Book Review: When Things Fall Apart

“However, no matter what the size , color, or shape is, the point is still to lean toward the discomfort of life and see it clearly rather than to protect ourselves from it”

When Things Fall Apart, is a comforting and substantial guide for anyone who has ever felt at odds with life. Pema Chödrön patiently walks the reader through the idea of embracing uncertainty with compassion. Her advice is gentle and rooted in the realities of life.

Chödrön begins her book by explaining that the moments when the ground is pulled from beneath our feet bring with them an opportunity to grow. She urges the reader to grab this opportunity instead of running away from it. This will mean facing the discomfort and fears of groundlessness, Chödrön contends that this is the essence of living. Therein lies the comfort of the book, the acknowledgement that tough times are an integral part of the human experience. They should not be hidden away and associated with a sense of shame. Instead, if we embrace them we can learn to stay calm, productive and kind through the storms.

Chödrön’s writing is grounded in the practical experience of being in a tough spot. Her advice is not abstract even if it is alluding to spiritual concepts and/or Buddhist principles. She guides the reader through the steps of meditating and of practicing compassion. Chödrön discusses how we might forget some of these learnings when the next moment of groundlessness strikes. She leaves the reader with a sense of forgiveness, compassion and direction. In sum, giving them with a set of tools and insights to accept the uncertainties of existence with grace and maitri (Loving-Kindness)

The book is simultaneously comforting and actionable. This makes it appealing to everyone seeking some gentle but effective insights. Chödrön’s words communicate a sense of empathy and conversation. They helped me identify with various situations in the book and realize that her advice was more of an invitation to practice than a quick-fix pain killer. I would recommend this book to anyone who is seeking to learn or to develop their perspective of the human experience.

Book Review: How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big

“Persistence is useful, but there’s no point being an idiot about it.”

Scott Adams, the man behind the famous Dilbert comic, has an honest conversation about the pursuit of a healthy and successful life in his book How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big. Adams describes his many failures and how they paved the way for him to become the successful speaker, author and cartoonist that he is today.

Adams explicitly lists his many failures and describes his successes, especially in the first part of the book. He does so brilliantly, being sagacious without belittling himself. Thus, reeling in his reader. His advice is thought provoking and rarely prescriptive. He focuses on describing what works for him and why he thinks that it can work for the reader as well. This lends a conversational flow to the book.

Adams is also very comprehensive in his advice. He does not limit himself to professional or academic situations, his winning strategy encompasses the pursuit of happiness, food & exercise habits, affirmations, party-conversations and behavioral observations as well. On each topic, he is succinct, thorough and frank. He is very clear about when he is describing something that works for him and might work for the reader (such as affirmations and food habits) and when he is stating a rule that can be reasonably generalized (such as behavioral observations and the importance of correct grammar). As a reader, this leaves you with many different ways in which you could learn from Adams’ intelligence, observations and experiences.

Personally, I found the book to be compelling and engaging. I would recommend it to anyone looking for some practical motivation. The book reminded me that working towards maintaining a healthy, introspective and ambitious lifestyle will drastically increase my likelihood of success, something that can be forgotten if the daily humdrum takes over.