Reading this book on business, cricket and religion, made me feel the author is truly running out of steam. With the same kind of plots like Five Point Someone or one night at call center, taking some current affairs around Ahmedabad a story was stringed. But you will find little or no true need to drag cricket to it. Somewhere it may make you feel that the author has tried to write a pre-defined plot. Or may be having a bollywood movie under the belt has made him write the next movie plot.
With all the great writing style the author has, as a book it's not worth the time. Avoid if you are not reading it just because you have nothing better to read.
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Go Kiss the World - Subroto Bagchi (2008)
Starting from very humble beginning making to founding president of one of the most respected companies of India is definitely an interesting story to read. I felt honored as particularly being from a state which has so less number of icons to read about someone who has achieved so much definitely was quite heartening. As much as I liked it as a story, I also felt there are pages of unsaid realities which the book has probably missed.
I see some big flaws in most autobiographies. They are always read only after someone achieves a level where it's difficult to question his judgment. For example, I got a feeling the management style of the set of individuals were so relationship oriented that for them to work in another management system or a transaction based MNC set up was hard to achieve.
Secondly, in the book Subroto has described at several places the fact that no one should consider the book as a person from very limited resources or person poor living conditions making it big. Rather it's from a person making big from simple beginnings. In fact, knowing and living in Orissa for all my childhood, I will say Subroto was probably one of the well to do families of Orissa in some sense. One of the brothers in the civil services, parents in judicial services has significant status in Orissa. A state where private sector was unheard of 15 years back and still countable job opportunity in private sector; public sector and govt are the largest employers in the state. Managing a family of 6 members with one income is never easy and most importantly a state like Orissa never even had the avenues to spend as much. I remember there used to be no more than five restaurants in whole of Bhubaneswar 20 year's back for a family outing unless you had enough to splurge in a star hotel. This is all about simple living as Subroto has rightly described in his book.
Like all the autobiographies I would say take as much as you can take from it. If somethings do not align to your viewpoint ignore. For example, I found the last parts of the book quite rhetoric where author tried to describe his management style and life philosophy. But it's understandable considering as an active professional and business icon people look upto him for some such tips. More over the negative emotions will typically be ignored in an autobiography due to obvious reasons. No one will ever know the relationship of the founders of Mindtree with the Wipro management nor what did Subroto achieved or could not at Lucent Bell labs.
But as a writer Subroto is a remarkable story teller. An unputdownable book and written in absolutely simple language yet very appealing.
I see some big flaws in most autobiographies. They are always read only after someone achieves a level where it's difficult to question his judgment. For example, I got a feeling the management style of the set of individuals were so relationship oriented that for them to work in another management system or a transaction based MNC set up was hard to achieve.
Secondly, in the book Subroto has described at several places the fact that no one should consider the book as a person from very limited resources or person poor living conditions making it big. Rather it's from a person making big from simple beginnings. In fact, knowing and living in Orissa for all my childhood, I will say Subroto was probably one of the well to do families of Orissa in some sense. One of the brothers in the civil services, parents in judicial services has significant status in Orissa. A state where private sector was unheard of 15 years back and still countable job opportunity in private sector; public sector and govt are the largest employers in the state. Managing a family of 6 members with one income is never easy and most importantly a state like Orissa never even had the avenues to spend as much. I remember there used to be no more than five restaurants in whole of Bhubaneswar 20 year's back for a family outing unless you had enough to splurge in a star hotel. This is all about simple living as Subroto has rightly described in his book.
Like all the autobiographies I would say take as much as you can take from it. If somethings do not align to your viewpoint ignore. For example, I found the last parts of the book quite rhetoric where author tried to describe his management style and life philosophy. But it's understandable considering as an active professional and business icon people look upto him for some such tips. More over the negative emotions will typically be ignored in an autobiography due to obvious reasons. No one will ever know the relationship of the founders of Mindtree with the Wipro management nor what did Subroto achieved or could not at Lucent Bell labs.
But as a writer Subroto is a remarkable story teller. An unputdownable book and written in absolutely simple language yet very appealing.
The White Tiger - Arabind Adiga (2008)
It's always hard to review books which has been awarded or acclaimed by critics. The problem with such books is, it has appealed a good number of intellectual minds to be able to provide any negative commentary.
However, to me "The White Tiger" looked like just another novel. Not something that will need any special recognition. From rickshaw puller's son destined to work as a laborer to reach to the levels of a budding entrepreneur definitely adds the "Slumdog Millionaire" element to it. I sometimes find it repulsive when authors compare various country's political and social plight in front of foreign nationals. Addressing the whole of Indian issues to the Chinese premier definitely brought out a negative element in the book. In the whole India Shining era some shortcuts to success has become reality but to claim that it exposes the underbelly of the IT boom in the sillicon city of India is a gross overstatement made by some critics.
Should one read the book?
The writing style is impeccable. The book can be read in just one sitting. You will find it a quasi-Slumdog Millionaire in some sense.
However, to me "The White Tiger" looked like just another novel. Not something that will need any special recognition. From rickshaw puller's son destined to work as a laborer to reach to the levels of a budding entrepreneur definitely adds the "Slumdog Millionaire" element to it. I sometimes find it repulsive when authors compare various country's political and social plight in front of foreign nationals. Addressing the whole of Indian issues to the Chinese premier definitely brought out a negative element in the book. In the whole India Shining era some shortcuts to success has become reality but to claim that it exposes the underbelly of the IT boom in the sillicon city of India is a gross overstatement made by some critics.
Should one read the book?
The writing style is impeccable. The book can be read in just one sitting. You will find it a quasi-Slumdog Millionaire in some sense.
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