SBenegaL

Category: book reviews

  • The Polyester Prince – Hamish McDonald

    I had got hold of this book from Mumbai road side when I was doing my internship, but had never set reading it until the beginning of this year. And even after I began reading this, I had a lot of distractions which hadn’t let me complete the book earlier. Again the long weekends and frequent travels I have been doing off late have given me ample time to really spend time with my books, and that is how I got to complete this book.
    The book talks about he era of – Dhirubhai Ambani. One of the icons of Indian business. What I loved the most was not the narration, but the links I could see to the history of India post Independence. Having born in this country with rich traditions approximately 35 years after we had gained independence, I have for a long time missed knowing how this country functioned and operated before my birth. I had another agenda when I began reading this book which is about the life of another entrepreneur.
    This book has got me to realize not just the hardships Dhirubhai had to face, but also got me to realize how it was to live in an era of license raj. This book also gave me a peep into the importance of policitical back up for a business when its in a phase of scaline up.
    Over all an interestin read! You would enjoy it, if you are interested in the business-politico history of a country.

  • Plunnge – Rakesh Godwani

    When I completed reading my last book – Simply fly; I was looking for something light and quick read. I had borrowed this book – Plunnge by a collegue of mine at IIMB – Rakesh Godwani, so began reading this.
    The long weekend was an ideal time to start off a this book and I must admit, its a pretty engaging read! I was quick to acknowlege it to him on his Facebook wall saying I was enjoying the read.
    Given that the book as a set of 15 short real life stories about people who dared to “reinvent” themselves by taking the “plunge”. The short crisp stories with a learning that Rakesh has picked up was very usefull to reitererate the lessons learnt – a good style!
    I also see that Rakesh has made an attempt to creating a theory here, and has used the different stories to evolve the theory. This differentiates it from just a lot of stories of people who took a differnt path or plunge; there are numerous lessons that Rakesh has put across in the book, and I wouldnt break the suspense out here.
    For a first book, I must admit this is a great start – waiting for more Rakesh. When is the next one coming up?
    Go grab this book and read it!

  • Simply fly – Captain Gopinath

    Its been quite a long time since I had completed reading any book, and this long weekend gave me some time for this cherished activity – reading (4 days!)
    Stories of entrepreneurs have always excited me. My list of books too indicate the same. This one was special as it was gifted by Intel for me having spoken at one of their promotional events.
    When I began reading this book, the narration took me back to some of the childhood menories of my village – the fun and frolic; I had experienced as a kid. The narration of the various phases of life and challenges that Captain Gopinath experienced has been really captivating.
    The part of the book I loved the most was where Captain is out to set up Deccan Aviation – initially the helicopter and later on the Air planes. What got me involved so much with it was the scale of the operation that was attempted and especially when Captain started off with nothing! Hats off!
    Captain ends the book about his current baby – the end-to-end logistics company. Wish him all the best.
    Personally my respect for Capt Gopinath has grown after I have read this book and wish I could meet him some time in life.
    Dont miss reading this book – a whole host of experience to gain from!

  • The Undercover Economist – Tim Harford

    I began reading this book while traveling on my Business Development activities as part of my first start up – that was more than a year and half ago. I was only able to complete this book today through random bursts reading while on travel. I generally love reading books while traveling and not sitting at a place – this book was just perfect – Reading and relating to the surrounding I see is a very useful way of learning economics.

    When I was first suggested this book by my friend who had completed reading the book – I wasn’t very clear as to why “This” book on economics. Undercover Economist is just awesome! – for anyone with little economic sense like me this book is an eye-opener. The reviews on the hind cover are very true; as David Bodanis says – “is like spending an ordinary day wearing X-ray goggles”; this book really gives you valuable insights and gets one understanding the reasons behind the way things work.

    Beginning from a simple example highlighting the scarcity power and its relation to the coffee one could purchase, Tim moves on to highlight not just the daily activities and phenomena through economics but also deals with the externalities, taxation, globalization and finally ends with a very neat insight into the way China has risen to an economic super power of today. Free from details that could be got elsewhere from if one needs this gives a very useful reference frame for activities in our society.

    This book is worth being in the library of everyone who is interested in gaining an insight on the daily functioning of an organization with the best of economics being clarified in it. It’s definitely a “Must Read” for everyone.

  • PuranagaLalli Management – B R Ravindanath

    Indians have been the temple of knowledge from time immemorial, it has been only in the recent past (around 500 years) that we have forgotten our routes and aped the west to such an extent that we today believe they are better off at science and management that us. I don’t intend to have a post on that at the moment as it would make a diversion from what I really want to do – review this awesome book. Its a translation of the the English book – wirtten by Dr Devdat Patnaik.

    “PuranagaLalli Management” – meaning Managament in the Purana’s is a Kannada book by Sri B R Ravindranath. The book as the title suggest sight some of the key learnings that one could pick from the Purana – the books that state numerous stories. Though this book gives as much knowledge as possible in its 18 chapter with some amalgamation of cases in the chapter it looks like there is much more one could look out for in terms of management from these books. None the less these lessons here are worth a note. The

    In the chapters the author Sri Ravirndanath gets out most of the dilemma that the modern manager/leader has to face.
    1. How important are rules and regulations/discipline – where should one draw the line?
    2. The possible meaning behind the incarnations of Lord Vishnu & the significance to the pictorial depictions of the lord.
    3. The priority that Indian’s attach to the verbal communication over other means.
    4. How to frame rules and when to start amending them to the betterment of purpose.
    5. The rule of nature vs the thought process of humans
    6. The fear of a leader and the failure of execution
    7. Importance of sabbatical to prepare for the larger challenges of life.
    8. There are no right answers they are all situational (so make your choices based on the situation)
    9. Dominance of mental power over physical power
    10. Delegation and its effective skills
    11. Importance of recruitment and induction
    12. Knowledge management & its significance
    13. Keep your eyes on the purpose don’t be derailed by insignificant distractions
    14. Every action has both direct and indirect benefits – focus on the over all enhancement not short term, that would stand in good stead.
    15. Standardization or Variation – make the balance carefully
    16. Significance of being human in approach.
    17. Avoid options which lead you to a confusing state.
    18. There is more to what you see – be empathetical

    As I said more, just these points I listed down won’t limit our understanding – there more… its time we explore and understand the significance of these.

  • The Leader Who Had No Title
    I have been an avid follower of Robin Sharma’s books for over five years now, since I first read the book – “The Monk who Sold his Ferrari”. His narration has been a constant source of inspiration which pushes me into action every moment. This book is another to the series.
    Unlike the Monk who sold his Ferrari and its sequel which had the “Monk” as the main character across the books, this book – “The Leader Who Had No Title” takes a war veteran as the protagonist and narrates using the trauma he goes through. He finds his mentor in an old friend of his father who leaves a life changing experience for this young lad. The story then revolves around the protagonist meeting other mentors and learning the essential features which make one a leader with out title.
    The lessons that the book gives could be encapsulated with some of the following acronyms:
    You need no Title to be a Leader
    I – importance of innovation
    M- mastery
    A – authenticity
    G – guts needed for business
    E – ethics

    Turbulent Times Build Great Leader
    S – Speak with Candor
    P – Prioritize
    A – Adversity breeds Opportunity
    R – Respond versus react
    K – Kudos to offer
    The Deeper your Relations, the Stronger Your Leadership
    H – Helpfulness
    U – Understanding
    M – Mingle
    A – Amuse
    N – Nurture
    To be a Great Leader, First Become a great Person
    S – See Clearly
    H – Health is Wealth
    I – Inspiration Matters
    N – Neglect Not your Family
    E – Elevate your Lifestyle
    With his usual style of writing, the book is studded with a lot of quotes – these are worth a treasure!

  • How to Become CEO – Jeffrey J. Fox

    A very quick read, encapsulates all the important rules that one would need to follow to get to being a CEO.
    Jeffrey who is a Harvard Graduate, gives us 75 tips towards being successful as CEOs. Many of these are counter intuitive at times but worth a read, and get done with reading very quickly. I could read the book in plain 3 hrs!.
    The rules suggested in this book give you an essential hint to the alternate way in which one would need to work towards reaching ones goal (yes thatz one of the rules too), not through the political way to get there.
    A must read if you have the ambition of being a CEO!

  • Flip – PeterSheahen

    “Flip” is an awesome book! thats my take – thanks to the match of ideologies that I have with the author – Peter Sheahan
    The book deal about the importance of embracing change, adapting oneself instead of brooding and trying to deny the reality.
    The book talks about the four forces –
    • compression
    • complexity
    • accountability
    • expectation
    as the primary drivers of the turbulent change we see in the environment.
    The remaining chapters deal with how to handle these fore factors – important keys among these being
    • Be all of fast, good, cheap and more…
    • Business is personal
    • There is no wisdom in crowds (they are important to validate not to help you innovate. innovation happens of the fringes)
    • To get control, give it up
    • Action precedes clarity
    Pete provides sufficient information and evidence to support his claim and argument, and convinces the reader about the need to change. I can use quite a bit of these in my examples.
    Initial part of the book looked a bit boring, but then as the book picked up each of the four factors the excitement was on the ascent and only left me hungry for more.
    People trying to get an answer from the turbulent environment we exist in today, here is an useful aid.

  • Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman! – Richard P. Feynman

    The sub title of the book says – “Adventures of a Curious Mind”.
    Feynman, a Genius in many ways, a noble laureate, a Musician, an artist, a pranksters, and much more. The sub-title aptly summarizes the book.
    The book is about Feynman’s curious mind. The human mind is inherently curious; but curiosity invariably gets deprived if we don’t encourage ourselves to go ahead and explore the opportunity that curiosity offer.
    Feynman did exactly that, enjoy what ever his mind thought about. The book is a narration of these encounters of a curious mind. The best take away for me is to be able to build on a curiosity and convert it into an option/opportunity.
    In case you are in a state of deliberation with one of the curious pranks/attempts of the mind; go read this book! am quite sure you would love to get going with your attempt than think too much about the options that are available…void of curiosity.

  • Making Breakthrough Innovation Happen – Porus Munshi

    It has been long since I completed a book. I generally read multiple books at a time and the one that catches my interest the most is the one which gets completed the earliest.
    Entrepreneurship is so much about keeping yourself inspired and at the required task most of the time. Books are probably the best source of inspiration and this book
    “Making Breakthrough Innovation Happen”, is probably amongst the top few books in the category.
    Its a book about India and Indians who made a dent in the history of innovation. It the story of 11 companies/individual who made the impossible. Its definitely worth a read. Take a personal copy I would not share mine!
    The instances in the book are:
    Dainik Bhaskar
    Arvind Eye Hospital
    CavinKare
    ITC-IBD
    Bosch India
    Trichi Police
    Chola Vehicle Finance
    Titan Edge
    Shanta Biotech
    The Surath Transformation
    Su-Kam
    Each of these stories are so inspiring and get you on your feet and in action… It makes you feel better. This book would always remain to have a special impact on my life and will hold a special place.