The monthly Book recommendation is a short blog post/ newsletter I write to you on what books I read in the previous month and what I’ll be reading next. This month I could read 5 books (3 paperback and 2 Audiobooks).
Books I read in November 2021:
- The Power Of Now Eckhart Tolle –
A great book that reminds us of who we are. It was like therapy reading this book. The entire book rings truth no doubt. But I still think it’s overrated. That truth could be pointed out even clearer.
This book could be a great cover page for mandukhya Upanishad or any Advaitic texts for that matter. But the granularity at which those texts point to truth is way beyond this book’s attempt to do the same. And the funny thing is the author never mentions those texts, I’m unaware of whether he knows them or not. If he had read, he either wouldn’t write this book, or his book would be titled ‘Commentary to Advaita’. And the meditation he offers is just a cut-off layer from the Advaitic meditation. Ok, I’ll stop whining about the book being overrated. But I’ll tell you this, if you just know the 5 koshas of the human body and consciously experience and eliminate them one by one, you’ll be the consciousness, the eternal, Brahman! The author says only 2/5 body and energy. And if you know the true essence of Advaita, you’ll already know the 3 states of being and the Turyam, you’ll know the 4 parts of Om, you’ll know the essence of love.
Space, time, silence, love, these are all just by-products of knowing the truth. People have made it a bestseller, overrated, just by knowing these by-products. I wonder if they got to know the truth, straight. I’ve decided I’ll not read another spiritual book that’s on the bestseller list, especially a book from a West author
2. The Art Of Practicing By Madeline Bruser – A decent book. Has probably few points you didn’t know as a musician, if you are already a performing musician. For beginners, this might be good, because the author talk about the posture and basics of movements. But more than teach you anything new, this book makes you conscious to and of practice.
3. How To Train Your Mind by Chris Bailey (Audiobook) – This book is a must for those people who think ‘meditation is not their thing’. At least it will make you realise, you’ve got to have this habit in your day. Even though meditation has a lots of benefits other than squeezing your productivity, this book gives you scientific data, actual numbers, to show you how beneficial is meditation on your productivity. The author guides the beginners on ways of meditation, how to sit, what to sit on, etc.
4. Influence by Robert Cialdini – A great book! Every entrepreneur must read this book. Because knowing people’s psychology is a huge part to any business. In this book, the author talks about key elements that you require to persuade people to do what you want them to do. And by that, he also tells you how you have to beware of such persuasion tactics used by others on you.
5. Smarter Faster Better by Charles Duhigg (Audiobook) – Best book of the month. Since I had opted listen the author’s first book – ‘The Power Of Habit’, I did the same for his second book as I had very much enjoyed the first one, and it was very so much filled in value. Even though I didn’t feel intense cognitive pleasure out of this book as much as I did with the previous one, it was still a great listen! Great value too. The favorite part of Charles Duhigg’s books, for me, is that he uses real life examples, narrating their story, parallel to what he’s trying to explain. From creativity out of desperation of the FROZEN (movie) team to best worker’s model at one of the most productive automobile factories.
Enjoyed reading all of them. Now let’s come to my book list for next month.
Books I plan on reading next:
- Viveka Choodamani ( Commentary by Sri Chandrashekhara Bharathi)
- Eight Upanishads (with Commentary by Shankaracharya) by Swami Ghambirananda
- Quiet by Susan Cain
- Outliers by Malcom Gladwell
- 10% Happier by Dan Harris
- The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho
My Book Update:
- Utterly unproductive month, haven’t done anything.
- In fact, have thought of not publishing my book at all.
- My brain is scared to face the fact that nobody buys my book, in other words, the failure of the book. But I’m glad that it’s at least not in the delusion of the book’s success.
Let me know what are you reading currently and what are your favorite books of all time!
Thank You,
Yours Loving,
Sanath Kumar Naibhi
