ASHIM

Two insights amazed me:
1. How long back this was written, and its so simple
2. The difficulties Kafka faced when he tried to pursue his calling, and how well its portrayed in the absurd setting of him being metamorphosised to an insect

I'd have given more stars if I could.
I found this book to be addictive, because of many reasons. It dived so deep into an athlete's mind, that at times I felt i was reading my own journal (had i ever written it). It dissected the key moments in the journey not just into what happened in the physical world, but the mental world as well. It is an honest illustration of the world of shooting, an Olympian's journey and India's sports ecosystem.
It made me regret not choosing sport as a profession.

Simple worded, structured and actionable book with relatable examples from my daily life.
The examples and practical solutions helped me realise that my implementation techniques were hazy and not clear. I was solving for way too many variables, solving for things I should not be, and expecting too much energy to be spent on too many habits. The examples and techniques are, I think, going to help me optimize and simplify the process.
Oh, and the stories of people who experimented were helpful reminders to me that experimentation is important.

Kind of disappointed. The first part felt more like a defense and rant to the world, although it did have some very interesting stories and facts that were fascinating to me. The second part is more of generic principles which can be found in most books. Nevertheless, no regrets. Brought me closer to the world of f1!

An absolutely amazing book - focuses on how learning and acquiring skills is more important than early specialization. Promotes sampling and experimentation. Not that it actively negates specialization, but says there are deep merits of gaining wide experience before you dive deep into something. I am convinced that early starts aren't well thought out. One of my favourite lines that resonate with me:

The question i set out to explore was how to capture and cultivate the power of breadth, diverse experience and interdisciplinary exploration within systems that increasingly demand hyperspecialization and would have you decide what you should be before first figuring out who you are.

Compare yourself to yourself yesterday, not to younger people who aren't you. Everyone progresses at a different rate, everyone started from a different place, everyone has struggles or obstacles that the world doesn't know about so don't let anyone make you feel behind. You probably don't even know exactly where you're going, so feeling behind doesn't help. Instead, as Herminia Ibarra suggested for the proactive pursuit of match quality, start planning experiments. Your personal version of Friday night or Saturday morning experiments.

The lightness and simplicity of this book are great. You really start to form a 3 dimensional blueprint of the hotel in your head, as well as the characters nuanced qualities.
However, there was no hook in the story for me so at times I felt forced to read on.

For work!

Fortunate enough to say that I read this for work.

I was able to look into the Odia culture through the short stories in this book. What are the daily habits, beliefs, injustices, thinking of the people across multiple decades. I have a few favourite ones as well, and I'm happy to share them but more importantly I realized the power of short stories as well as developed an appreciation for a part of India which I haven't ever visited (surprisingly).

Back to reading.
The start is motivational as it's about a young woman, based out of North India, who chased her curiosity to travel and do what she wanted to do. She left her corporate job, sold all her possessions and started to travel. I liked this part as it was catharsis for me, in a way looking for inspiration to do the same haha.
However, the chapters don't weave into a compelling story so it's difficult to keep your interest for a long span of time.

Good classic. New learnings and perspectives.

The content, writing style seems more relevant for a play adaptation. Or maybe the original, Japanese version is better. But this did not work for me.

Recommended for people trying to better understand themselves.
Also helps to realise the importance of therapy.

I'll be honest - I couldn't predict who the murderer was.

Such a big, fat book is my first, and I think my brain is sweating inside. Great sci-fi plot based on real life star systems in our universe. Character detailing, storyline and action sequences are great to read, fun too (what else are you going to do in 800 pages right?!) But it got a little extra for me.

Amazing build-up and suspense!!
A gripping murder mystery that starts to converge so quickly from the second half and keeps you on the edge, wanting to know, so eagerly, who the killer is.

Great read for people interested in data around football - the new developments, new metrics to understand the game and the people & companies making a difference.
It's primarily focused around German clubs, but gives examples from around the globe. Players and clubs that you wouldn't have heard of. It really shows how many football decisions in the future will be influenced using data, even more than they currently are.

Inspiring and motivating real life tale. Can't add more value to what has already been said of Phil Knight and Nike. I'd just say - go read it. You'll be pumped!

This book really helps you understand, segment and prioritize the internal thoughts while playing tennis. How your consciousness keeps telling your sub consciousness to correct things if you make an error. The result? It leads to you just focusing on that one particular stroke and particular muscles, eventually hampering the shot.
It asks you to trust your sub consciousness. It tells you to learn strokes not by words but by experience and visualization.
It also provides techniques to improve focus during points and between points, as well as advice on physical techniques.

Given a sports book, felt it could be illustrative to convey better.