opportunity to better oneself. To misconstrue this criticism as an indictment of oneself, rather than that of the idea, could lead to significant heartburn and loss of focus/productivity.
3. Lack of Commitment- When meetings become a drill, rather than a powerful forum to disagree and commit, there is no sincere commitment to the decisions being made in there. This, in turn, could lead to the viewpoint of "someone has taken a call" that can be a huge dampener on the morale. One interesting aspect reflected in the book is that no one reasonable would expect the ultimate decision to be the opinion they have voiced. All that someone expects is a transparent forum for their inputs to heard, considered and factored in towards the decision. Once such a forum is available- which is what the meetings should be about, the commitment becomes an automatic process.
4. Avoidance of Accountability- Accountability is a direct outcome of commitment. Where there is no commitment, there is no accountability.
5. Inattention to Results- Results are the ultimate barometer of success. If all the parameters are served right, the result is nothing but a natural consequence. The focus of any individual as well as the team should only be to ensure that the conditions are set right for this natural outcome to follow.
As someone who has played both the management/ individual Contributor roles in the career, this book helped me ponder on and appreciate the power of getting the basics right. All of that starts with the trust - the trust in oneself, one's team members, leaders, and the organization- that has the power to transform the individual/collective destiny. Working for an organization that is at the cusp of a significant transformation towards 1. Fewer and focussed priorities 2. Bottoms up empowerment and 3. Faster decision making, the timing of this book couldn't have been better. Would highly recommend this as a read for anyone who wants to affect change by becoming that change.
16. Fifty Inventions that Shaped the modern Economy- Tim Harford
Read- Nov 2018
Pages 228
Rating: 2.5/5
I was referred to this book by my friend Anush Raman, as a quick read. The book by Tim Harford walks us through some of the key inventions that have been instrumental in shaping humanity. As the author himself points out, these are in no specific chronology order and is in no way a definitive list. The attempt is to identify a few key ones that have played a seminal role at different points in the human evolution. The book starts with the Plow, which transformed human from hunting to agriculture mode of food gathering and follows it through several other ones such as the gramophone, passport, robot, video games, TV Dinners, elevators, clocks, radar, batteries, paper etc. This book also draws some interesting correlations such as the discovery of the pill led to an increase in the number of women seeking employment. While one may not draw any detailed insights, it is worth a read as a general read that provides a 50,000 ft overview on some key inventions.
17. 7 Stages of Creativity- James A Whittaker
Read- Dec 2018
Pages: 118
Rating: 4/5
James A Whittaker, a distinguished engineer with Microsoft and xoogler, is best known in the industry as a gifted speaker who can weave magic with his talks. He had visited Starbucks in Nov 2018 as a keynote speaker for the SIX conference - an annual conclave on all things tech. During the 1 hour lucture on the future of technology, Dr. Whittaker kept the audience spellbound with an amazing story telling ability that was peppered with a good dose of humour and information. The session simply blew me away since i had not heard such a passionate delivery of content in the form of a captivating story for a very long time. He also had a cool millenial appeal that definitely added to the zeal of presentation. Do check out more on his presentations here.
The inspiration from the session prompted me to look up more on Dr. Whittakker's works that hola, there was this book - "7 stages of creativity" that popped up. In "7 stages of creativity", author makes a fundamental assertion which is - "One becomes creative ony by seeking out and exploring. There is no such being as a born a creative". He outlines 7 stages through which one can develop his/creativity and turn it at will:
1. Learning - Always keep learning. No one becomes creative from knowing nothing. The best way to learn is to learn from experts- People who have been there and done that. Mentorship takes work in terms of keeping your involved and interested in a reciprocal relationship.
2. Thinking- What does your mind drift most frequently towards? Identify that, work on it and see how it sticks. Nothing that you find uninteresting is worth pursuing deeper.
3. Seeking - Keep probing in and jot down questions pertaining to areas of interest. For eg: if public speaking is an area of interest, keep watching presentations and identify how the delivery was, what was the central point being conveyed, did the message standout clear, was it humorous and engaging etc. The more you ask questions, the more you learn.
4. Focussing- Become an expert in the field of interest. Find every chance you can wield your expertise and get better.
5. Knowing- Think small and identify the gaps in terms of how the world works and how it can possibly work better. Seek out other experts and use them to get better and vice-versa.
6. Creating- Identify people, places and things that foster creativity. Seek out solitude to get to know yourself better.
7. Living- Always try and learn something from everyone you meet. This makes the interaction humane, genuine and interesting. The world is wide open and the time is too short to learn everything on your own.
This book was a quick read and wonderful reinforcement of certain fundamentals that are obvious but overlooked in the hustle of the day to day life. If you want to watch the content instead of reading the book, do check out this video.
Read- Jan 2018
Pages: 219
Rating: 3/5
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| Source: Amazon.com |
The book crisscrosses between science and myth and at times makes it hard to distinguish the two. Nevertheless, makes an interesting read especially for students of yoga who wants to trace back in time.
2. Life and Death - In One Breath- Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev
Read- Jan 2018
Pages: 162
Rating: 4/5
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The book also explores interesting concepts in terms of transformation to the body and spirit after the breath stops. The book gave a grounded perspective of what life is and how one can live it to the fullest by being here and now.
3. Mystics Musings- Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev
Read- Feb/Mar/Apr/May 2018
Pages: 477
Rating: 3.5/5
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4. Option B- Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant
Read- June 2018
Pages: 214
Rating: 4/5
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| Courtesy: OptionB.org |
5. The Startup Way - Eric Reis
Read- July 2018
Pages: 400
Rating: 4/5
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| Courtesy:Amazon.com |
6. The Airbnb Story- Leigh Gallagher
Read- Aug 2018
Pages: 217
Rating: 4.5/5
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| Courtesy:Amazon.com |
As they say, necessity is the mother of invention. Airbnb had its early founding in 2007 because of peculiar circumstances. Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia, who were longtime friends and colleagues from the Rhode Island School of Design(RISD), were sharing an apartment in SanFranciso. They were toying with the idea of a startup when out of nowhere, the apartment owner hiked up the rates steeply. In order to get some time to survive and raise some immediate money to meet the upcoming rent cycle, they posted in a scrappily created site that the apartment was available for short-term share. The timing was good because of a conference that was being held in SFO. There were 3 guests who ended up staying with them. It was a mutually beneficial deal, coz the rates were much cheaper than the accommodation for the guests and the hosts ended up getting quick bucks for a couple of days stay. This was a transformative experience that seeded the concept in founders mind. Founders realized that the interaction with the guests during their stay was very different from that of a hotel stay. They made friends with the guests, took them around in SFO and showed them new places. Contrast this to the experience, had the guests stayed in a dingy hotel room with nothing but a television for company.
From this point onwards, Chesky and Gebbia focussed on improving the site. They roped in an engineering maverick in the form of Nathan Blecharczyk. Their target- any major conference that happens around the country because that attracts travelers from other cities in large numbers which in turn becomes catalytic to bookings. The 2008 Democratic convention in Denver turned out to be the silver bullet. Obama was riding high as favorite and there was a massive crowd expected to land at Denver to hear his speech. The opportunity- the hotels in Denver were way below in capacity!!! Through some interesting contacts in press and word of mouth, Airbnb secured 800 listings and 80 people ended up making the booking. This was a great start for a company trying to find it's feet. The only problem was that the bookings plummetted back to zero after the conference. Founders made some really smart move post the convention to fund the business by riding on the election wave. They conceived the idea of cereal brands Obama O's and Cap'n McCains which became a huge overnight success and fetched $25000!!!! Chesky and Gebbia's ingenuity helped them get an admit to the legendary Y Combinator program under Paul Graham. The connections in this program helped them get seed funding from Sequia capital for ~$600K and the rest is history.
A couple of things are surprising in Airbnb's success. The concept of home sharing is an age-old concept. There were many players such as VRBO, Couchsurfing.com that operated way ahead of Airbnb. So what was so unique about Airbnb's model? Well first and foremost, Airbnb was founded by designers and naturally, the site had a super elegant look and feel. They iterated over the product to ensure that the experience is simple and frictionless. During their 3 months program with Y Combinator, they were urged to get closer to their customers. With most of their initial listings from NewYork, they visited each of these hosts with an offer to take a free photograph to be put up as part of listings. Interaction with these hosts helped them get golden nuggets in terms of how their site is used which would not have been possible sitting inside 4 walls. Secondly, Airbnb placed a lot of focus and premium in terms of refining the search algorithm and hyper-personalizing the listings. For instance, if there is a last minute booking being sought for, they render those results higher which had a higher likelihood of an owner willing to accept those bookings. Hyper-personalized search results form the cornerstone of Airbnb as much as it the case with Amazon/Google. Thirdly, payments form one of the most painful aspects involved when a platform is serving as an intermediary between the guest and the host. Add to the regular booking, the complexity with cancellation, refund, and commission to Airbnb, it is a problem on its own. Airbnb went on to develop an in-house payment that is considered highly sophisticated in the industry ( Read this article by Airbnb engineering on the details). Fourthly, Airbnb also placed a lot of emphasis on the customer service since the actual manifestation of the platform happens as part of real-world interaction between the host and the guest. Airbnb which originally started as a place for people looking for cheap accommodation scaled into a massive platform with diverse options mainly because it placed a premium on the guest to host interaction. This was a missing link with the options available until that point which mainly operated as a booking service.
Think of this for a minute. Back in 2007/08, if you pitch the idea of hosting strangers in your home, you might be thought of as a weirdo. What helped Airbnb succeed despite this inherent bias in people's mindset? To start with the timing was good. The economy was coming out of recession, people were looking at cheaper options as part of their travels. Airbnb listings were significantly cheaper than the hotels that made a difference in big cities. Secondly, the sharing economy model was a big shot in the arm for people looking to make some money from their spare apartment, bedroom or even that airbed lying in the living room. The hosts are the biggest strength for Airbnb and their collective voice are even being used as a leverage to negotiate and evolve regulation in favor of the new business model. Thirdly, Airbnb offered possibilities for a traveler that could not be met by a standard hotel. Most of the hotels are in centralized locations and with homes becoming new destinations in Airbnb, the choices are manifold for a traveler. During my consulting days, I also saw a lot of appetite for Airbnb stays for seasoned consultants viz a viz regular hotel which becomes a boring experience esp if one were to stay there every week of travel.
When unknown people are invited to homes, problems are bound to happen. Airbnb has gone through a fair share of controversies that involved guests completely ransacked the place leaving hosts crestfallen. Airbnb has been beefing up the security aspect which forms the cornerstone of a business connecting people. To start with, verified ratings and reviews help both the guest and the host get a fair idea of whom they would be dealing with. Airbnb also offers compensation to the tune of $1mn to the host, in the event of any damages from the guests. The fact that Airbnb is only a platform and does not own any properties makes the accountability part very tricky. This is where the regulations would need to evolve to cater to this way of doing business.
So what next for Airbnb? Accommodation is only the tip of the iceberg for this amazing company. Airbnb is actively working to extend the platform to support an end to end experience for any person looking to make a visit. This initiative termed as "magical trips" encompasses charting the entire itinerary for a person and hyper-personalizing it to suit their specific taste. Check this out for a taste of the concept. It is expected that "magical trips" would change the conventional experience around travel.
To look back at the company valued over $30b today and to realize that it came out of necessity to meet the rent seems magical. But that's what enterprenuership is all about correct? The delta between how the world is and how should be = oppurtunity. More power to this amazing company that has revolutionized staying.
7. Ghachar Ghochar- Vivek Shanbhag
Read- Aug 2018
Pages: 118
Rating: 5/5
I discovered the book, having been referred to it my acquaintance Dhanush Gopinath, who is an avid reader. The book, being a short one with 118 pages makes a breezy read. I was able to finish the book in 3 hours, thanks to the engrossing narrative.
The story is told through the voice of the protagonist whose name is never mentioned anywhere in the story!!! The narrative is centered around the characters in the family- Chikkappa (uncle), Amma(mother), Anita(wife), Malati(sister) and his dad and the dynamics that play out between them. The depth in the character narrative and setting in which the events unfold makes this book a fascinating read. The story starts as well as ends in a bar. In between, it meanders through the mindset of each of the above characters and how they coexist with certain unwritten rules that bind them as a family. There is an eerie reference to ants, that when thinking back, forms an interesting part in terms of bringing out how the characters gang up against a common threat. This behavior lays the foundation for a scary climax that leaves the reader reeling in the world of possibilities. The beauty of a compelling story is the one where the reader is left more to infer than told. This style of narrative also reminded me of a brilliant short story- Chutney that weaves horror through naivety.
The term Ghachar Ghochar as we discover in the book refers to mix up. This is the apt name for a book that delves into the emotional tangle of the relationships. If you are in the mood for a quick read with a pulsating narrative, Ghachar Ghochar is a must grab. I wouldn't be surprised if this book takes the form of a play or movie in the coming years.
8. Streaming, Sharing, Stealing: Big Data and Future of Entertainment- Michael D Smith and Rahul Telang
Read- Aug/Sep 2018
Pages: 186
Rating: 4/5
Until two decades back there were 6 players (majors) who dominated the movie, music and publishing industry. Disney, Fox, NBC Universal, Paramount, Sony and Warner Brothers controlled 80% of the market for movies. Random House, Penguin, HarperCollins, Simon&Schuster, Hachette, and Macmillan controlled 50% of all publishing in the USA. BMG Entertainment, EMI, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, Polygram, and Universal Music Group were the heavyweights in music controlling 85% of the global music market. All of these majors were having a huge advantage on account of their scale and leverage. The fact that there is a huge upfront cost that becomes an entry barrier in terms of recording, production, and promotion was a huge barrier for a small scale player to flourish. A lot of that began to gradually disrupt in the '90s with digitization and internet.
The book provides interesting use cases to demonstrate how the balance of power is shifting. The classic example is the making of "House of Cards" series by Netflix. Until that point, the typical approach to get your show broadcaster involved shopping it around with major television networks for a pilot episode. Pilot episode involves a 30 min- 1hour time slot during which the characters have to be introduced and developed. If the pilot episode finds some traction, funding would be supported for making a few more episodes. In other words, there was no assurance for a series to be taken to full culmination. A lot of these decisions were based on the subjective discretion of the in-house experts in addition to research inputs by firms such as Nielson. With rejection rates in pilot episodes being extremely high(understandably so since they are all competing for specific timeslots), that is a huge waste of time, effort and energy.
Netflix took a radically different approach. Instead of funding the pilot episode, they funded two series(~26 episodes) right off the bat. What's more surprising, they released all of these episodes in one go providing their customer's complete flexibility to watch it in piecemeal or one go. How were they so dead sure that this is a good strategy? They knew it because they approached it with the lens of a data-driven decision. Netflix knew that a large population of their subscriber base were fans of David Fincher movies starring Kevin Spacey. Netflix as a platform also provides a lot of flexibility for its customers in the form of ad-free viewing and alternate viewing options at their convenience. The pilot free episodes without the botheration of slotting for the ads also increased the creative flexibility for the makers of House of cards that eventually made it a smashing success. There were other innovative approaches tried by Netflix for House of Cards including customizing the trailer for their viewers depending on their past preferences. Netflix and Amazon produced series are a norm in the current times.
Who are your customers, what have they liked before and what might find the best resonance are all questions that are best answered by data. The entity that has access to that data is best positioned to customize and personalize their experience. This is where the likes of Amazon, Google, Apple, and Netflix trumps that of traditional production houses. The same rules apply to the music and publishing industries too. Youtube and Amazon have also opened up the ecosystem to small-scale players, thus bringing in diversity and options for the end customers. The balance of power has clearly been shifting from the majors and the customers have benefitted. The central premise of the book- innovate or perish is a golden adage that holds true for any player operating in these competitive times.
9. THE WHITE TIGER- Aravind Adiga
Read- Sep 2018
Pages: 392
Rating: 4/5
The book paints the picture of two India's- a dark rural India plagued by caste, religion, blind faith, oppression, and a thriving urban India, which is a land of opportunity where anyone with talent stands a chance. The story meanders through how Halwai makes his way from village to city, finds a job, secures it with a play of intelligence and eventually gets consumed by the darker shade of the city life that destroys the simple-minded innocence in a villager. Balram Halwai is called "White Tiger"- one of the most intelligent animal in the jungle, an identity conferred in his school days that becomes the guiding light for his self-advancement. The book also has a chilling ending that would send a shiver down the spine of the reader.
The striking aspect of this book lies in it's raw and unfiltered portrayal of the characters and their circumstances. The book painted the darker side of India because of which it faced a lot of backlash when it won the prize. There is a sense of deep realism in Arvind's writing that makes his writing a powerful medium. The author who emigrated to Australia was Oxford educated, served as a correspondent with Time and eventually migrated back to Bangalore to stay true to his writings- which for the most part are India centric stories. More power to Adiga and his literary contributions. Looking forward to reading more of him.
10. Delivering Happiness- A path to profits, passion, and purpose and Tony Hsieh
Read- Sep 2018
Pages: 241
Rating: 4/5
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| Courtesy: Amazon.com |
As much as Link Exchange earned Tony a fortune, it also taught him some important lessons. The most important of them all was the emphasis on the culture in an organization. Towards the end of the sale process, the culture of Link Exchange had gone for the worse because it had a mix of people whose motivations were different. After pondering for a while to determine what to do with the money earned, Tony wore the hats of venture capitalist, investing his money into interesting startups. This is how Zappos- a small startup based on the premise of selling shoes online came into his radar. At one point on, Zappos was almost on the verge of shutting down and at this juncture, Tony took over the reins of the company as a CEO to provide more hands-on guidance. The book goes on to describe how Zappos evolved as a concept and was ultimately purchased by Amazon $1 billion!!! While Amazon-the giant technically owns Zappos, the reality is that Zappos is run as an independent entity by Tony and his crew for all practical purposes. The biggest differentiator of Zappos from the earlier experience of Link Exchange is its culture. Tony from the very early stages of Zappos emphasized on developing a friendly, welcoming and a non-bureaucratic culture which helped the foster a sense of family among its employees. In addition to the culture being a pivotal factor, Tony in the book also provides valuable examples of why one should not outsource it's a core competency. Zappos is also known in the industry for its excellent customer service. Unlike many companies which optimize for the cost ( it's estimated that every call on an average of ~$10 to attend to), Zappos places its customer service number front and center.
The idea is to encourage customers to reach out for anything they need assistance with. There is an interesting story wherein a customer reaches out to Zappos for recommendations on pizza for which they are gladly assisted ( Reminded me of a similar story for Nordstrom- the apparel retailer again known for its legendary customer service wherein an early customer was assisted with tire replacement).
Delivering Happiness is an interesting read, not because it outlines how a company is built, but because of the values that grew along with it, The book outlines how one eventually finds purpose through passion and profits. Tony is a CEO with a cut of a difference- he believes in delivering happiness to the world by building a culture based on trust and passion. Tony also leads a pretty simple life, living out of an airbed for the most part. Pretty amazing for a billionaire, isn't it !!!
11. joy- The Happiness that comes from Within- OSHO
Read- Sep 2018
Pages: 179
Rating: 3/5
As someone who had read a fair share of Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev's books, I was keen to go back in time and reference Indian mystics from the past decades. My interest lies in understanding what they stood for and more importantly as to what the commonalities and differences are in their teachings. There are many in the list such as Ramana Maharshi, Swami Vivekananda, Bodhidharma- Zen teachings, Akka Mahadevi, Adishankara and sufi saints that I would want to get a closer understanding of in the coming years. All of these men/ women have delved deeply into human consciousness and have pursued different paths to realize the same. While some like Akka Mahadevi, Meera have followed a devout and unconditional path of bhakti(faith), other such as Vivekananda, Adishankara have advocated jnana(intellect) to get to the core of consciousness. Kriya yoga(deeper understanding of energy levels) has been the path of people like B.K.S Iyengar, Osho, and Jaggi Vasudev. There are many paths which can all look seemingly different, but all of which is rooted deeply in the core idea of awakening the bliss in oneself.
Back to the book, Osho starts by establishing the basic premise that Happiness is a question of choice. More often than not, people cling on to their miseries and shortcomings as it helps them to garner attention and feel special. The true joy comes with the realization that one has nothing to lose. Now is the only time and here is the only space. The past and future are nothing but a play of mind. The past is that which is no more, the future is that which is not yet. Both are non-existential. The present is that which is.
When one wakes up in the morning, there are several thousand around the world may not be fortunate to open their eyes to see the bright new day. There is no guarantee for one's existence. We start to appreciate our present only with the realization that this being is mortal and is marching forward straight to the grave. Osho's radical approach to happiness could be understood with the philosophy that happiness has nothing to do with what one has or does not have. Happiness has nothing to do with success. He goes on to say that happiness is always a by-product. It is not the result of a direct pursuit. It happens when one is not even thinking about it.
Osho also has an interesting take on joy Vs entertainment. Entertainment is a way to intoxicate oneself and a way to drown problems and miseries of day to day life. Joy happens only when encounters oneself and truly realizes that mere exuberance of inner self cannot be substituted with external distractions. Meditation involves a few moments when one is not in mind and slips out a bit out of it. One slips into the realm of reality. He makes an interesting observation which is that mind is a mechanism to create unhappiness. When one drops the mind, suddenly he/ she becomes happy for no reason at all.
There are also clear indications in the book which leads one to believe that Osho was not a conformist. He questions the need for bureaucracy and organized ways of society. Osho gives a new way of looking at love wherein says that it about the act and not the object. One can love the plants, the trees and everything in oneself and around oneself. Unconditional love is built on the premise that there are no expectations from one another. Osho concludes by saying that Joy is a state within and has nothing to do with outside. It is a spontaneous flow of energy.
From a personal angle, I found a tonne of similarities between the thinking of Osho and Sadhguru. Both adopt a direct and clear way to seek and understand oneself. There were even some examples such as that of Vaslov Nijinsky that both of them use to make their point. I would recommend this book if you want to get a bold perspective into what happiness is. At the end of it, you may not agree with everything reflected in this book, but hey life is not about conclusion but constant exploration, correct ??
12. What I TALK ABOUT WHEN I TALK ABOUT RUNNING- HARUKI MURAKAMI
Read- Oct 2018
Pages: 180
Rating: 4/5
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| Courtesy: Amazon.com |
I was referred to this book by my VP - Miguel Almeida, who is a seasoned endurance runner himself. His word of advice was that for any aspiring runner, this is a book for life. After having completed the book, I am in deep appreciation of the statement since this book is so much more than running. It beautifully testifies, how any endurance sports can give one a balanced perspective of not only his/her strengths but also the limitations. Interestingly, I got hold of this book at a very humbling point in my running journey. After having completed a few 10K's and 15K's, I was well on my way to the big moment in the form of Amica Seattle Half Marathon run. I was training hard with an average of 5 runs every week, gradually dialing up the distance to close to 10 miles as part of the weekend run. Unfortunately, my legs completely gave up and developed severe pain in the form of runner's knee. Consequently, I am taking a break for 2 months from running to come back later on, having to start all the way from scratch when I do so. Reading Haruki's experience inspired me with the fact that suffering is optional and that a lifelong pursuit comes with its own share of up's and downs. This breakdown also made me experientially aware of the fact that my body which is nearing 40's is no longer what it was earlier, and that I need a balanced approach to tuning it back to it's optimum.
Haruki Murakami started his livelihood by managing a Jazz bar along with his wife. Both of them used to put in long hours which made the venture profitable. During the course of time, Haruki developed a deep passion for writing. He made a bold move to sell the bar to fully focus on creating a work that would lend satisfaction. The long hours in the study table, weaving the material for the book made him sedentary, and at the age of 33, he took to running. Since then, he has transformed his body and mind with a steely resolve, that has kept him going on and on. Make no mistake, Haruki by no means is a super fast runner. In fact, he talks in length of several setbacks, such as the time he was disqualified in the first triathlon, how he woefully fell short of the timing in the New York Marathon. The biggest takeaway from this book is the power of human resilience through Haruki, who testifies that no matter what, the only thing that matters in the final count is how hard one tried.
There are two segments in the book that literally makes the reader sit at the edge of their seat.
The first one is the narrative of Haruki's run in Greece( the home of the original marathon) back in 1983. He ran from the city of Athens to Marathon in the month of July. This is the time of the year when everyone stays indoors because of the scorching heat that burns everything down. Haruki was there as a part of a promotional event. He goes on to write vividly, as to how the run which started at 5 am in the morning, turned out to be a race against the sun to get to the finish line before the heat and exhaustion devoured him. The interesting part was that this was a solo run( and not a race) with just a van covering him for the entire duration. At the end of the run, the reader is more relieved than Haruki that he completed the mission successfully!!!
The second episode is the 62-mile ultramarathon run around Lake Saroma in Hokkaido- Japan. This run brought to fore the ultimate endurance and willpower of the human machine. To run a marathon in itself is a feat. To cover, more than double that distance is superhuman. After the 26- mile there is a checkpoint every 6 miles until the finish line and if the cut off is missed, the runner can be taken off even if he/she has run 50 miles already. Haruki breezed through the first 26 miles but from mile 34 to 47, all the part of in his body were rebelling and screeching hard to stop. He pushed through this phase and magically at one point got into a zone wherein he just kept running in an autopilot mode. This was the point in the book at which it dawned on me that running is life. If you are at something long enough with intent, it just has to happen. Haruki went on to finish the race beating several other contests in the last few miles.
At the end of the book, Haruki makes a passing reference of the NewYork City Marathon for which he was preparing for a long time. The timing was way below par of his own expectations. Nevertheless, he makes an interesting point which is - running is not about racing others but racing the course. The only that truly matters is whether one is able to finish the race. As long as that dogged persistence to finish a race is burning in one's heart, all other parameters such as timing, pace etc are inconsequential.
Incidentally one of my colleagues, Todd Ross has won the lottery to run the 2018 TCS NewYork City marathon this week. It's an event I hope to run one day when my body is up to it. Until then, it is about taking one step forward a day- getting through this injury, start walking, jogging, running and eventually getting back to the race mode. After all, both running and life is a continuous journey wherein the only thing that matters is whether you tried sincerely, isn't it?
13. Born to Run-Christopher McDougall
Read- Oct 2018
Pages- 287
Rating: 4.5/5
Although the book is centered on the intensely private Tarahumara tribe, their food habits, ways of living, it meanders through some amazing stories and anecdotes that pertains to running. At the heart of it, the book underlines the fact that humans were designed for long distance endurance running. In the early days, before weapons were invented, humans used to run down the preys. It sounds truly unbelievable, but there is an episode in the book wherein an African tribe- the Kalahari Bushmen, runs down deer just by pursuing them over long distances. While a lot of these animals can run really fast, they cannot sustain the momentum over the long distances. Humans, on the contrary, can run at a sustained pace over long distances, that makes them one of the greatest endurance runners on the planet. Interestingly, women are much better than men in long-distance running(anything over 26.2 miles). The time difference between women and men are comparable as the distance gets longer. This could also be correlated to the fact that women have a higher pain threshold compared to men. With endurance running, one has to tap into the last ounce of that endless reservoir of energy which possibly explains why this could be the case.
Born to Run also paints some fascinating stories of some of the most brutal races in the world. The Leadville 100 miler held in Colorado is the most notable one. Leadville is one of the highest points in North America. It is a brutal race wherein the participants gain an elevation of up to 13000 ft through the rocky mountainous terrain. The difficulty of the race can be gauged from the fact that very few of the participants end up completing the race. Tarahumaras who are extremely shy and modest were brought out of their natural habitat and made to complete the race. Although they lost the first race in which they participated, the following races in 1993 and 1994 became legendary and elevated Tarahumaras to the peak of their stardom. In 1994, Tarahumaras competed with Ann Trason who was one of the finest ultramarathoners in the world and beat her out comfortably. The vivid description of this race would make the reader literally sit at the edge of their seat. At the end of it, one is humbled with the realization that running is less about being a competitive sport but rather much more about a spiritual path towards realizing the true potential and power of being human. Book also makes reference to another killer of a race called Badwater Ultramarathon in California that is notorious for wearing down the participants with extreme heat. All of these endurance runs stand to testify that human ability is limitless.
Another fascinating aspect addressed in the book that kept me riveted was the concept of barefoot running. Humans are naturally born to run. With the advent of modern-day running shoes back in 60's that was heavily propelled by the likes of Nike and Adidas, people counterintuitively became more injured and less efficient in running. When one runs barefoot, the body automatically gets into the right posture and foot automatically adjusts to the terrain. Additional cushioning that the shoe provides insulates the feet from the surface and consequently makes the legs more vulnerable to breakdowns. This really hit the chord with me especially given that I'm going through a phase of a knee injury with running. There is this amazing talk from Milind Soman, who is a seasoned long-distance runner and has run from Delhi to Mumbai on barefoot. Milind makes the point that running barefoot is the right and the best way to run. Barefoot running is something that I've been talking with experience runners in my office. While the concept is great, the years of bad conditioning of the foot would need to reverse and getting to the barefoot running is a long journey. It is a journey that I hope to get on to at some point in my running life.
Born to Run is a book that I would highly recommend whether you are a runner or not. The book connects one to the core of their existence and the very way they were meant to be in this world. Unfortunately, with technology playing more and more into the fold, people have become lethargic and have forgotten the basics of how this body functions. This has lead to the countless diseases that we grapple with today. Running is an aphrodisiac that tunes the body right back to how it is meant to be- it was born to run, to explore and discover the limitlessness of human endurance.
14. Night- Elie Wiesel
Read- Nov 2018
Pages- 152
Rating: 5/5
The book "night", is one of his best-known works that paint the cruel and heart-wrenching picture of the atrocities committed by the Nazi soldiers (SS) on millions of Jews in the concentration camps of Auschwitz. The book shakes the foundation of one's consciousness with the sheer brutality inflicted by the Nazi regime and steely resilience of the lucky few survivors who were through hell and back several times. Elie Wiesel was one of the 16-year-old survivors who underwent the terrible ordeal and the book is a personal account of his agonizing experience.
Elie was born in Romania in the town of Sighet. Towards the final years of second world war (1942-45), the Nazi's began the mass extermination of Jews. Eli along with his parents and sister, among many others, was captured by the SS and transported to the camp in Auschwitz. The several brutalities inflicted on the inmates are beyond words and emotions. The prisoners including children and infants were lined up and made to jump on a huge pyre. When that became time-consuming, the SS began to exterminate in large numbers by enclosing prisoners in gas chambers. More than 90% of the prisoners in Auschwitz were eliminated. Elie's mother and sisters were separated from him and were killed shortly thereafter. Elie was feeling anger and resentment for much of the early days. That gradually gave way to fear and eventually to indifference. There is this episode in the book, wherein his father is brutally beaten up by the soldiers in front of his eyes, and Elie felt completely petrified unable to react. The concentration camp brought out the worst in a human being, whether that be the SS soldiers who were the perpetrators or the inmates who had become completely frozen and devoid of any emotions. Elie held on and stayed alive so that he could courage to his father and see him through the difficult times. Unfortunately, his father could take it no more and lost his life a few days before the few remaining prisoners were released on April 10,1945.
Imagine for a moment, the plight of a 16-year old whose parents and kin were killed in the most brutal of circumstances. Imagine a boy who underwent severe torture at a young age. What would be his state of mind on becoming a free man? It is natural to be consumed by sheer anger and pure rage. Rage towards oneself and to the entire humanity for having perpetrated the untold terror. Elie was different. He's the kind of the soul humanity gets a few and rare of. Elie tamed his mind and survived on to tell the story to the future generations. His response to hate was love and compassion. Elie became one of the greatest ambassadors of peace, respect, and dignity. He went on to marry a fine lady and raise a son who was named after his father. President Obama described him as "one of the greatest moral voices of our time, and, in many ways, the conscience of the world". Elie is a testament to the humanity that we have a short time in this earth and how beautiful we choose to live it is completely up to us.
The documentary on Auschwitz by Oprah Winfrey with Elie Wiesel can be viewed here.
15. The FIVE DYSFUNCTIONS of a TEAM - Patrick Lencioni
Read- Nov 2018
Pages- 228
Rating: 4/5
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| Courtesy: Barnes and Nobles |
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| Courtesy: Tablegroup.com |
Through this corporate fable, there are 5 key dysfunctions outlined that can lead to the death knell for any organization. These are:
1. An absence of Trust- Trust lies at the heart of every relationship and this very much applies in the corporate world too. In the absence of trust, members hide their vulnerabilities and operate towards optimizing for individual outcomes rather than that of the team. A safe environment to trust each other and to express oneself openly without any inhibitions is also the foundation for building a great corporate culture.
2. Fear of Conflict- When there is no trust, there is no transparency which in turn leads to avoidance of conflict. One of the big takeaways for me from this book was the fact that conflict is an integral part of furthering oneself and the team. A healthy conflict which is intended at challenging each other's ideas would only help to make the concept better. When someone is challenging your ideas, they are challenging you to be more factual and creative. This, in turn, presents a wonderful opportunity to better oneself. To misconstrue this criticism as an indictment of oneself, rather than that of the idea, could lead to significant heartburn and loss of focus/productivity.
3. Lack of Commitment- When meetings become a drill, rather than a powerful forum to disagree and commit, there is no sincere commitment to the decisions being made in there. This, in turn, could lead to the viewpoint of "someone has taken a call" that can be a huge dampener on the morale. One interesting aspect reflected in the book is that no one reasonable would expect the ultimate decision to be the opinion they have voiced. All that someone expects is a transparent forum for their inputs to heard, considered and factored in towards the decision. Once such a forum is available- which is what the meetings should be about, the commitment becomes an automatic process.
4. Avoidance of Accountability- Accountability is a direct outcome of commitment. Where there is no commitment, there is no accountability.
5. Inattention to Results- Results are the ultimate barometer of success. If all the parameters are served right, the result is nothing but a natural consequence. The focus of any individual as well as the team should only be to ensure that the conditions are set right for this natural outcome to follow.
As someone who has played both the management/ individual Contributor roles in the career, this book helped me ponder on and appreciate the power of getting the basics right. All of that starts with the trust - the trust in oneself, one's team members, leaders, and the organization- that has the power to transform the individual/collective destiny. Working for an organization that is at the cusp of a significant transformation towards 1. Fewer and focussed priorities 2. Bottoms up empowerment and 3. Faster decision making, the timing of this book couldn't have been better. Would highly recommend this as a read for anyone who wants to affect change by becoming that change.
16. Fifty Inventions that Shaped the modern Economy- Tim Harford
Read- Nov 2018
Pages 228
Rating: 2.5/5
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| Courtesy:Amazon |
17. 7 Stages of Creativity- James A Whittaker
Read- Dec 2018
Pages: 118
Rating: 4/5
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| Source: Amazon.com |
The inspiration from the session prompted me to look up more on Dr. Whittakker's works that hola, there was this book - "7 stages of creativity" that popped up. In "7 stages of creativity", author makes a fundamental assertion which is - "One becomes creative ony by seeking out and exploring. There is no such being as a born a creative". He outlines 7 stages through which one can develop his/creativity and turn it at will:
1. Learning - Always keep learning. No one becomes creative from knowing nothing. The best way to learn is to learn from experts- People who have been there and done that. Mentorship takes work in terms of keeping your involved and interested in a reciprocal relationship.
2. Thinking- What does your mind drift most frequently towards? Identify that, work on it and see how it sticks. Nothing that you find uninteresting is worth pursuing deeper.
3. Seeking - Keep probing in and jot down questions pertaining to areas of interest. For eg: if public speaking is an area of interest, keep watching presentations and identify how the delivery was, what was the central point being conveyed, did the message standout clear, was it humorous and engaging etc. The more you ask questions, the more you learn.
4. Focussing- Become an expert in the field of interest. Find every chance you can wield your expertise and get better.
5. Knowing- Think small and identify the gaps in terms of how the world works and how it can possibly work better. Seek out other experts and use them to get better and vice-versa.
6. Creating- Identify people, places and things that foster creativity. Seek out solitude to get to know yourself better.
7. Living- Always try and learn something from everyone you meet. This makes the interaction humane, genuine and interesting. The world is wide open and the time is too short to learn everything on your own.
This book was a quick read and wonderful reinforcement of certain fundamentals that are obvious but overlooked in the hustle of the day to day life. If you want to watch the content instead of reading the book, do check out this video.
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