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Book Review - Petit a Petit : Little by Little

 


Title - Petite a Petit : Little by Little
Author - Ambica Uppal
Genre - Poems
Publisher - Notion Press
ISBN - 978-1646509539

This is a collection of 75 poems which would make a worthy read. The poems are centered on themes like self-love, self-confidence and most importantly taking life into your own hands(wordings as per the poetess/author which I don't have any right to change and hence mentioning it as it is). So, the message is loud and clear. The poems that find its mention in this book aren't mere words but a powerful compilation which would slowly take you into the author's world, which isn't an illusion...

I like dreading all of them but wanted to mention about a few in order to prove that my praising over these aren't exaggerated but is driven by the magnetic lines which is definitely worth your time and money. To begin with, I must mention that the book is divided into 5 parts and each part carries few poems under it's head. They are:

Petit a Petit - 10 Poems

The magic that you hold - 16 Poems

Look within - 24 Poems

Bloom - 6 Poems

Dream on - 19 Poems


For some, I am mentioning only a very few lines/extracts from the actual poem which leaves an everlasting impression on the mind of the readers.


Topic - Petit a Petit


Let’s change the narrative - One of the poem I liked the most


Don’t grow thorns

Just because you couldn’t grow flowers. Don’t freeze

Just because you couldn’t melt.

There’s more than what meets the eyes That can be touched and felt.

~More colours than black and white


Things will change for the better - A need of the hour poem since the entire world is under a lock down with so much of stress and other issues which has impacted many individuals and businesses worldwide.




Topic - The magic that you hold


Letting in the ray of belief in your day And creating a place where darkness Cannot stay.

~Belief, that dose of magic


For all you need

Is your own magic

To wipe away all your griefs

~The magic that you hold


You don’t decide which side you are on.

When the rainbow sings its magical song, The clouds may burst on the side where you Stand

Or on the opposite side of the dry land.

~Life happens


Phoenix - This poem has some real powerful wordings which would influence he readers, for sure.




Topic - Look within


“It’s something that drives away the blues.”

He told me to see my life as a canvas

That I can paint in with my form of art And any point in life is a good start!

~You are the painter of the canvas of your life


There’s much courage wrapped

In your life’s tale.

Share it forward.

It may be that wind beneath someone’s Sail!

~You have the universe within yourself


Evolve - One of the other poems, I liked the most under this heading.


In fact, the poems that were covered under this were more intense compared to other poems. Hence do not miss it and this section would require additional concentration/time to read.




Topic - Bloom


Don’t push your heart to the ground When it’s meant to fly.

Don’t listen to gravity,

It’s telling you a lie.

~Fly, my friend, fly


Close the doors to hate

And open them to the opportunities, Yes, with every sunrise.

~Bloom!


The poems under this topic are short and quick read. 




Topic - Dream on


Give your dreams wings.

Let them fly.

Whoever tells you otherwise Is telling you a lie.

~Dream on


The nights will glide

And burst in light,

Giving birth to a brand-new day!

~Tomorrow is another day


Today, you have fame.

Tomorrow, no one may even know your name.

Today, your heart may jump high with joy. Tomorrow, the slightest thing may annoy

~Tomorrow will be a new day


How true are these lines ๐Ÿ‘†


Don’t overthink is a thought provoking poem. 


My overall impression is - Ambica Uppal has penned some of the most beautiful poems which also has the intensity coupled with reality making you to realize your potential and not to get bogged down by few incidents/events since world is a better place to live. I loved her writing style which is different and is well complemented with some beautiful illustrations which were done by herself along with Anika Sagar and Ashween Kaur Lamba. These illustrations are a real good ones and gives additional support to the poems wherever it has found its place.



This book is available on Amazon in both Paperback and eBook formats.


Book Review - Jujube : The Journey to Joyful Being

 


Title - Jujube : The Journey to Joyful Being
Author - P C Balasubramanian
Genre - Personality Development / Self Help
Publisher - NotionPress
ASIN - B08DJDWTH8

This is the 5th book by the author. The other four were Grand Brand Rajini, Rajini's Punchtantra, Ready...Steady...Exit and A Drizzle in the Desert. I had an opportunity to review A Drizzle in the Desert.

The title of this book is an intriguing one. Isn't it? Firstly, you might be able to reconnect it with the Sweet/Fruit you would have had when you were a kid and secondly, if you are a fan of Super Star Rajinikanth, you would have heard him using this word in some of his movies.

When I started reading it, I noticed something unique about this book. Yes. It is the way, the book was presented. Though the content may not be new, the way it is presented would make you read and retrospect. What makes this book stand apart from others are the following factors:

1. Each chapter begins with a quote from a famous personality, which corresponds to the title/chapter.
2. Each chapter is further subdivided into three divisions namely:
a. Their Way
b. My Way and
c. Your Way

After a brief introduction about the chapter, author makes a comparison of how those were done by a famous personality(Their Way) viz a viz himself(My Way) and he raises few questions to us - the readers as to what we did and what we missed(Your Way).

This book is applicable for all ages but I would personally recommend it to the youngsters especially the ones in the teens because it is they who would need to understand the nuances and the seriousness of the subject discussed in this book in a subtle manner.

Author clearly mentions that this book is not meant to be preachy but to remind you to count your blessings and experience unadulterated joy. The book is divided into 30 chapters and each of them are unique in their own way.  I am not mentioning all of them but a few which includes:

1. More time with family
2. Meeting friends periodically
3. Pick up a hobby
4. Start Reading
5. Revive Old Friendships (may go with point 2)
6. Hit the beach, hills or mountains often
7. Dress up differently. Change our wardrobe
8. Some act of kindness - as a practice
9. Teach others
10. Meet the Old and Very Young People in the family (and last but not the least)
11. Visit stores that you normally don't

As you could see, many of these are the common ones which you could relate to. In fact, I myself had lot of memories when I was reading this book wherein I made it a habit as long as I was in Chennai to meet my friends in the morning during Diwali rather than siting in front of the television and spending time with them. I also have multiple hobbies and good to see that being mentioned in the book as well. Also, it is this lock down which helped me revive some old friendships where I searched online and found a school friend of mine after 25 years and though he is settled in the U.S, he is very much happy to connect. I also had few online meet with my college friends who I had never met in a decade. 

Don't we all agree that we visited our age old kirana stores when the lock down was introduced since many of the online retailers fail to deliver?

How did it feel?

Were you able to recollect the faces of the shopkeeper(we fondly call them as "Annachi")?

Do we need a lock down to do all these things? I certainly don't think so....

So, what are you waiting for? Pick up this book first. read it. You know where you need to improve or which pointer should be implemented. Continue doing the things you are good at and focus on things you missed, all these days....

This book is available on Amazon in eBook and Paperback formats. This is also available on Odyssey and on NotionPress website.

Book Review - Waves, Sand & Magic

 


Title - Waves, Sand & Magic
Author - Neeraja Kona
Genre - Poems
Publisher - Notion Press
ISBN - 978-1-64850-968-1

This book is a collection of 101 poems which would make you read them over and over again. I could see the difference(in terms of approach) in each and every poem though the subject is more or less the same. When you write so many poems, it is always difficult to maintain the rhythm/tempo but Neeraja has not failed to impress with each and every poem showing the consistency.

Though I would like to mention all the poems, I would not do it because it is you - the readers who need to buy a copy, to appreciate her writing. If only I wasn't married, I might have used some of them to woo my girl( of course with the permission of the author) .

Among all of them, I liked these poems(in no particular order):

1. Movie
2. Dare
3. Feel
4. One Word
5. Blur
6. Only You
7. Airport
8. Hand
9. Simplicity
10. Not
11. Choose
12. Us
13. Warning
14. Lovers and
15. Tattoo

I wouldn't be mentioning all the above poems but only couple of them here and give some description about a few.

3. Feel

"I feel your presence in your absence" Me

15. Tattoo

"Tattoos are like a road map
To a story untold
Of a story once lived"
Me

Don't they appeal to your senses and invoke interest automatically to read all of them? It did to me and I finished reading them all in one stretch.

Each poem is accompanied by a beautiful and a thought provoking picture which perfectly complements the poem as is as beautiful as the poem itself.

I felt deeply moved by the poem "Airport" since it made me realize what I was missing all these days(as I was a frequent flyer prior to the lock down) and I am sure, it would do the similar thing to your senses as well.

The usage of "Me" at the end of each poem also has a significance. Read the epilogue to find our more about this.

A perfect attempt by the author which would surely appeal to all who love poems or the ones who love reading content about LOVE/EMOTIONS and is a perfect gift material especially during the V-Day. Mark it on your wish list on Amazon so that you can order them just before that day.


This book is available on Amazon

Book Review - Dear River : Love, Loss & Spirituality

 




Book Title -Dear River : Love, Loss & Spirituality

Author - Heather Drummond

Genre - Spiritual

Publisher - Directory Publishers

ISBN - 978-1616113209



This book is certainly one of its kind. Though this book is an autobiography which naturally means is based on true accounts, you would never feel bored because of the contents it has to offer which is Universal. This book is written by Heather Drummond to pass on her knowledge and learning to her son River. She is married happily to Garth Drummond. Though this book was written in 2011 before the arrival of Dune(second kid of the author), the content stands good till date.


The book has 90 chapters with 240 pages (no chapter is lengthier than 4 pages except 2). The book encompasses ideologies from Christianity, Christian Science coupled with Yoga and Meditation which she learned from The Art Of Living.


To start with, I liked this quote in the book:


All these practices, all the knowledge in the world is available to you from an infinite amount of places


Heather's Parents divorced when she was 2.Fortunately, she had a nice Step father who was Non alcoholic. Her mother was so good that she adopted an old man - Uncle Johnny who lived with them for 15 years. 


Author was good at Tennis, Swimming & Hockey. Played Hockey for Zimbabwe. After her education, she went to London to work in Guinness. Scotland, Ireland, Portugal, France, Spain, Germany, Italy & then to Mauritius. You would know how successful she was, when you read her book.

Its time to see one of the quotes that I liked, yet again:


“We should look to our past a little as we do our rear view mirrors when driving. We will never go forward, if we keep looking behind us”


Talks about BAD Touch in chapter 2. I guess this is the need of the hour. The reference of Yesterday - History : Tomorrow - Mystery : Today - Gift may be old but would still make you smile.


Her meeting with her soulmate(Garth is a vegetarian and a teetotaler)  happened casually and the SMS that changed their spiritual journey is this -> 


“We are not human beings having spiritual experience but spiritual being having human experience”. 


There is another quote which is worth mentioning here:

“God is everywhere & nothing apart from HIM is present or has power”, Mary Baker Eddy


Einstein’s chapter was a great revelation . It is from here, the book starts getting intense. So, buckle up and get ready to immerse yourself with contents which is full of reality and wisdom.


Do you know what are the 5 love languages?


Do you know the significance of AUM?


What is Meditation?


Another quote which found its place in the book is definitely worth its mention:


A mind is like a parachute. It doesn’t work if it is not open - Frank Zappa


Author faces a real bad experience when she flies in a business class. Even she had a miscarriage, she felt that Nothing is lost in God’s Kingdom”. How many of us would have felt that same, had an unfortunate event like this had happened? I sincerely pray that this wouldn't happen to any but shows the positive mindset of the author.


The book finds mention about:

Satsang

Lord Shiva's Trishul

Sattvic, Rajasic and Tamasic foods

Aayurveda

Vatta, Pitta, Kapha and its association with the body

Five Elements and how they are connected to our body

Circumcision 

Yoga and its types

Benefits of Yoga

The Seven Chakras

Five Horses and Pancha Koshas

Seven Synonyms to describe God in Christian Science etc are certainly worth the read.


Author is of the opinion that “GOD is beyond religion, beyond idols, beyond books & beyond temples” and comfortable with God being called in different names but believes on one God, one higher intelligence who is infinite & diverse

The reason as to why she did not have her marriage in the Church is rational. The theme was “a touch of the east”


“The highest form of ignorance is when you reject something you don’t know anything about” by Wayne Dyer is a classic quote in the book when author faces an awkward situation in a church in Harare where she wanted to teach course for Art of Living


Everything is an expression of God says the author. How true is that....


Author was a part of AOL Silver Jubilee Celebrations in Bangalore, 2006 where 2.5 million took part in the largest guided meditation in the history of mankind. There are few interesting stories that finds its mention in the book including that of Joshua Bell’s incognito performance at metro station organised by Washington Post.

A dedicated chapter which talks about the difference between Teacher & Guru is stupendous  and shouldn't be missed.


Do not miss reading - What are the obstacles on Spiritual Path?


How will I not mention the quote from The Guru - Sri Sri Ravishankar in this review - “Enlightenment is a joke. It’s like a fish in the ocean looking for the ocean” 

A perfect read which is applicable to all ages, people, culture and customs including atheists....


This book is available on Amazon in Kindle, Paperback and Audiobook formats.