Abhishek's bookshelf: all en-US Wed, 01 Jan 2025 08:15:31 -0800 60 Abhishek's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[The Psychological Safety Playbook: Lead More Powerfully by Being More Human]]> 75562126
Every employee, at every level, wants to feel seen, heard, and respected. If we don't feel safe, we can't be our best selves or do our most creative work. This is why leaders must ensure psychological safety for everyone in their team. Whether you're a manager, CEO, or entrepreneur, The Psychological Safety Playbook is the guide you need to lead your team to the highest levels of performance and innovation.

The Psychological Safety Playbook invites you to explore twenty-five specific actions that will create more psychological safety in your workplace. These are all moves that every leader can adopt and practice. Each move features a description of why to try it, instructions on how to do it, and a nutshell summary. You can start anywhere in the playbook—all the plays and moves are self-contained!

Written by Karolin Helbig, a highly respected executive mindset coach with a doctorate in human genetics and extensive consulting experience, and Minette Norman, a sought-after leadership consultant with thirty years of experience in the tech sector, The Psychological Safety Playbook is the essential guide for leaders who are committed to fostering psychological safety in their teams.

In their combined years of business and applied practice, the authors have continually observed how creating a high-performing, innovative workforce starts with building a foundation of respect and shared humanity. When we hold back our true thoughts because we're afraid of the consequences, everyone misses out. By contrast, when we can ask a naïve question, propose a wild idea, or share our honest emotions—that's when psychological safety fuels team performance.]]> 166 Karolin Helbig 1774583097 Abhishek 3 4.19 The Psychological Safety Playbook: Lead More Powerfully by Being More Human
author: Karolin Helbig
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.19
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/31
date added: 2025/01/01
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]]> <![CDATA[Official History of Operations in Jammu & Kashmir (1947-48)]]> 29541690 418 S.N. Prasad 8181580532 Abhishek 0 to-read 3.86 Official History of Operations in Jammu & Kashmir (1947-48)
author: S.N. Prasad
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.86
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/12/24
shelves: to-read
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]]> <![CDATA[Answers to Questions Most Frequently Asked about Organization Development]]> 2299321 200 Philip G. Hanson 080395204X Abhishek 1 2.33 1995 Answers to Questions Most Frequently Asked about Organization Development
author: Philip G. Hanson
name: Abhishek
average rating: 2.33
book published: 1995
rating: 1
read at: 2024/10/05
date added: 2024/10/05
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]]> <![CDATA[Coffee Can Investing: The Low Risk Road to Stupendous Wealth]]> 38602142 288 Saurabh Mukherjea 067009045X Abhishek 2 I would still suggest to consult a good and reliable advisor before investing your money.
]]> 3.97 Coffee Can Investing: The Low Risk Road to Stupendous Wealth
author: Saurabh Mukherjea
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.97
book published:
rating: 2
read at: 2024/09/01
date added: 2024/09/01
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Its an ok read with a few interesting ideas. one of the most useful idea that i found was the 2 criteria's of ROCE and revenue growth to select a few stocks and also that small cap are also fairly good stocks, if selected properly.
I would still suggest to consult a good and reliable advisor before investing your money.

]]> <![CDATA[Mahabharata: Volume 3 (The Mahabharata, 3)]]> 29196765 648 Bibek Debroy 0143425161 Abhishek 0 currently-reading - What is a Good conduct
- Destiny and Karma
- The 4 Yugas
- Controlling senses]]> 4.32 -400 Mahabharata: Volume 3 (The Mahabharata, 3)
author: Bibek Debroy
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.32
book published: -400
rating: 0
read at: 2021/12/12
date added: 2024/08/13
shelves: currently-reading
review:
This Volume is about the Pandavas spending 12 years in the forest. A few topics that grabbed my interest were the conservations on -
- What is a Good conduct
- Destiny and Karma
- The 4 Yugas
- Controlling senses
]]> Mahabharata Volume 2 32797994 528 Bibek Debroy 0143425153 Abhishek 5 # Forgiveness vs Punishment # the impact of anger in decision making.

When i read the book the 2nd time - i enjoyed the conversations of each character with the other one - as we all know that the character in this epic symbolizes a human emotion, understanding how these talk to each other in various situations was really engrossing. ]]> 4.44 -400 Mahabharata Volume 2
author: Bibek Debroy
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.44
book published: -400
rating: 5
read at: 2024/08/13
date added: 2024/08/13
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very engrossing read. my favorite pieces are - the questions asked to Yudhishthir on -# whether he is a good king or not. The role of a king. # the debate of right and wrong in the game of gambling.
# Forgiveness vs Punishment # the impact of anger in decision making.

When i read the book the 2nd time - i enjoyed the conversations of each character with the other one - as we all know that the character in this epic symbolizes a human emotion, understanding how these talk to each other in various situations was really engrossing.
]]> <![CDATA[Science and Technology in Mahabharata]]> 25811678 33 Ravi Prakash Arya Abhishek 0 to-read 4.00 2014 Science and Technology in Mahabharata
author: Ravi Prakash Arya
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/11
shelves: to-read
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]]> Bhagavad-Gita As It Is 991544
Just on the verge of the historic Battle of Kurukshetra, the warrior Arjuna loses his nerve. Totally distraught and ready to give up on life, he turns to his friend and charioteer, Krishna, for advice, "What should I do?� The conversation that follows effectively deals with humanity's crucial questions: what is the purpose of life? What happens when we die? Is there a reality beyond this time-bound, physical plane? What is the ultimate cause of all causes? Krishna comprehensively answers all these (and more) and then reveals His own identity as none other than the Supreme Personality of Godhead, appearing on earth to usher in a new era of spiritual understanding.


Throughout the Gita Krishna teaches that the essence of all human pursuit � and the ultimate goal of all pious work, meditation, and austerity � is to develop an attitude of loving service to the Supreme Person. His ultimate instruction, "surrender to Me," challenges Arjuna � and any reader of the Bhagavad-gita � to transcend religion and belief and to enter the realm of bhakti � devotional service � which alone can fully satisfy the self.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is is unique among Gita commentaries; the author, Srila Prabhupada, represents a line of teachers coming in disciplic succession from Krishna Himself. Prabhupada's clarity, wit, and faithfulness to the original Sanskrit text make the teachings of the Gita easily accessible to the Western reader.

Since its publication in 1970, Bhagavad-gita As It Is has become the most widely read edition of the Gita in the world.]]> 883 0892131233 Abhishek 0 to-read 4.10 500 Bhagavad-Gita As It Is
author: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.10
book published: 500
rating: 0
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]]> Discourses on Astavakra Gita 20128296 450 Chinmayananda Abhishek 0 to-read 4.47 2007 Discourses on Astavakra Gita
author: Chinmayananda
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.47
book published: 2007
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/07/11
shelves: to-read
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]]> I am Krishna 35628862 Krishna is one such powerful personality about whom everyone wants to know and understand. He was an artiste, a lover, a politician, a psychologist, a businessman, a visionary, a spiritual guru... and lots more. His list of achievements was never-ending.

He was a cowherd boy who became the King of Dwarka He knew the art of enjoying the life to the fullest even in difficult times His life is a classic example of a Rags-to-Riches story He won all the battles of life, be it economic, social or political...

So all we need is an insight into Krishna's mind and life to know how to win all the battles in life. To help us achieve the same, Deep Trivedi, the author of the bestseller 'I am The Mind', has unveiled the mind and life of Krishna in his latest book, 'I am Krishna - The Master of Mind & Life'.

Since the author of the book is a pioneer in spiritual psychodynamics, the book depicts the psychology of Krishna at various important points and its subsequent transitions, which makes it clear for the readers as to what he did and why? Another point to note here is, the one who has understood the psychology of Krishna, can discern any other person's psychology like a child's play. In short, this book depicts the entire life of Krishna in a very interesting and engaging way. If we were to describe the book in one sentence, we can say that, "This is the complete story of a cowherd boy Kanha becoming Jai Shri Krishna." This book has been extensively researched and the years of Krishna's life have been threaded together from: Mahabharat, Shatapatha Brahmana, Aitareya Aaranyak, Nirukta, Ashtadhyayi, Garga Samhita, Jataka Katha, Arthashastra, Indika, Harivamsa Puran, Vishnu Puran, Mahabhashya, Padma Puran, Markandey Puran and Kurma Puran...in such a psychological manner that you feel transformed as his life unfolds...

]]> 370 Deep Trivedi 9384850314 Abhishek 0 to-read 4.16 I am Krishna
author: Deep Trivedi
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.16
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/07/11
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]]> The Mahabharata: Volume 1 34917434 535 Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Abhishek 5
This first volume was amazing and it takes the reader into the details of the Lineage of Bharat, Kuru, and each and every character in this " greatest story ever told."

As i write this review of the book, i have a question for myself that - how can i write the review of just a 10th of the entire story. The volume per say was engrossing with its details and richness of content.

It has left me asking for more. It was not easy laying my hands on this work of mahabharatha, as the books were not available on any of the book stores. I had to finally order these books online, and as i finish my first volume - i had already placed the order for the second one :)

the walk continues........]]> 4.59 -400 The Mahabharata: Volume 1
author: Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.59
book published: -400
rating: 5
read at: 2024/06/14
date added: 2024/06/14
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When i started reading the first volume of - this 10 volume series of unabridged traslation of Mahabharatha - i was and am, extremely excited about it. it was like starting a long journey where i will have to walk it all out. I will not be able to hire any cabs to complete this long journey.....and that's how i felt - Excited and over whelmed at the same time.

This first volume was amazing and it takes the reader into the details of the Lineage of Bharat, Kuru, and each and every character in this " greatest story ever told."

As i write this review of the book, i have a question for myself that - how can i write the review of just a 10th of the entire story. The volume per say was engrossing with its details and richness of content.

It has left me asking for more. It was not easy laying my hands on this work of mahabharatha, as the books were not available on any of the book stores. I had to finally order these books online, and as i finish my first volume - i had already placed the order for the second one :)

the walk continues........
]]> <![CDATA[The Complete Mahabharata in English (12 Volumes) Trans. Into English From Original Sanskrit Text Kisari Mohan Ganguly]]> 142054369 4900 Kisari Mohan Ganguly Abhishek 0 to-read 0.0 The Complete Mahabharata in English (12 Volumes) Trans. Into English From Original Sanskrit Text Kisari Mohan Ganguly
author: Kisari Mohan Ganguly
name: Abhishek
average rating: 0.0
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/03/30
shelves: to-read
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]]> <![CDATA[What Got You Here Won't Get You There]]> 84525 America's most sought-after executive coach shows how to climb the last few rungs of the ladder The corporate world is filled with executives, men and women who have worked hard for years to reach the upper levels of management. They're intelligent, skilled, and even charismatic. But only a handful of them will ever reach the pinnacle--and as executive coach Marshall Goldsmith shows in this book, subtle nuances make all the difference. These are small "transactional flaws" performed by one person against another (as simple as not saying thank you enough), which lead to negative perceptions that can hold any executive back. Using Goldsmith's straightforward, jargon-free advice, it's amazingly easy behavior to change. Executives who hire Goldsmith for one-on-one coaching pay $250,000 for the privilege. With this book, his help is available for 1/10,000th of the price.]]> 256 Marshall Goldsmith 1781251568 Abhishek 4 3.94 2006 What Got You Here Won't Get You There
author: Marshall Goldsmith
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2006
rating: 4
read at: 2024/03/29
date added: 2024/03/29
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]]> <![CDATA[Informing Statecraft: Intelligence for a New Century]]> 765071 491 Angelo M. Codevilla 0029119154 Abhishek 0 to-read 4.00 1992 Informing Statecraft: Intelligence for a New Century
author: Angelo M. Codevilla
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.00
book published: 1992
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/02/12
shelves: to-read
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]]> <![CDATA[SUPERPOWER: The Amazing Race between China's Hare and India's Tortoise]]> 9120328


In his career as a journalist and one of India’s top entrepreneurs, Raghav Bahl has often faced a barrage of questions from visiting businesspeople bewildered by India: Why are Indian regulations so weak and confusing? Why is your foreign investment policy so restrictive? How come your hotels are world-class, when the roads leading to them are so pot-holed? How is it that you speak such good English?



Inevitably, the questions are followed by the observation: But, you know, that’s not the way it is in China.



Indeed, even as the dragon and elephant economies are together projected to dominate the world in a matter of decades, there is a palpable difference in the way China and India work on the ground. China is spectacularly effective in building infrastructure and is currently investing almost half its GDP; it is crafting a new economic idiom that has stood textbook wisdom on its head. Meanwhile, India is the classic example of a ‘promising� economy: more than half its GDP is consumed by its billion-plus population; half its population is younger than twenty-five, giving it a unique demographic advantage; 350 million Indians understand English, making it the largest English-using country in the world; and it is, of course, the world’s largest democracy.



In the race to superpower status, who is likely to breast the tape—China’s hare or India’s tortoise? China’s awe-inspiring sweep, compared to India’s relatively mild rise, could tempt an easy answer. But Bahl argues that the winner of the race with the biggest stakes ever might not be determined by who is investing more and growing faster today, but by something slightly more intangible—who has superior innovative skills and more entrepreneurial savvy and is grappling with and expanding in the most intensely competitive conditions.



At the end, it might come down to just one deciding factor: Can India fix its governance before China repairs its politics?



With telling insights into the two Asian powers� histories, polities, economies and cultures, Superpower? The Amazing Race Between China’s Hare and India’s Tortoise is a brilliantly written, superbly documented, rich and comprehensive account of the race to dominance between the two neighbours. For anyone looking to understand China and India and the ways in which these two nations are about to change the history of the world, this is the book to read.]]> 272 Raghav Bahl 0670084638 Abhishek 3 3.30 2010 SUPERPOWER: The Amazing Race between China's Hare and India's Tortoise
author: Raghav Bahl
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.30
book published: 2010
rating: 3
read at: 2024/02/04
date added: 2024/02/04
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]]> <![CDATA[China Road: A Journey Into The Future Of A Rising Power]]> 1129441 352 Rob Gifford 0747588929 Abhishek 3 ]]> 3.72 2007 China Road: A Journey Into The Future Of A Rising Power
author: Rob Gifford
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2007
rating: 3
read at: 2024/01/03
date added: 2024/01/03
shelves:
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The boom is written by Rob Gifford who is a traveller journalist. It’s a good read and give a vague but nice picture of the real china on his journey from east to west of china. The writer has kept a neutral view of the country and has tried to share his thoughts without a lens.

]]> The Psychology of Money 41881472 242 Morgan Housel 0857197681 Abhishek 1 4.27 2020 The Psychology of Money
author: Morgan Housel
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2020
rating: 1
read at: 2023/12/17
date added: 2023/12/17
shelves:
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I was able to understand this book and all the bells attached around the name too. I took this book as was recommended by a few and have heard the name a few times . I could not relate to a single concept in this book . It’s just wild long term imaginations of the writer and even that could have been written better.
]]> <![CDATA[[By James Clear] Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones Hardcover - Best Selling Book By [James Clear] (Story Based on |Business Processes & Infrastructure|)]]> 150682794 0 James Clear Abhishek 2 3.94 2018 [By James Clear] Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones Hardcover - Best Selling Book By [James Clear] (Story Based on |Business Processes & Infrastructure|)
author: James Clear
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2018
rating: 2
read at: 2023/12/06
date added: 2023/12/06
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]]> Kundalini Tantra 137527 453 Satyananda Saraswati 8185787158 Abhishek 3 4.30 2010 Kundalini Tantra
author: Satyananda Saraswati
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2010
rating: 3
read at: 2023/11/18
date added: 2023/11/18
shelves:
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]]> <![CDATA[Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata]]> 16436557 Product No Defects. 372 Devdutt Pattanaik 8184751699 Abhishek 3 3.84 2010 Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata
author: Devdutt Pattanaik
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2010
rating: 3
read at: 2023/11/09
date added: 2023/11/09
shelves:
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Nice and crisp narration of the events in the epic. Though the short interpretations of after the chapters can be done aways with.
]]> Chinas Foreign Policy 87277367 0 Ravi Ranjan 8184203705 Abhishek 0 to-read 0.0 Chinas Foreign Policy
author: Ravi Ranjan
name: Abhishek
average rating: 0.0
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/10/20
shelves: to-read
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]]> <![CDATA[Small Wonder: The Authorised Story Of The Making Of The Nano]]> 9479778
The making of the Nano has been a struggle and a vindication, a long, arduous and expensive endeavour to cope with a wide range of problems. This, then, is also the story of how Tata Motors, the company behind the project, overcame the limitations imposed by conventional technology and traditional methods of manufacturing to craft a motor car that has changed the automobile world.]]> 149 Philip Chacko 9380658591 Abhishek 3 ]]> 3.41 2010 Small Wonder: The Authorised Story Of The Making Of The Nano
author: Philip Chacko
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.41
book published: 2010
rating: 3
read at: 2023/10/16
date added: 2023/10/16
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ITs a nice quick read about the Project. The book gives a good account of the journey from conceptualization to making the car a reality. The author floats superficially on the journey with inputs from a few key TATA professionals and without stating glorifying Mr. Tata throughout. The book leaves you asking for more about the project / the key milestones achieved / Challenges and achievements in detail. Infact i was looking forward for the chain of events that lead to the closure of the TATA plant in Sanand and discontinuing the car.

]]> <![CDATA[Dream Big: Let Your Financial Plan Make Your Dreams Come True]]> 36067444
How did he get from being a driver to a millionaire? Three simple secrets - he had the courage to dream big, learn about financial planning and implement what he learnt. Now, while you don't need anyone to help you to dream big, here is a book that will teach you everything that Vaibhav learnt. All you have to do is find the tenacity to implement it.

Everything, from the importance of saving and investing and the need for life and health insurance to various investment products like mutual funds, SIP, PPF etc. that can enable you to build wealth, is explained in this book in simple and jargon free language. It helps you to choose instruments that are most suitable for you and explains why you would be better off without others.

Dream Big simplifies and breaks down common financial planning principles such as risk profiling, asset allocation, portfolio construction, rebalancing etc. and explains the tax implications of various investment decisions. It also contains sections on planning for retirement and a legacy, and financial planning for women, divorced individuals, defence employees, senior citizens, etc.]]> 265 Mukesh Jindal 9384061646 Abhishek 3 ]]> 4.42 Dream Big: Let Your Financial Plan Make Your Dreams Come True
author: Mukesh Jindal
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.42
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2023/10/07
date added: 2023/10/07
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If you need basics of understanding Mutual Funds and some fundamentals of managing your portfolio, this is a good book to read. Specially with its simple language without any jargon’s it’s easy to understand too.

]]> <![CDATA[Meditation and Its Methods by Swami Vivekananda]]> 43223545 This book is a collection of Swami Vivekananda’s explanation of Meditation, his writings and lectures on Meditation, its benefits and its methods. It is a book with teachings from the life of Swami Vivekananda, to help one get through the chaos in one’s life.
Swami ji believed that meditation should be of a negative nature. Think away everything. Analyse everything that comes in the mind by the sheer action of the will. Next, assert what we really are—existence, knowledge, and bliss—being, knowing, and loving. This book explores all his thoughts on meditation and its methods.]]> 168 Vivekananda Abhishek 2 4.51 Meditation and Its Methods by Swami Vivekananda
author: Vivekananda
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.51
book published:
rating: 2
read at: 2023/09/26
date added: 2023/09/26
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I have been searching a decent book to help with " how " to do meditation. and the name of the book as it is " Meditation and its methods ". However, the book was disappointing. as it really did not gave any insights.
]]> <![CDATA[Leadership in the Era of Economic Uncertainty: Managing in a Downturn]]> 6071058 --Larry Bossidy, Former Chairman and CEO Honeywell International Inc. As a business leader today, you face an unprecedented the worldwide economic downturn. Cash and credit are dwindling, sales forecasts are dismal, and morale is sinking. This is not a time to reflect. It is a time to act, decide, and energize your people...with urgency... This is your moment.
Are you up to the task? In Leadership in the Era of Economic Uncertainty , Ram Charan helps you steer your business through the minefi eld of contracting markets, cash shortages, and ongoing uncertainty. No matter what your leadership role, Charan's insight will help ensure that your business emerges leaner, stronger, and well in front of the competition. "We will not know when we have turned the corner, and we cannot envision the shape and scope of the world that will emerge," Charan writes. "What we can be sure of is that this is a time of tumultuous change, and with change come both danger and opportunity." In this concise and highly accessible guide, the author provides practical actions you can execute immediately ]]> 160 Ram Charan 0071626166 Abhishek 3 3.57 2008 Leadership in the Era of Economic Uncertainty: Managing in a Downturn
author: Ram Charan
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.57
book published: 2008
rating: 3
read at: 2023/09/19
date added: 2023/09/19
shelves:
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]]> Thinking, Fast and Slow 11468377 Thinking, Fast and Slow, Kahneman takes us on a groundbreaking tour of the mind and explains the two systems that drive the way we think. System 1 is fast, intuitive, and emotional; System 2 is slower, more deliberative, and more logical. Kahneman exposes the extraordinary capabilities—and also the faults and biases—of fast thinking, and reveals the pervasive influence of intuitive impressions on our thoughts and behavior. The impact of loss aversion and overconfidence on corporate strategies, the difficulties of predicting what will make us happy in the future, the challenges of properly framing risks at work and at home, the profound effect of cognitive biases on everything from playing the stock market to planning the next vacation—each of these can be understood only by knowing how the two systems work together to shape our judgments and decisions.

Engaging the reader in a lively conversation about how we think, Kahneman reveals where we can and cannot trust our intuitions and how we can tap into the benefits of slow thinking. He offers practical and enlightening insights into how choices are made in both our business and our personal lives—and how we can use different techniques to guard against the mental glitches that often get us into trouble. Thinking, Fast and Slow will transform the way you think about thinking.]]> 499 Daniel Kahneman 0374275637 Abhishek 4 4.17 2011 Thinking, Fast and Slow
author: Daniel Kahneman
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at: 2023/09/17
date added: 2023/09/17
shelves:
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I read this book again after about a couple of years. This is an amazing book on explaining the basics of Biases, heuristics. Also, an insight on how our mind works while taking decisions. Reading it again, gave me a lot of new understandings on the same concepts.
]]> <![CDATA[Shrimad Bhagwad Gita (Hindi Edition)]]> 60241648
In this interpretation of the Gita, the author explains that the essence of the Gita is the equanimity of mind, which is attained by transcending it because mind consciousness is myopic and only spiritual consciousness abounds in universal love and absolute knowledge.

This best-selling and expanded edition of the most famous and popular of Indian scriptures contextualizes the book culturally and historically and explains the key concepts of Hindu religious thought and the technical vocabulary of yoga. Chapter introductions, notes, and a glossary help listeners understand the book’s message better. Most importantly, the translation uses simple, clear language to impart the poetry, universality and timelessness of the Gita’s teachings.

Please note: This audiobook is in Hindi.

©2020 Prakash Books (P)2021 Audible, Inc.]]> R. R. Varma Abhishek 2
I was not able to add any value to myself on the topic after going through the entire book in about a months time.]]> 4.36 Shrimad Bhagwad Gita (Hindi Edition)
author: R. R. Varma
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.36
book published:
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 2023/08/19
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I started reading this book with an intention to understand the depths of Gita. I wanted to lay my hands on an easy interpretation of the epic. however, after an initial connect as a reader, this book was a disappointment to me. It simply kept repeating the same thing throughout the book in different ways and statements.

I was not able to add any value to myself on the topic after going through the entire book in about a months time.
]]> Fandamentals of Yoga 51545375 276 Shailesh K. Chaudhary 9385289160 Abhishek 2 The 1 insight that I got was on Ashtang yoga and the theory of 8 folded yoga approach.

By the one I have read is fundamentals of Yoga by Shailesh k Chaudhary. ]]> 2.00 Fandamentals of Yoga
author: Shailesh K. Chaudhary
name: Abhishek
average rating: 2.00
book published:
rating: 2
read at: 2023/07/22
date added: 2023/07/22
shelves:
review:
I would have to say that this was a disappointing read . From the name I was expecting a much detailed discussion on techniques, theory etc of not just Asanas , also meditation . However the complete book was on the benefits of yoga. At times it almost like - yes I get it, yoga is good.
The 1 insight that I got was on Ashtang yoga and the theory of 8 folded yoga approach.

By the one I have read is fundamentals of Yoga by Shailesh k Chaudhary.
]]> Protocol in Mahabharata 82967275 310 D.D. Aggarwal 8178351773 Abhishek 4 The writer refers to some of other details as well like Bhishma yudhishthra conversation, other interesting references to narrations by Rishi Markandey, raja Ushinara, Janaka, 4 ashramas / Varnas, Yoga, controlling senses etc.
Rightly so, the book does not mentions anything on the 701 shloka Gita recitation on the battlefield, as it is beyond the reach of the concise book. Also, what 1 might miss is the actual conversations between the various individuals like Draoupadi - yudhisthir, Krishna to all, Bhishma - parsurama, duryodhana, karna etc where possibly the real learning lies in the Epic. These details though are only available in the unabridged version of about 4k pages. ]]> 4.00 Protocol in Mahabharata
author: D.D. Aggarwal
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2023/06/29
date added: 2023/06/29
shelves:
review:
This is a 305 pages short crash course on the great epic. The writer has brought into light some amazing references to the unabridged version of 1 lac shlokas Mahabharat. This is a welcome read for beginners on the topic ( like me ) which is different from most other concise versions which only revolve around the battle story of the cousins.
The writer refers to some of other details as well like Bhishma yudhishthra conversation, other interesting references to narrations by Rishi Markandey, raja Ushinara, Janaka, 4 ashramas / Varnas, Yoga, controlling senses etc.
Rightly so, the book does not mentions anything on the 701 shloka Gita recitation on the battlefield, as it is beyond the reach of the concise book. Also, what 1 might miss is the actual conversations between the various individuals like Draoupadi - yudhisthir, Krishna to all, Bhishma - parsurama, duryodhana, karna etc where possibly the real learning lies in the Epic. These details though are only available in the unabridged version of about 4k pages.
]]> <![CDATA[The Real Thing: Truth and Power at the Coca-Cola Company]]> 203590 432 Constance L. Hays 081297364X Abhishek 3
Over all the book didnt met my expectations however gives you a few insights about the brand to form your own opinion and have a debate on it. ]]> 3.33 2004 The Real Thing: Truth and Power at the Coca-Cola Company
author: Constance L. Hays
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.33
book published: 2004
rating: 3
read at: 2023/06/10
date added: 2023/06/10
shelves:
review:
I took the book with an expectation of reading through the underlying principles of Coke and probably how the brand became a legend. This book is written by a Journalist, who presumably have bee following the brand for some time. The book gives you a picture form the eyes of an outsider - with briefly floating over its history since 1880s, managing the bottlers, the friction over coke pricing strategies, aggressive ( fair or nnfair ) marketing strategies to make coke the biggest beverage brand. It also covers the tenure of multiple CEOs over the past 100 years of Coke with a brief of their working styles. a few law suit filed on coke regarding biasness against black community and unlawful capturing of certain other beverage brands : in the race to capture market share.

Over all the book didnt met my expectations however gives you a few insights about the brand to form your own opinion and have a debate on it.
]]> <![CDATA[The Mind of the Market: Compassionate Apes, Competitive Humans, and Other Tales from Evolutionary Economics]]> 1960096
Drawing on the new field of neuroeconomics, Shermer investigates what brain scans reveal about bargaining, snap purchases, and establishing trust in business. He scrutinizes experiments in behavioral economics to understand why people hang on to losing stocks, why negotiations disintegrate into tit-for-tat disputes, and why money does not make us happy. He brings together astonishing findings from psychology, biology, and other sciences to describe how our tribal ancestry makes us suckers for brands, why researchers believe cooperation unleashes biochemicals similar to those released during sex, why free trade promises to build alliances between nations, and how even capuchin monkeys get indignant if they don't get a fair reward for their work.]]> 336 Michael Shermer 0805078320 Abhishek 1 3.55 2007 The Mind of the Market: Compassionate Apes, Competitive Humans, and Other Tales from Evolutionary Economics
author: Michael Shermer
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.55
book published: 2007
rating: 1
read at: 2023/05/12
date added: 2023/05/12
shelves:
review:
I had to leave this book after forcefully reading about 60 pages. i kept on waiting that i will be able to grasp and make some logic of what i am reading. however, i was not able to make head and tails of anything mentioned in the book. Nor could comprehend why this book is written.
]]> Autobiography of a Yogi 639864
Autobiography of a Yogi is at once a beautifully written account of an exceptional life and a profound introduction to the ancient science of Yoga and its time-honored tradition of meditation. The author clearly explains the subtle but definite laws behind both the ordinary events of everyday life and the extraordinary events commonly termed miracles. His absorbing life story thus becomes the background for a penetrating and unforgettable look at the ultimate mysteries of human existence.

Considered a modern spiritual classic, the book has been translated into more than twenty languages and is widely used as a text and reference work in colleges and universities. A perennial bestseller since it was first published sixty years ago, Autobiography of a Yogi has found its way into the hearts of millions of readers around the world.]]> 503 Paramahansa Yogananda 0876120834 Abhishek 2 4.22 1946 Autobiography of a Yogi
author: Paramahansa Yogananda
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.22
book published: 1946
rating: 2
read at: 2023/05/07
date added: 2023/05/07
shelves:
review:
An ok book to read. The book with its 46,48 chapters is filled with instances, experiences, short stories of Paramhansa Yogaanand's life. How as a child he wanted to go to Himalayas, then completed his university, and kept on practicing and preaching Kriya Yoga.
]]> AN ATHEIST GETS THE GITA 59849989 This question troubles 25-year-old IIM graduate Anveshak Jigyanshu, an investment banker in Singapore, as he meets his two-decade senior Charan Saket. Their conversation reminds the reader of the dialogue between Arjuna and Krishna. Anveshak, a self-proclaimed atheist, is mesmerized by the compelling arguments put forth by Charan as they both explore the world of science and its limitations, what proof means, the dilemma of ethics and finally, what real and everlasting happiness is. In a way, Charan explains the essence of the Bhagavad Gita. Slowly turning from a disbeliever to one who accepts logic, Anveshak discovers the key to his question.
In a tightly gripping narrative, the authors gently persuade the reader to relook and understand the essence of the Bhagavad Gita in the modern world. Anveshak represents the modern intellectual who seeks happiness but does not want to follow anything blindly. This book will change the way one looks at happiness.]]> 240 Rahul Singh 9355201397 Abhishek 1 3.56 AN ATHEIST GETS THE GITA
author: Rahul Singh
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.56
book published:
rating: 1
read at: 2023/04/15
date added: 2023/04/15
shelves:
review:
I made a mistake in picking up this book from a book store in an airport. The discussion in the book are extremely shallow in nature. They are just a few examples / numbers quoted from the book of Mahabharata.
]]> Mahabharata: Volume 10 29196752
*
The final volume ends the instructions of the Anushasana Parva. The horse sacrifice is held, and Dhritarashtra, Gandhari, Kunti, Vidura and Sanjaya leave for the forest. Krishna and Balarama die as the Yadavas fight among themselves. The Pandavas leave on the great journey with the famous companion-Dharma disguised as a dog. Refusing to abandon the dog, Yudhishthira goes to heaven in his physical body and sees all the Kurus and the Pandavas are already there.


*

Every conceivable human emotion figures in the Mahabharata, the reason why the epic continues to hold sway over our imagination. In this lucid, nuanced and confident translation, Bibek Debroy makes the Mahabharata marvellously accessible to contemporary readers.]]> 731 Bibek Debroy 0143425234 Abhishek 0 Now after reading this once - i
- feel i have just started on this journey of " realization ". there is an ocean of knowledge and a lot to learn.
- This is an enormous epic and filled with extremely deep meanings and messages. There has to be a learned soul to explain it.
- I feel like a different person after reading the unabridged version.
- I am pulled towards reading it again and also read different versions to understand " Jaya "

The translator has done a decent job in simply translating the shlokas in this book - and he has not added his own interpretation or explanation of the same. I am extremely motivate to read this epic once again , infact i will be exploring the other 2 translators as well - to increase my own understanding of the epic. I started reading this epic by 25th Sept 2021 and finished the 10 vols by 8th April 23 - almost 19 months - along with 3 more books in between - that means a little less than 1 and a half years to complete this interesting journey of reading Mahabharata. ]]> 4.63 -400 Mahabharata: Volume 10
author: Bibek Debroy
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.63
book published: -400
rating: 0
read at: 2023/04/08
date added: 2023/04/08
shelves:
review:
Finally - i have been able to complete the journey called " Mahabharata ". I am not able to believe that i have been able to complete the un abridged version of this Epic. I think its purely due to the blessings of the lord that i was able to complete this journey.
Now after reading this once - i
- feel i have just started on this journey of " realization ". there is an ocean of knowledge and a lot to learn.
- This is an enormous epic and filled with extremely deep meanings and messages. There has to be a learned soul to explain it.
- I feel like a different person after reading the unabridged version.
- I am pulled towards reading it again and also read different versions to understand " Jaya "

The translator has done a decent job in simply translating the shlokas in this book - and he has not added his own interpretation or explanation of the same. I am extremely motivate to read this epic once again , infact i will be exploring the other 2 translators as well - to increase my own understanding of the epic. I started reading this epic by 25th Sept 2021 and finished the 10 vols by 8th April 23 - almost 19 months - along with 3 more books in between - that means a little less than 1 and a half years to complete this interesting journey of reading Mahabharata.
]]> <![CDATA[Chain of Gold (The Last Hours, #1)]]> 17699853 An inheritance of shadows. A love in chains. An unconquerable foe.

Cordelia Carstairs is a Shadowhunter, a warrior trained since childhood to battle demons. When her father is accused of a terrible crime, she and her brother travel to London in hopes of preventing the family’s ruin. Cordelia’s mother wants to marry her off, but Cordelia is determined to be a hero rather than a bride. Soon Cordelia encounters childhood friends James and Lucie Herondale and is drawn into their world of glittering ballrooms, secret assignations, and supernatural salons, where vampires and warlocks mingle with mermaids and magicians. All the while, she must hide her secret love for James, who is sworn to marry someone else.

But Cordelia’s new life is blown apart when a shocking series of demon attacks devastate London. These monsters are nothing like those Shadowhunters have fought before—these demons walk in daylight, strike down the unwary with incurable poison, and seem impossible to kill. London is immediately quarantined. Trapped in the city, Cordelia's friends discover that a dark legacy has gifted them with incredible powers—and forced a brutal choice that will reveal the true cruel price of being a hero.]]> 582 Cassandra Clare 1481431870 Abhishek 1 4.38 2020 Chain of Gold (The Last Hours, #1)
author: Cassandra Clare
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2020
rating: 1
read at:
date added: 2023/01/19
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid: Eradicating Poverty Through Profits]]> 64238 273 C.K. Prahalad 0131877291 Abhishek 3 The book brings into perspective some real perspectives hidden and unconsidered about the BoP markets, at the same time leaves you asking for more information. More than half the book is explaining in detail the multiple MNC examples of making it big. which might look too much to read. The writer could have spent some more energy on explaining the potentials or data based business potential etc to really live up to the title of the book.

A good read nevertheless, for sheer lack of books on this topic.]]> 3.91 2004 The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid: Eradicating Poverty Through Profits
author: C.K. Prahalad
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2004
rating: 3
read at: 2023/01/19
date added: 2023/01/19
shelves:
review:
This is a nice book and surely written on a less explored topic. The book really gives some nice insights on the pragmatic situations / needs for the BoP population. Also, uses some relevant examples like HLL , Voxiva, Casas bahia etc to emphasis on MNC's using some innovative ways and making it big in this potential global market.
The book brings into perspective some real perspectives hidden and unconsidered about the BoP markets, at the same time leaves you asking for more information. More than half the book is explaining in detail the multiple MNC examples of making it big. which might look too much to read. The writer could have spent some more energy on explaining the potentials or data based business potential etc to really live up to the title of the book.

A good read nevertheless, for sheer lack of books on this topic.
]]> <![CDATA[The Myth of Meditation: restoring imaginable ground through embodied Buddhist practice]]> 58270756 142 Paramananda Abhishek 0 to-read 4.00 The Myth of Meditation: restoring imaginable ground through embodied Buddhist practice
author: Paramananda
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/12/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Mahabharata: Volume 9 29196750 760 Bibek Debroy 0143425226 Abhishek 4 4.24 -400 Mahabharata: Volume 9
author: Bibek Debroy
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.24
book published: -400
rating: 4
read at: 2022/12/25
date added: 2022/12/25
shelves:
review:
Nice Read. It took me a little longer to read this edition, though this being a longer one as well.
]]> <![CDATA[Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World]]> 41795733
Plenty of experts argue that anyone who wants to develop a skill, play an instrument, or lead their field should start early, focus intensely, and rack up as many hours of deliberate practice as possible. If you dabble or delay, you'll never catch up to the people who got a head start. But a closer look at research on the world's top performers, from professional athletes to Nobel laureates, shows that early specialization is the exception, not the rule.

David Epstein examined the world's most successful athletes, artists, musicians, inventors, forecasters and scientists. He discovered that in most fields--especially those that are complex and unpredictable--generalists, not specialists, are primed to excel. Generalists often find their path late, and they juggle many interests rather than focusing on one. They're also more creative, more agile, and able to make connections their more specialized peers can't see.

Provocative, rigorous, and engrossing, Range makes a compelling case for actively cultivating inefficiency. Failing a test is the best way to learn. Frequent quitters end up with the most fulfilling careers. The most impactful inventors cross domains rather than deepening their knowledge in a single area. As experts silo themselves further while computers master more of the skills once reserved for highly focused humans, people who think broadly and embrace diverse experiences and perspectives will increasingly thrive.]]> 339 David Epstein 0735214484 Abhishek 0 to-read 4.12 2019 Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World
author: David Epstein
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/10/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Toyota Way: 14 Management Principles from the World's Greatest Manufacturer]]> 161789 "This book will give you an understanding of what has made Toyota successful and some practical ideas that you can use to develop your own approach to business."--Gary Convis, Managing Office of Toyota

Fewer man-hours. Less inventory. The highest quality cars with the fewest defects of any competing manufacturer. In factories around the globe, Toyota consistently raises the bar for manufacturing, product development, and process excellence. The result is an amazing business success story: steadily taking market share from price-cutting competitors, earning far more profit than any other automaker, and winning the praise of business leaders worldwide.

The Toyota Way reveals the management principles behind Toyota's worldwide reputation for quality and reliability. Dr. Jeffrey Liker, a renowned authority on Toyota's Lean methods, explains how you can adopt these principles--known as the "Toyota Production System" or "Lean Production"--to improve the speed of your business processes, improve product and service quality, and cut costs, no matter what your industry.

Drawing on his extensive research on Toyota, Dr. Liker shares his insights into the foundational principles at work in the Toyota culture. He explains how the Toyota Production System evolved as a new paradigm of manufacturing excellence, transforming businesses across industries. You'll learn how Toyota fosters employee involvement at all levels, discover the difference between traditional process improvement and Toyota's Lean improvement, and learn why companies often think they are Lean--but aren't.]]> 330 Jeffrey K. Liker 0071392319 Abhishek 3 This was my first introduction to the concept of TPS or Lean management. the book does a good job in giving an overview of the concepts , however leaves you asking for more information on the subject. At times it also looks like a perfect fairy tale about Toyota's success stories. ]]> 4.06 2003 The Toyota Way: 14 Management Principles from the World's Greatest Manufacturer
author: Jeffrey K. Liker
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2003
rating: 3
read at: 2022/09/13
date added: 2022/09/13
shelves:
review:
This book gave me a neat insight into the way of working in Toyota # specially in the units of Toyota in North America. the author has spent extensive years with Toyota group specially with US based plants. The books gives a sneak peak into concepts like TPS / Lean Management, JIT , Pull vs push system of managing inventory etc. It also shares a few examples of organizations trying to implement TPS in their own ways.
This was my first introduction to the concept of TPS or Lean management. the book does a good job in giving an overview of the concepts , however leaves you asking for more information on the subject. At times it also looks like a perfect fairy tale about Toyota's success stories.
]]> Mahabharata: Vol. 8 29196768 752 Bibek Debroy 0143425218 Abhishek 5 Its an amazing collection of learnings imparted by Bhishma to Yudhishthir on topics like - Rajdharma, Dandaniti, 5 senses, yoga, procrastination, intelligence, hope, Dharma for all varnas, and various other profound ones.

I would even suggest to read this volume, again in continuation, to get a better grip on the content mentioned. Though personally to me, it sounds like an uphill task ; right after just finishing the book. I think ill read this volume along with a few previous ones to bring it all together. ]]> 4.25 -400 Mahabharata: Vol. 8
author: Bibek Debroy
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.25
book published: -400
rating: 5
read at: 2022/08/03
date added: 2022/08/03
shelves:
review:
This volume is a very elaborate read. It took me almost 3 times the time i generally take to read a volume. Yes, it also is the thickest of all the volumes in series.
Its an amazing collection of learnings imparted by Bhishma to Yudhishthir on topics like - Rajdharma, Dandaniti, 5 senses, yoga, procrastination, intelligence, hope, Dharma for all varnas, and various other profound ones.

I would even suggest to read this volume, again in continuation, to get a better grip on the content mentioned. Though personally to me, it sounds like an uphill task ; right after just finishing the book. I think ill read this volume along with a few previous ones to bring it all together.
]]> <![CDATA[Mahabharata: Vol. 7 (The Mahabharata, 7)]]> 29196773 600 Bibek Debroy 014342520X Abhishek 5 4.55 -400 Mahabharata: Vol. 7 (The Mahabharata, 7)
author: Bibek Debroy
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.55
book published: -400
rating: 5
read at: 2022/04/22
date added: 2022/04/22
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Mahabharata (Mahabharata, #6)]]> 17060010 352 Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa 8184756801 Abhishek 4 4.58 -400 The Mahabharata (Mahabharata, #6)
author: Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.58
book published: -400
rating: 4
read at: 2022/03/10
date added: 2022/03/10
shelves:
review:

]]> The Mahabharata: Volume 5 36045119 Dispute over land and kingdom may lie at the heart of this story of war between cousins—the Pandavas and the Kouravas—but the Mahabharata is about conflicts of dharma. These conflicts are immense and various, singular and commonplace. Throughout the epic, characters face them with no clear indications of what is right and what is wrong; there are no absolute answers. Thus every possible human emotion features in the Mahabharata, the reason the epic continues to hold sway over our imagination.
In this superb and widely acclaimed translation of the complete Mahabharata, Bibek Debroy takes us on a great journey with incredible ease.]]> 632 Bibek Debroy Abhishek 5 One of the highlight was bhagwad Gita parva : where Shri Krishna talks to Arjun on Bhagwat Gita - Karma Yoga + Budhi Yoga. In all honesty and humility - those about 100 pages had a lot of content however i was not able to comprehend even a single line of it. I guess we need an enlightened soul to translate the real meaning of it.
I was only able to read it but not really understand it. ]]> 4.76 -400 The Mahabharata: Volume 5
author: Bibek Debroy
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.76
book published: -400
rating: 5
read at: 2022/02/12
date added: 2022/02/12
shelves:
review:
This is the volume where the Battle starts and after the fall of Bhishma on the 10th day of battle : Drona becomes the commander of the army.
One of the highlight was bhagwad Gita parva : where Shri Krishna talks to Arjun on Bhagwat Gita - Karma Yoga + Budhi Yoga. In all honesty and humility - those about 100 pages had a lot of content however i was not able to comprehend even a single line of it. I guess we need an enlightened soul to translate the real meaning of it.
I was only able to read it but not really understand it.
]]> <![CDATA[Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future]]> 25541028 392 Ashlee Vance 0062301233 Abhishek 0 to-read 4.12 2015 Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future
author: Ashlee Vance
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/02/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon]]> 17660462 The definitive story of Amazon.com, one of the most successful companies in the world, and of its driven, brilliant founder, Jeff Bezos.

Amazon.com started off delivering books through the mail. But its visionary founder, Jeff Bezos, wasn't content with being a bookseller. He wanted Amazon to become the everything store, offering limitless selection and seductive convenience at disruptively low prices. To do so, he developed a corporate culture of relentless ambition and secrecy that's never been cracked. Until now. Brad Stone enjoyed unprecedented access to current and former Amazon employees and Bezos family members, giving readers the first in-depth, fly-on-the-wall account of life at Amazon. Compared to tech's other elite innovators--Jobs, Gates, Zuckerberg--Bezos is a private man. But he stands out for his restless pursuit of new markets, leading Amazon into risky new ventures like the Kindle and cloud computing, and transforming retail in the same way Henry Ford revolutionized manufacturing.

The Everything Store will be the revealing, definitive biography of the company that placed one of the first and largest bets on the Internet and forever changed the way we shop and read.]]> 384 Brad Stone 0316219266 Abhishek 0 to-read 4.12 2013 The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon
author: Brad Stone
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/02/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Principles: Life and Work 34536488 Ray Dalio, one of the world’s most successful investors and entrepreneurs, shares the unconventional principles that he’s developed, refined, and used over the past forty years to create unique results in both life and business—and which any person or organization can adopt to help achieve their goals.

In 1975, Ray Dalio founded an investment firm, Bridgewater Associates, out of his two-bedroom apartment in New York City. Forty years later, Bridgewater has made more money for its clients than any other hedge fund in history and grown into the fifth most important private company in the United States, according to Fortune magazine. Dalio himself has been named to Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Along the way, Dalio discovered a set of unique principles that have led to Bridgewater’s exceptionally effective culture, which he describes as “an idea meritocracy that strives to achieve meaningful work and meaningful relationships through radical transparency.� It is these principles, and not anything special about Dalio—who grew up an ordinary kid in a middle-class Long Island neighborhood—that he believes are the reason behind his success.

In Principles, Dalio shares what he’s learned over the course of his remarkable career. He argues that life, management, economics, and investing can all be systemized into rules and understood like machines. The book’s hundreds of practical lessons, which are built around his cornerstones of “radical truth� and “radical transparency,� include Dalio laying out the most effective ways for individuals and organizations to make decisions, approach challenges, and build strong teams. He also describes the innovative tools the firm uses to bring an idea meritocracy to life, such as creating “baseball cards� for all employees that distill their strengths and weaknesses, and employing computerized decision-making systems to make believability-weighted decisions. While the book brims with novel ideas for organizations and institutions, Principles also offers a clear, straightforward approach to decision-making that Dalio believes anyone can apply, no matter what they’re seeking to achieve.

Here is a rare opportunity to gain proven advice unlike anything you’ll find in the conventional business press.]]> 16 Ray Dalio 1508243247 Abhishek 2 4.09 2017 Principles: Life and Work
author: Ray Dalio
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2017
rating: 2
read at: 2022/01/19
date added: 2022/01/19
shelves:
review:
The Author is the Founder of a successful investing Firm " Bridgewater's " and had an approach of filtering out a set of principles to help his employees make investment decisions. The philosophy of the book is to have set of principles - to help you make decisions in Life and at work. The 3 highlighted ones are - Be Radically Truthful / and Transparent. People are wired differently and promote the idea of Meritocracy . For me the book lacked the depth in concepts and which made it a little difficult to bring it home. I presume - Bridgewater employees should have a good time reading this book - not Me. In the last 30% pages it almost sounded like the HR Manual of a company with guidelines on how to hire, promote, fire, manage conflicts, appraisals etc.
]]> Mahabharata: Volume 4 29196758 624 Bibek Debroy (Tr.) 014342517X Abhishek 0 Yudhishthir and Sanjaya
Vidura and Dhritrashtra
Shri Krishna and Kunti

are simply " meaningful"]]> 4.62 -400 Mahabharata: Volume 4
author: Bibek Debroy (Tr.)
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.62
book published: -400
rating: 0
read at: 2022/01/08
date added: 2022/01/08
shelves:
review:
Really inspiring conversations around the start of the " WAR". The discussion around Dharma - between #
Yudhishthir and Sanjaya
Vidura and Dhritrashtra
Shri Krishna and Kunti

are simply " meaningful"
]]> <![CDATA[The Good Spy: The Life and Death of Robert Ames]]> 18373198
On April 18, 1983, a bomb exploded outside the American Embassy in Beirut, killing 63 people. The attack was a geopolitical turning point. It marked the beginning of Hezbollah as a political force, but even more important, it eliminated America’s most influential and effective intelligence officer in the Middle East � CIA operative Robert Ames. What set Ames apart from his peers was his extraordinary ability to form deep, meaningful connections with key Arab intelligence figures. Some operatives relied on threats and subterfuge, but Ames worked by building friendships and emphasizing shared values � never more notably than with Yasir Arafat’s charismatic intelligence chief and heir apparent Ali Hassan Salameh (aka “The Red Prince�). Ames� deepening relationship with Salameh held the potential for a lasting peace. Within a few years, though, both men were killed by assassins, and America’s relations with the Arab world began heading down a path that culminated in 9/11, the War on Terror, and the current fog of mistrust.

Bird, who as a child lived in the Beirut Embassy and knew Ames as a neighbor when he was twelve years old, spent years researching The Good Spy. Not only does the book draw on hours of interviews with Ames� widow, and quotes from hundreds of Ames� private letters, it’s woven from interviews with scores of current and former American, Israeli, and Palestinian intelligence officers as well as other players in the Middle East “Great Game.�

What emerges is a masterpiece-level narrative of the making of a CIA officer, a uniquely insightful history of twentieth-century conflict in the Middle East, and an absorbing hour-by-hour account of the Beirut Embassy bombing. Even more impressive, Bird draws on his reporter’s skills to deliver a full dossier on the bombers and expose the shocking truth of where the attack’s mastermind resides today.]]> 448 Kai Bird 0307889750 Abhishek 3
Its a good read to understand the efforts of an American intelligence agent in making a difference in the middle east. ]]> 3.93 2014 The Good Spy: The Life and Death of Robert Ames
author: Kai Bird
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2014
rating: 3
read at: 2021/09/28
date added: 2021/09/28
shelves:
review:
I was loosing my interest in the book as i got through the first quarter of the book. However i must say , the book is a pretty engrossing work. Specially the approach of an American spy going against the tide / traditional ways of espionage. It broke a lot of my own filters on the events surrounding the Arab - Israel conflict in the 20th century. Specially the formation / operations of PLO / Black September / Hezbollah / Fatah etc.

Its a good read to understand the efforts of an American intelligence agent in making a difference in the middle east.
]]> <![CDATA[Competing in the Age of AI: Strategy and Leadership When Algorithms and Networks Run the World]]> 49689484 288 Marco Iansiti 1633697622 Abhishek 0 to-read 4.08 2020 Competing in the Age of AI: Strategy and Leadership When Algorithms and Networks Run the World
author: Marco Iansiti
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/09/17
shelves: to-read
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]]> <![CDATA[The Navy SEAL Art of War: Leadership Lessons from the World's Most Elite Fighting Force]]> 22856188
Anyone can make good decisions when everything is in their favor. But in life, as in war, it’s in chaotic, challenging times that genuine leaders distinguish themselves. As a Navy SEAL Chief Petty Officer, Rob Roy learned this lesson over twenty-five years of combat, in which the difference between life and death was his team’s ability to decode complex environments, take decisive action, and seize opportunities when they presented themselves.
In The Navy SEAL Art of War , Roy decodes the leadership lessons of the battlefield for today’s business leaders and how to make good decisions under pressure, how to utilize and leverage the strengths of others while minimizing the weaknesses of the individual or team, and how to act instead of react, anticipating events despite having minimal information and effectively communicating tasks and priorities.
Illustrated with countless stories from the front lines, and featuring unprecedented exercises and drills from the SEALs� training program, The Navy SEAL Art of War is destined to take its place aside It’s Your Ship as a bestselling business classic.]]> 224 Rob Roy 0804137757 Abhishek 1 3.97 2015 The Navy SEAL Art of War: Leadership Lessons from the World's Most Elite Fighting Force
author: Rob Roy
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2015
rating: 1
read at: 2021/09/08
date added: 2021/09/08
shelves:
review:

]]> The Art of War 10534 170 Sun Tzu Abhishek 0 to-read 3.98 -400 The Art of War
author: Sun Tzu
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.98
book published: -400
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/09/01
shelves: to-read
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]]> <![CDATA[The Mahabharata (Mahabharata, #1-10)]]> 26179968 5933 Bibek Debroy 0143424785 Abhishek 2 to-read 4.54 The Mahabharata (Mahabharata, #1-10)
author: Bibek Debroy
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.54
book published:
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 2021/08/31
shelves: to-read
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]]> Berlin. The Downfall, 1945 2805452 490 Antony Beevor 0140286969 Abhishek 4 The Fall of Germany was a joint effort of American + British forces from the west and The Red army from the East, However this book is all and only about the later. For Some reasons this book only highlights the March of the Red Army to Berlin and the war crimes, atrocities related to it.
There is no mention of the American and British advance besides just a Meeting of the Big 3 : Stalin, Roosevelt, Churchill @ The Yalta Conference. ]]> 4.33 2002 Berlin. The Downfall, 1945
author: Antony Beevor
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2002
rating: 4
read at: 2021/08/31
date added: 2021/08/31
shelves:
review:
This book should be read only after " The battle of Stalingrad " by Antony Beevor. This idea became even stronger now, that i am thru with both the epics by Mr. Beevor. Infact, the first book left me searching for this one - The March to Berlin.
The Fall of Germany was a joint effort of American + British forces from the west and The Red army from the East, However this book is all and only about the later. For Some reasons this book only highlights the March of the Red Army to Berlin and the war crimes, atrocities related to it.
There is no mention of the American and British advance besides just a Meeting of the Big 3 : Stalin, Roosevelt, Churchill @ The Yalta Conference.
]]> <![CDATA[Winning the Un-War: A New Strategy for the War on Terrorism]]> 775284 256 Charles Peña 1574889656 Abhishek 3 Infact what stands out in the book is the candid questions raised like - what breeds terrorism - specially against a nation, the balance of killing the terrorists without further breeding more, looking into the mirror as a nation in fueling global terrorism.
The writer was able to draw attention to the US foreign policy and its impact on the world specially the Middle east. And this analysis, coming from Charles Pena - a former US govt official - holds its own gravity - isn't it. ]]> 3.22 2006 Winning the Un-War: A New Strategy for the War on Terrorism
author: Charles Peña
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.22
book published: 2006
rating: 3
read at: 2021/07/26
date added: 2021/07/26
shelves:
review:
This book is a very critical analysis of the US approach to War on terrorism. Specially after the 9/11 attacks, it gives a very comprehensive account of the approach taken by the US govt on limiting terrorism.
Infact what stands out in the book is the candid questions raised like - what breeds terrorism - specially against a nation, the balance of killing the terrorists without further breeding more, looking into the mirror as a nation in fueling global terrorism.
The writer was able to draw attention to the US foreign policy and its impact on the world specially the Middle east. And this analysis, coming from Charles Pena - a former US govt official - holds its own gravity - isn't it.
]]> <![CDATA[Six Days of War: June 1967 and the Making of the Modern Middle East]]> 225897 intifada, is a direct consequence of those six days of fighting. Michael B. Oren’s magnificent Six Days of War, an internationally acclaimed bestseller, is the first comprehensive account of this epoch-making event.

Writing with a novelist’s command of narrative and a historian’s grasp of fact and motive, Oren reconstructs both the lightning-fast action on the battlefields and the political shocks that electrified the world. Extraordinary personalities—Moshe Dayan and Gamal Abdul Nasser, Lyndon Johnson and Alexei Kosygin—rose and toppled from power as a result of this war; borders were redrawn; daring strategies brilliantly succeeded or disastrously failed in a matter of hours. And the balance of power changed—in the Middle East and in the world. A towering work of history and an enthralling human narrative, Six Days of War is the most important book on the Middle East conflict to appear in a generation.]]> 460 Michael B. Oren 0345461924 Abhishek 3 4.15 2001 Six Days of War: June 1967 and the Making of the Modern Middle East
author: Michael B. Oren
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2001
rating: 3
read at: 2021/07/17
date added: 2021/07/17
shelves:
review:
A very detailed account of events both before and during this Six Day War. As it was named by Gen. Rabin after the war. Specially the statements issued by Arab / Israeli / American / Soviet leaders during entire episode creates a detailed understanding of the episode. Though i believe that post war analysis did not covered the Arab countries reaction to the fullest. Also, role of Israel in the situations created that led tot he War was " biased".
]]> Man’s Search for Meaning 4069 Man's Search for Meaning has become one of the most influential books in America; it continues to inspire us all to find significance in the very act of living.]]> 165 Viktor E. Frankl 080701429X Abhishek 0 to-read 4.39 1946 Man’s Search for Meaning
author: Viktor E. Frankl
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.39
book published: 1946
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/06/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[1939 - The War That Had Many Fathers: The Long Run-Up to the Second World War]]> 11448682 704 Gerd Schultze-Rhonhof 144668623X Abhishek 0 to-read 4.57 2003 1939 - The War That Had Many Fathers: The Long Run-Up to the Second World War
author: Gerd Schultze-Rhonhof
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.57
book published: 2003
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/06/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Night 1617 Night is the terrifying record of Elie Wiesel's memories of the death of his family, the death of his own innocence, and his despair as a deeply observant Jew confronting the absolute evil of man. This new translation by his wife and most frequent translator, Marion Wiesel, corrects important details and presents the most accurate rendering in English of Elie Wiesel's testimony to what happened in the camps and of his unforgettable message that this horror must simply never be allowed to happen again.]]> 120 Elie Wiesel 0374500010 Abhishek 0 to-read 4.38 1956 Night
author: Elie Wiesel
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.38
book published: 1956
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/06/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption]]> 8664353
The lieutenant’s name was Louis Zamperini. In boyhood, he'd been a cunning and incorrigible delinquent, breaking into houses, brawling, and fleeing his home to ride the rails. As a teenager, he had channeled his defiance into running, discovering a prodigious talent that had carried him to the Berlin Olympics and within sight of the four-minute mile. But when war had come, the athlete had become an airman, embarking on a journey that led to his doomed flight, a tiny raft, and a drift into the unknown.

Ahead of Zamperini lay thousands of miles of open ocean, leaping sharks, a foundering raft, thirst and starvation, enemy aircraft, and, beyond, a trial even greater. Driven to the limits of endurance, Zamperini would answer desperation with ingenuity; suffering with hope, resolve, and humor; brutality with rebellion. His fate, whether triumph or tragedy, would be suspended on the fraying wire of his will.]]> 475 Laura Hillenbrand 1400064163 Abhishek 0 to-read 4.38 2010 Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption
author: Laura Hillenbrand
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/06/19
shelves: to-read
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]]> <![CDATA[The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany]]> 767171 No other powerful empire ever bequeathed such mountains of evidence about its birth and destruction as the Third Reich. When the bitter war was over, and before the Nazis could destroy their files, the Allied demand for unconditional surrender produced an almost hour-by-hour record of the nightmare empire built by Adolph Hitler. This record included the testimony of Nazi leaders and of concentration camp inmates, the diaries of officials, transcripts of secret conferences, army orders, private letters—all the vast paperwork behind Hitler's drive to conquer the world.

The famed foreign correspondent and historian William L. Shirer, who had watched and reported on the Nazis since 1925, spent five and a half years sifting through this massive documentation. The result is a monumental study that has been widely acclaimed as the definitive record of one of the most frightening chapters in the history of mankind.

This worldwide bestseller has been acclaimed as the definitive book on Nazi Germany; it is a classic work.

The accounts of how the United States got involved and how Hitler used Mussolini and Japan are astonishing, and the coverage of the war-from Germany's early successes to her eventual defeat-is must reading

]]> 1147 William L. Shirer 0671728687 Abhishek 0 to-read 4.20 1960 The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany
author: William L. Shirer
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.20
book published: 1960
rating: 0
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date added: 2021/06/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Directorate S: The C.I.A. and America's Secret Wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan, 2001-2016]]> 35623545 Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction � Nominated for the National Book Award for NonfictionFrom the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Ghost Wars and The Achilles Trap, the epic and enthralling story of America's intelligence, military, and diplomatic efforts to defeat Al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan since 9/11 Prior to 9/11, the United States had been carrying out small-scale covert operations in Afghanistan, ostensibly in cooperation, although often in direct opposition, with I.S.I., the Pakistani intelligence agency. While the US was trying to quell extremists, a highly secretive and compartmentalized wing of I.S.I., known as "Directorate S," was covertly training, arming, and seeking to legitimize the Taliban, in order to enlarge Pakistan's sphere of influence. After 9/11, when fifty-nine countries, led by the U. S., deployed troops or provided aid to Afghanistan in an effort to flush out the Taliban and Al Qaeda, the U.S. was set on an invisible slow-motion collision course with Pakistan.Today we know that the war in Afghanistan would falter badly because of military hubris at the highest levels of the Pentagon, the drain on resources and provocation in the Muslim world caused by the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, and corruption. But more than anything, as Coll makes painfully clear, the war in Afghanistan was doomed because of the failure of the United States to apprehend the motivations and intentions of I.S.I.'s "Directorate S". This was a swirling and shadowy struggle of historic proportions, which endured over a decade and across both the Bush and Obama administrations, involving multiple secret intelligence agencies, a litany of incongruous strategies and tactics, and dozens of players, including some of the most prominent military and political figures. A sprawling American tragedy, the war was an open clash of arms but also a covert melee of ideas, secrets, and subterranean violence. Coll excavates this grand battle, which took place away from the gaze of the American public. With unsurpassed expertise, original research, and attention to detail, he brings to life a narrative at once vast and intricate, local and global, propulsive and painstaking. This is the definitive explanation of how America came to be so badly ensnared in an elaborate, factional, and seemingly interminable conflict in South Asia. Nothing less than a forensic examination of the personal and political forces that shape world history, Directorate S is a complete masterpiece of both investigative and narrative journalism.]]> 784 Steve Coll 052555730X Abhishek 0 to-read 4.20 2018 Directorate S: The C.I.A. and America's Secret Wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan, 2001-2016
author: Steve Coll
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2018
rating: 0
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date added: 2021/06/13
shelves: to-read
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]]> <![CDATA[Rise and Kill First: The Secret History of Israel's Targeted Assassinations]]> 33598223 The first definitive history of the Mossad, Shin Bet, and the IDF’s targeted killing programs, from the man hailed by David Remnick as “arguably [Israel’s] best investigative reporter�

The Talmud says: “If someone comes to kill you, rise up and kill him first.� This instinct to take every measure, even the most aggressive, to defend the Jewish people is hardwired into Israel’s DNA. From the very beginning of its statehood in 1948, protecting the nation from harm has been the responsibility of its intelligence community and armed services, and there is one weapon in their vast arsenal that they have relied upon to thwart the most serious threats: Targeted assassinations have been used countless times, on enemies large and small, sometimes in response to attacks against the Israeli people and sometimes preemptively. In this page-turning, eye-opening book, journalist and military analyst Ronen Bergman offers a riveting inside account of the targeted killing programs—their successes, their failures, and the moral and political price exacted on the men and women who approved and carried out the missions.

Bergman has gained the exceedingly rare cooperation of many current and former members of the Israeli government, including Prime Ministers Shimon Peres, Ehud Barak, Ariel Sharon, and Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as high-level figures in the country’s military and intelligence services: the IDF (Israel Defense Forces), the Mossad (the world’s most feared intelligence agency), Caesarea (a “Mossad within the Mossad� that carries out attacks on the highest-value targets), and the Shin Bet (an internal security service that implemented the largest targeted assassination campaign ever, in order to stop what had once appeared to be unstoppable: suicide terrorism).

Including never-before-reported, behind-the-curtain accounts of key operations, and based on hundreds of on-the-record interviews and thousands of files to which Bergman has gotten exclusive access over his decades of reporting, Rise and Kill First brings us deep into the heart of Israel’s most secret activities. Bergman traces, from statehood to the present, the gripping events and thorny ethical questions underlying Israel’s targeted killing campaign, which has shaped the Israeli nation, the Middle East, and the entire world.]]> 784 Ronen Bergman 1400069718 Abhishek 0 to-read 4.40 2018 Rise and Kill First: The Secret History of Israel's Targeted Assassinations
author: Ronen Bergman
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.40
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/06/13
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The General's Son: Journey of an Israeli in Palestine]]> 14649174
In The General's Son , Peled writes about growing up in Jerusalem in the heart of the group that ruled the then-young country, Israel. He describes the path he took to his belief in peace between the two peoples living in the Holy Land. And he paints numerous touching portraits of Palestinian and Israeli peace activists he has worked with in rcent years.]]> 224 Miko Peled 193598215X Abhishek 3 The story is primarily about the author - Miko Peled's journey and his endeavors to bring peace in the zone. ]]> 4.24 2012 The General's Son: Journey of an Israeli in Palestine
author: Miko Peled
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2012
rating: 3
read at: 2021/06/13
date added: 2021/06/13
shelves:
review:
I am thankful i was able to lay my hands on this book and read it. It gave me a totally different view to look at the " plight "of the Palestinian people. the books i have mostly read on this issue were written by American / British writers and the media. I have no reason to call them manipulative, however it presents only one side of the story. This books gives a very quintessential account of event and situation on the ground level in occupied land and within the refugee camps.
The story is primarily about the author - Miko Peled's journey and his endeavors to bring peace in the zone.
]]> Jack: Straight from the Gut 5559 496 Jack Welch 5559608475 Abhishek 1 This autobiography is about a lot of chest thumping done by the writer, and mostly an index of different names in the organization and there positions, not to forget the chronology of major events in the 40 years of Jack Welch with GE.]]> 3.82 2001 Jack: Straight from the Gut
author: Jack Welch
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2001
rating: 1
read at: 2021/05/30
date added: 2021/05/30
shelves:
review:
It might look awkward to rate 1 star for the book, and you can totally blame my high expectations for from the book for it. Before picking up this book, i had a lot of hype build around the amazing approach GE might have around building great leaders. And kept looking at the book with that lens, and probably got disappointed there in.
This autobiography is about a lot of chest thumping done by the writer, and mostly an index of different names in the organization and there positions, not to forget the chronology of major events in the 40 years of Jack Welch with GE.
]]> Mahabharata 1992003 870 Kamala Subramaniam 8172764057 Abhishek 5 I feel propelled to find more , learn more.
May be some day i can gather the courage and the wisdom to " read " the unabridged version of this Epic.]]> 4.45 1965 Mahabharata
author: Kamala Subramaniam
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.45
book published: 1965
rating: 5
read at: 2021/05/08
date added: 2021/05/08
shelves:
review:
Finally i have read an abridged version of Mahabharat - Jay. Instead of writing how great the book is - which obviously it is, i can write about myself @ the start of a journey with the completion of this book - Journey of understanding Mahabharat. I am still discovering how much less i understand the learnings from this epic.
I feel propelled to find more , learn more.
May be some day i can gather the courage and the wisdom to " read " the unabridged version of this Epic.
]]> <![CDATA[Coaching and Mentoring: How to Develop Top Talent and Achieve Stronger Performance (Harvard Business Essentials)]]> 641056 176 Harvard Business School Press 159139435X Abhishek 4 The Concepts coming straight from corridors of Harvard has its own gravity on the corporate environment.
]]> 3.52 2004 Coaching and Mentoring: How to Develop Top Talent and Achieve Stronger Performance (Harvard Business Essentials)
author: Harvard Business School Press
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.52
book published: 2004
rating: 4
read at: 2021/04/11
date added: 2021/04/11
shelves:
review:
Dear Leaders, I would strongly recommend this book to help you lay down a few basics in place on coaching and mentoring. The book very comprehensively lays down the line between the 2 leadership terms. Coaching and Mentoring sounds to have a lot of overlaps and might look with a blurry line in between, however the book brings into discussion very important / Practical / impactful principles in an ease to understand language.
The Concepts coming straight from corridors of Harvard has its own gravity on the corporate environment.

]]> <![CDATA[The Arab Middle East and the United States: Inter-Arab Rivalry and Superpower Diplomacy]]> 1757740
-- Background on pre-1945 history

-- Details on the development and impact of U.S. foreign policy

-- Explication of themes in postwar international relations

-- Insights into the effects of U.S. policy on people worldwide

-- Illustrations, bibliographic essay and index]]> 291 Burton I. Kaufman 0805779116 Abhishek 4 This book is a must read if your interest is in the above topics. ]]> 3.75 1996 The Arab Middle East and the United States: Inter-Arab Rivalry and Superpower Diplomacy
author: Burton I. Kaufman
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.75
book published: 1996
rating: 4
read at: 2021/03/28
date added: 2021/03/28
shelves:
review:
Twayne's International series of books excels on the topic of World History, specially of 20th Century. And this book is a very comprehensive read on the American Diplomatic relations with the Arab world. The time period in the book revolves around 48 to late 90's, and the foreign policy seems to be heavily dominated with Israel as the pivot in this era. Although the book makes a sincere effort to establish the point that the American foreign policy for middle east was a balance between its Oil interest, Soviet dominance, world peace and peace in South West Gulf region, however the events are clearly influenced with a Pro Israeli approach. The book throws good light on a lot of topics like the series of events in Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, PLO, 6 Day war and the Yom Kippur war.
This book is a must read if your interest is in the above topics.
]]> China Under Communism 4556280 175 Michael G. Kort 1562944509 Abhishek 3 Infact i have a feeling after reading the book that the writer had a very one sided approach to write the book. The major content of the book speaks of all the wrong doings in the country and the downsides of all the major political leaders like Sun Yatsen, Mao Zhedong , Chiang Tai chek, Parties like CCP and GMD.
I am left asking the question, that has there been anything good that has happened in this vast country from 1911, when the PRC was declared till 1990s , till when is the scope covered in the book.]]> 3.88 1995 China Under Communism
author: Michael G. Kort
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.88
book published: 1995
rating: 3
read at: 2021/03/12
date added: 2021/03/12
shelves:
review:
This is a good and quick read to give a very basic understanding of Communism in China and its impact on the cultural and economic fabric of the country. The book gives a comprehensive accounts of most of the political ups and downs till 1960s in China.
Infact i have a feeling after reading the book that the writer had a very one sided approach to write the book. The major content of the book speaks of all the wrong doings in the country and the downsides of all the major political leaders like Sun Yatsen, Mao Zhedong , Chiang Tai chek, Parties like CCP and GMD.
I am left asking the question, that has there been anything good that has happened in this vast country from 1911, when the PRC was declared till 1990s , till when is the scope covered in the book.
]]> <![CDATA[Twilight Warriors: Inside the World's Elite Forces]]> 3015167 Although it focuses principally on Britain's SAS, the USA's Delta Force, Seals, Green Berets and Rangers, Germany's GS9, France's GIGN and the Australian SAS, the book also covers less well-known organizations, including Britain's SBS, Spain's GEO and BOEL and France's 2REP. Moving between Europe, the USA, South-East Asia, Central America and the Middle East, it gives a wide-ranging account of the origins, development and major undercover operations of special forces, with a detailed examination of their selection procedures and training, weaponry, communications and tactics.]]> 320 Martin C. Arostegui 0747513945 Abhishek 4 The book provides a detailed and comprehensive account of the events unfolded during the operations. ]]> 3.73 1995 Twilight Warriors: Inside the World's Elite Forces
author: Martin C. Arostegui
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.73
book published: 1995
rating: 4
read at: 2021/03/08
date added: 2021/03/08
shelves:
review:
Amazing read on some of the most dare devil missions executed by the Special forces around the globe , specially the Delta force, SEALs, GIGN, and GSG9.
The book provides a detailed and comprehensive account of the events unfolded during the operations.
]]> <![CDATA[Rise of Kali: Duryodhana's Mahabharata (Epic of the Kaurava Clan #2)]]> 25536076
From the pen of the author who gave voice to Ravana in the national bestseller, ASURA, comes the riveting narrative which compels us to question the truth behind the Mahabharata.

THE DARK AGE OF KALI IS RISING and every man and woman must choose between duty and conscience, honour and shame, life and death�

The Pandavas, banished to the forest following the disastrous games of dice, return to Hastinapura.

Draupadi has vowed not to bind her hair till she washes it in the blood of the Kauravas.

Karna must choose between loyalty and gratitude, friend and Guru.
Aswathama undertakes a perilous mission to the mountains of Gandhara, in search of the Evil One.

Kunti must decide between her firstborn and her other sons.

Guru Drona has to stand with either his favourite disciple or his beloved son.

Balarama, having failed to convince his brother about the adharma of violence, walks the streets of Bharatavarsha, spreading the message of peace.

Ekalavya is called to make the ultimate sacrifice to uphold a woman’s honour.

Jara, the beggar, sings of Krishna’s love while his blind dog, Dharma, follows.

Shakuni can almost see the realization of his dream to destroy India.

As the Pandavas stake their claim to the Hastinapura throne, the Kaurava Crown Prince, Suyodhana, rises to challenge Krishna. As great minds debate dharma and adharma, power hungry men prepare for an apocalyptic war. The women, highborn and humble, helplessly watch the unfolding disaster with deep foreboding. And greedy merchants and unscrupulous priests lie in wait like vultures. Both sides know that beyond the agony and carnage the winner will take all. But even as gods conspire and men’s destinies unfold, a far greater truth awaits]]> 530 Anand Neelakantan 9381576041 Abhishek 1 The writer did mention in the author's note to use your own discretion in reading the book. However, in his endeavor to present the book as Duryodhana's Mahabharat, the writer Anand Neelakantan has gone beyond the realms of imagination. ]]> 4.24 2015 Rise of Kali: Duryodhana's Mahabharata (Epic of the Kaurava Clan #2)
author: Anand Neelakantan
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2015
rating: 1
read at: 2021/02/08
date added: 2021/02/08
shelves:
review:
I had to leave this book after reading it half way. Infact i do not recommend reading this book at all. The writer has made a mockery of events of Mahabharat, with incidents like Karn going to south and defeating Parshuram's army, Bhishma Pitamah and Vidhura resigning from their positions in Hastinapur, Krishna's Son is disrespecting girls, Duryodhana's son is allegated being Gay, Shakuni defeating Aswathama and so. I had to leave the book as i could not stand it any further, with my limited knowledge of the Epic.
The writer did mention in the author's note to use your own discretion in reading the book. However, in his endeavor to present the book as Duryodhana's Mahabharat, the writer Anand Neelakantan has gone beyond the realms of imagination.
]]> <![CDATA[The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari: A Fable About Fulfilling Your Dreams and Reaching Your Destiny]]> 43877 Wisdom to Create a Life of Passion, Purpose, and Peace.

This inspiring tale provides a step-by-step approach to living with greater courage, balance, abundance, and joy. A wonderfully crafted fable, The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari tells the extraordinary story of Julian Mantle, a lawyer forced to confront the spiritual crisis of his out-of-balance life. On a life-changing odyssey to an ancient culture, he discovers powerful, wise, and practical lessons that teach us to:

Develop Joyful Thoughts, Follow Our Life's Mission and Calling, Cultivate Self-Discipline and Act Courageously, Value Time as Our Most Important Commodity, Nourish Our Relationships, and Live Fully, One Day at a Time.]]> 208 Robin Sharma 0062515675 Abhishek 3 3.88 1996 The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari: A Fable About Fulfilling Your Dreams and Reaching Your Destiny
author: Robin Sharma
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.88
book published: 1996
rating: 3
read at: 2021/02/02
date added: 2021/02/02
shelves:
review:
Nice Book to understand the power of Self Discipline and impact of our actions and habits on our life. I could also comprehend that the 7 principles shared in the book for self actualization has a striking similarity with the 7 habits of highly effective people as mentioned in the book by Steven Covey.
]]> <![CDATA[Supernormal: The Untold Story of Adversity and Resilience]]> 34523595 Clinical psychologist and author of The Defining Decade, Meg Jay takes us into the world of the supernormal: those who soar to unexpected heights after childhood adversity.

Whether it is the loss of a parent to death or divorce; bullying; alcoholism or drug abuse in the home; mental illness in a parent or a sibling; neglect; emotional, physical or sexual abuse; having a parent in jail; or growing up alongside domestic violence, nearly 75% of us experience adversity by the age of 20. But these experiences are often kept secret, as are our courageous battles to overcome them.

Drawing on nearly two decades of work with clients and students, Jay tells the tale of ordinary people made extraordinary by these all-too-common experiences, everyday superheroes who have made a life out of dodging bullets and leaping over obstacles, even as they hide in plain sight as doctors, artists, entrepreneurs, lawyers, parents, activists, teachers, students and readers. She gives a voice to the supernormals among us as they reveal not only "How do they do it?" but also "How does it feel?"

These powerful stories, and those of public figures from Andre Agassi to Jay Z, will show supernormals they are not alone but are, in fact, in good company. Marvelously researched and compassionately written, this exceptional book narrates the continuing saga that is resilience as it challenges us to consider whether -- and how -- the good wins out in the end.]]> 400 Meg Jay 1455559156 Abhishek 3 4.30 2017 Supernormal: The Untold Story of Adversity and Resilience
author: Meg Jay
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2021/01/24
date added: 2021/01/24
shelves:
review:
A decent book which will take you back to your childhood memories.
]]> <![CDATA[Stalingrad: The Fateful Siege, 1942�1943]]> 542389 Stalingrad as the definitive account of World War II's most harrowing battle.

In August 1942, Hitler's huge Sixth Army reached the city that bore Stalin's name. In the five-month siege that followed, the Russians fought to hold Stalingrad at any cost; then, in an astonishing reversal, encircled and trapped their Nazi enemy. This battle for the ruins of a city cost more than a million lives. Stalingrad conveys the experience of soldiers on both sides, fighting in inhuman conditions, and of civilians trapped on an urban battlefield. Antony Beevor has interviewed survivors and discovered completely new material in a wide range of German and Soviet archives, including prisoner interrogations and reports of desertions and executions. As a story of cruelty, courage, and human suffering, Stalingrad is unprecedented and unforgettable.]]> 494 Antony Beevor 0140284583 Abhishek 5 It took me about 4 weeks to finish the book, and it felt like watching a war movie which was 4 weeks long. I generally underline the important lines in the pages, and while i finished the book, i realised there were blue lines in almost every page of the book.
This profound work by the writer 'leads to' and deserves a passionate reading. ]]> 4.32 1998 Stalingrad: The Fateful Siege, 1942–1943
author: Antony Beevor
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.32
book published: 1998
rating: 5
read at: 2020/12/26
date added: 2020/12/26
shelves:
review:
This is a must read book for multiple reasons - on the Battle of Stalingrad, the so called Turning point of IInd world war. Anotny Beevor has been extremely descriptive of the events based on his research of the same from various documents. This book gives shivers down to the spine on knowing the event as they happened. The shear carnage and the destruction of human lives in demoralizing. The wrote has taken care to weave the events in a very comprehensive fashion and enables the reader to easily join the dots and understand the events.
It took me about 4 weeks to finish the book, and it felt like watching a war movie which was 4 weeks long. I generally underline the important lines in the pages, and while i finished the book, i realised there were blue lines in almost every page of the book.
This profound work by the writer 'leads to' and deserves a passionate reading.
]]> <![CDATA[Shyam: An Illustrated Retelling of the Bhagavata]]> 40513914 306 Devdutt Pattanaik 0670084468 Abhishek 3 4.12 Shyam: An Illustrated Retelling of the Bhagavata
author: Devdutt Pattanaik
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.12
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2020/12/06
date added: 2020/12/06
shelves:
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]]> <![CDATA[Measurement Demystified: Creating Your L&D Measurement, Analytics, and Reporting Strategy]]> 55935197 Your Groundbreaking Framework for Measurement and Reporting

Most people find measurement, analytics, and reporting daunting—and L&D professionals are no different. As these practices have become critically important for organizations� efforts to improve performance, talent development professionals have often been slow to embrace them for many reasons, including the seeming complexity and challenge of the practices. Few organizations have a well-thought-out measurement and reporting strategy, and there are often scant resources, limited time, and imperfect data to work with when organizations do attempt to create one.

Measurement Creating Your L&D Measurement, Analytics, and Reporting Strategy is a much-needed and welcomed resource that breaks new ground with a framework to simplify the discussion of measurement, analytics, and reporting as it relates to L&D and talent development practitioners. This book helps practitioners select and use the right measures for the right reasons; select, create, and use the right types of reports; and create a comprehensive measurement and reporting strategy.

Recognizing the angst and reluctance people often show in these areas, authors and experts David Vance and Peggy Parskey break down the practices and processes by providing a common language and an easy-to-use structure. They describe five types of reports, four broad reasons to measure, and three categories of measures. Their method works for large and small organizations, even if yours is an L&D staff of one or two. The guidance remains the Start small and grow.

Measurement Demystified is a great first book for talent development professionals with no prior knowledge of or experience with measurement and a valuable resource for measurement experts. Those adept at lower levels of training evaluation will grow their knowledge base and capabilities, while measurement experts will discover shortcuts and nuggets of information to enhance their practices. A more comprehensive treatment of these important topics will not be found elsewhere.]]> 624 David Vance Abhishek 0 to-read 4.62 Measurement Demystified: Creating Your L&D Measurement, Analytics, and Reporting Strategy
author: David Vance
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.62
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/11/27
shelves: to-read
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]]> Mahabharata 9901535 Retold; for young adults. 320 OM Books Editorial Team 8187108258 Abhishek 2 4.27 2007 Mahabharata
author: OM Books Editorial Team
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2007
rating: 2
read at: 2020/11/25
date added: 2020/11/25
shelves:
review:
This book is a collection of short stories on events in the epic Mahabharat. It will Leave you asking for more......
]]> <![CDATA[Talk To Me: How Voice Computing Will Transform the Way We Live, Work, and Think]]> 37570563
The next great technological disruption is coming

The titans of Silicon Valley are racing to build the last, best computer that the world will ever need. They know that whoever successfully creates it will revolutionize our relationship with technology—and make billions of dollars in the process. They call it conversational AI.

Computers that can speak and think like humans may seem like the stuff of science fiction, but they are rapidly moving toward reality. In Talk to Me , veteran tech journalist James Vlahos meets the researchers at Amazon, Google, and Apple who are leading the way. He explores how voice tech will transform every sector of handing untold new powers to businesses, overturning traditional notions of privacy, upending how we access information, and fundamentally altering the way we understand human consciousness. And he even tries to understand the significance of the voice-computing revolution first-hand � by building a chatbot version of his terminally ill father.

Vlahos’s research leads him to one fundamental What happens when our computers become as articulate, compassionate, and creative as we are?]]> 336 James Vlahos 1328799301 Abhishek 4 4.10 Talk To Me: How Voice Computing Will Transform the Way We Live, Work, and Think
author: James Vlahos
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.10
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2020/10/11
date added: 2020/11/24
shelves:
review:
Excellent read on voice controlled AI. Very well explained the journey of conversational AI.
]]> The Divine Center 44669 320 Stephen R. Covey 1590384040 Abhishek 0 to-read 4.27 1998 The Divine Center
author: Stephen R. Covey
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.27
book published: 1998
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/11/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Living the 7 Habits: The Courage to Change]]> 842590 Success that endures -- sustainable and balanced success -- can seem difficult to achieve in today's turbulent, complex world of change. But those who achieve this kind of success live by seven universal, timeless, self-evident principles that apply in any situation, in any culture.
In Living the 7 The Courage to Change, Dr. Covey shows how successful people have used these principles to solve problems, overcome obstacles, and change their lives. By showing how real people have used the principles to thrive in a changing world, he provides practical guidance and powerful inspiration to readers searching for a proven framework for living a meaningful life.]]> 336 Stephen R. Covey 0684857162 Abhishek 0 to-read 4.02 Living the 7 Habits: The Courage to Change
author: Stephen R. Covey
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.02
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/11/23
shelves: to-read
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]]> <![CDATA[Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence]]> 34272565 How will Artificial Intelligence affect crime, war, justice, jobs, society and our very sense of being human? The rise of AI has the potential to transform our future more than any other technology--and there's nobody better qualified or situated to explore that future than Max Tegmark, an MIT professor who's helped mainstream research on how to keep AI beneficial.

How can we grow our prosperity through automation without leaving people lacking income or purpose? What career advice should we give today's kids? How can we make future AI systems more robust, so that they do what we want without crashing, malfunctioning or getting hacked? Should we fear an arms race in lethal autonomous weapons? Will machines eventually outsmart us at all tasks, replacing humans on the job market and perhaps altogether? Will AI help life flourish like never before or give us more power than we can handle?

What sort of future do you want? This book empowers you to join what may be the most important conversation of our time. It doesn't shy away from the full range of viewpoints or from the most controversial issues--from superintelligence to meaning, consciousness and the ultimate physical limits on life in the cosmos.]]> 384 Max Tegmark 0451485076 Abhishek 2 A the end the writer does askes a few important and unavoidable questions like -
# Do you want to be Mindful optimist and create the future you want Or Avoid the future you Fear
# Do you wish to drive your own future with the help of Technology or allow the Technology drive your future

He also makes a very important point of being optimistic about AI rather than just fearing about AI robots going out of control. It boils down to how aware we are of our surroundings today to have an opinion about it, just like how aware or polarized we are, when we go to cast our Vote.]]> 4.02 2017 Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
author: Max Tegmark
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2017
rating: 2
read at: 2020/11/22
date added: 2020/11/22
shelves:
review:
As most of the Sci Fi books might end up sounding - A little Non fictious. That's what this book too turned out to be for most of the sections in the book - an out of the box thinking by the writer backed up with some data and theories too(i can call baised).
A the end the writer does askes a few important and unavoidable questions like -
# Do you want to be Mindful optimist and create the future you want Or Avoid the future you Fear
# Do you wish to drive your own future with the help of Technology or allow the Technology drive your future

He also makes a very important point of being optimistic about AI rather than just fearing about AI robots going out of control. It boils down to how aware we are of our surroundings today to have an opinion about it, just like how aware or polarized we are, when we go to cast our Vote.
]]> <![CDATA[A Soldier’s Diary: Kargil the Inside Story]]> 41429148 मातृभूमि की रक्ष� हेतु अपने प्राणो� की आहुत� देनेवाले जाँबाज भारती� सैनिको� के प्रत� सच्ची श्रद्धांजल� है यह पुस्तक।]]> 220 Harinder Baweja 8193750152 Abhishek 3 3.93 2000 A Soldier’s Diary: Kargil the Inside Story
author: Harinder Baweja
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2000
rating: 3
read at: 2020/06/30
date added: 2020/10/22
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[World War II (A Step into History)]]> 31707307 144 Steven Otfinoski 0531243664 Abhishek 2 4.25 World War II (A Step into History)
author: Steven Otfinoski
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.25
book published:
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 2020/09/18
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Duryodhanization: Are Villains Born, Made, or Made Up?]]> 43184054 217 Nishant Uppal 9353053692 Abhishek 4 3.89 Duryodhanization: Are Villains Born, Made, or Made Up?
author: Nishant Uppal
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.89
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2020/09/17
date added: 2020/09/17
shelves:
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]]> <![CDATA[The World Was Going Our Way: The KGB & the Battle for the Third World]]> 1213862 736 Christopher Andrew 0465003117 Abhishek 0 to-read 4.08 2005 The World Was Going Our Way: The KGB & the Battle for the Third World
author: Christopher Andrew
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2005
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/08/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Spy Book: The Encyclopedia of Espionage]]> 2251028
Contains over 2,000 alphabetical entries on the real and fictional people, agencies, operations, tradecraft and tools that make up the clandestine world of espionage.

Illustrated with over 70 photographs and drawings of famous spies, codes, hardware and more

Based on previously unavailable archives, including the recently opened KGB files]]> 672 Thomas B. Allen 0375702490 Abhishek 0 to-read 4.07 1996 Spy Book: The Encyclopedia of Espionage
author: Thomas B. Allen
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.07
book published: 1996
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/08/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[World War 2: A Captivating Guide from Beginning to End (The Second World War)]]> 36136190 Free History BONUS Inside! The Second World War was one of the most traumatic events in human history. Across the world, existing conflicts became connected, entangling nations in a vast web of violence. It was fought on land, sea, and air, touching every inhabited continent. Over 55 million people died, some of them combatants, some civilians caught up in the violence, and some murdered by their own governments. It was the war that unleashed the Holocaust and the atomic bomb upon the world. But it was also a war that featured acts of courage and self-sacrifice on every side. Some of the topics covered in this book The Rising TideFrom Poland to the Fall of FranceBritain’s Darkest HourBarbarossa UnleashedEarly Operations in Africa and the MediterraneanA Day Which Will Live in InfamyGermany’s Eastern OffensivesGuadalcanal and the War in AsiaOperation Torch and the Taking of North AfricaThe Tide Turns in Eastern EuropeAdvancing on JapanThe Invasion of ItalyFrom D-Day to the BulgeThe Fall of GermanyThe Fall of JapanAnd a Great Deal More that You don't Want to Miss out on!Scroll to the top and download the book for instant access!]]> 82 Captivating History Abhishek 0 to-read 4.22 World War 2: A Captivating Guide from Beginning to End (The Second World War)
author: Captivating History
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.22
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/08/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Normandy '44: D-Day and the Epic 77-Day Battle for France]]> 42360846
For both sides, the challenges were enormous. The Allies confronted a disciplined German army stretched to its limit, which nonetheless caused tactics to be adjusted on the fly. Ultimately ingenuity, determination, and immense materiel strength--delivered with operational brilliance--made the difference. A stirring narrative by a pre-eminent historian, Normandy '44 offers important new perspective on one of history's most dramatic military engagements and is an invaluable addition to the literature of war.]]> 650 James Holland 0802129420 Abhishek 0 to-read 4.39 2019 Normandy '44: D-Day and the Epic 77-Day Battle for France
author: James Holland
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/08/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[SAS: Who Dares Wins: Leadership Secrets from the Special Forces]]> 31509339 Life and leadership lessons from the Special Forces, from the stars of Channel 4 series Who Dares Wins - including Sunday Times bestselling author of FIRST LEADING FROM THE FRONT, Ant MiddletonAre you up to the challenge of SAS leadership? Only the best will succeed... Britain's SAS (Special Air Service) has an unparalleled reputation for soldiering excellence. Their skills and techniques have been perfected in the most demanding environments imaginable, but many of these can also be used in our everyday lives. This book takes situations all of us will experience during our lives and presents tactical lessons drawn from SAS training and battlefield experience. Its four authors - stars of the hit Channel 4 show Who Dares Wins - how their finely honed understanding of how to handle extreme challenges can be applied in any environment. Their advice on negotiation, people management, self-motivation and resilience, among other things, can transform your performance in a whole range of from buying a house, nailing a job interview, and the experience of dealing with rejection, to maintaining a diet, or managing that pushy colleague at work.This is the ultimate guide to leadership and personal achievement.]]> 254 Anthony Middleton 1472240707 Abhishek 2 3.96 SAS: Who Dares Wins: Leadership Secrets from the Special Forces
author: Anthony Middleton
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.96
book published:
rating: 2
read at: 2020/08/23
date added: 2020/08/23
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]]> Bravo Two Zero 22202
Each man laden with 15 stone of equipment, they patrolled 20km across flat desert to reach their objective. Within days, their location was compromised. After a fierce fire fight, they were forced to escape and evade on foot to the Syrian border. In the desperate action that followed, though stricken by hypothermia and other injuries, the patrol 'went ballistic'. Four men were captured. Three died. Only one escaped. For the survivors, however, the worst ordeals were to come. Delivered to Baghdad, they were tortured with a savagery for which not even their intensive SAS training had prepared them.

Bravo Two Zero is a breathtaking account of Special Forces soldiering: a chronicle of superhuman courage, endurance and dark humour in the face of overwhelming odds.]]> 416 Andy McNab 0552153575 Abhishek 0 to-read 4.11 1991 Bravo Two Zero
author: Andy McNab
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.11
book published: 1991
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/07/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Mindfulness: Connecting with the Real You]]> 50801501 208 Vinay Dabholkar 9353573459 Abhishek 4 3.68 Mindfulness: Connecting with the Real You
author: Vinay Dabholkar
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.68
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2020/05/01
date added: 2020/07/26
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[What Every Indian Should Know Before Investing: Edition 2017]]> 36478926
This new edition has a chapter on Essential Formulas that will help investors manage their personal finances better. All topics are explained in a simple, easy-to-understand manner!]]> 364 Vinod Pottayil 8190697218 Abhishek 3 4.16 What Every Indian Should Know Before Investing: Edition 2017
author: Vinod Pottayil
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.16
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2020/04/01
date added: 2020/07/26
shelves:
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]]> The God of Small Things 9777
Armed only with the invincible innocence of children, they fashion a childhood for themselves in the shade of the wreck that is their family—their lonely, lovely mother, Ammu (who loves by night the man her children love by day), their blind grandmother, Mammachi (who plays Handel on her violin), their beloved uncle Chacko (Rhodes scholar, pickle baron, radical Marxist, bottom-pincher), their enemy, Baby Kochamma (ex-nun and incumbent grandaunt), and the ghost of an imperial entomologist's moth (with unusually dense dorsal tufts).

When their English cousin, Sophie Mol, and her mother, Margaret Kochamma, arrive on a Christmas visit, Esthappen and Rahel learn that Things Can Change in a Day. That lives can twist into new, ugly shapes, even cease forever, beside their river "graygreen." With fish in it. With the sky and trees in it. And at night, the broken yellow moon in it.

The brilliantly plotted story uncoils with an agonizing sense of foreboding and inevitability. Yet nothing prepares you for what lies at the heart of it.

The God of Small Things takes on the Big Themes—Love. Madness. Hope. Infinite Joy. Here is a writer who dares to break the rules. To dislocate received rhythms and create the language she requires, a language that is at once classical and unprecedented. Arundhati Roy has given us a book that is anchored to anguish, but fueled by wit and magic.]]> 321 Arundhati Roy 0679457313 Abhishek 4 3.97 1997 The God of Small Things
author: Arundhati Roy
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.97
book published: 1997
rating: 4
read at: 1999/10/01
date added: 2020/07/26
shelves:
review:

]]> Brian Tracy's Eat That Frog!: 28829094
Brian Tracy prompts us to action with his insightful methods that have stood the test of time. Sky is the limit for your success, if you have trained yourself to eat that frog first every day.

Written in a simple and engaging style, he reveals the secrets of great and successful people who achieved greatest heights in their career and life.

Why reading the summary of a book when you have the original? Time constraint is the biggest problem. As you are flooded with lots of work and don’t find time to read it from the first page to the last, a well written summary enables you to know the unique ideas presented in the book clearly and precisely. It saves your time giving you the great advantage of reading the original book.

Ant Hive Media reads every chapter, extracts the understanding and leaves you with a new perspective and time to spare. We do the work so you can understand the book in minutes, not hours.]]> 37 Ant Hive Media Abhishek 3 4.02 Brian Tracy's Eat That Frog!:
author: Ant Hive Media
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.02
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2011/08/01
date added: 2020/07/26
shelves:
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]]> <![CDATA[Everything You Wanted to Know About Investing (A New Perspective)]]> 28868982 Investment in Equity is not a Game of Dice . Get in the Experts with Mutual Funds and ULIPs . Futures and Options . Debt � Let Your Money Earn Interest . Getting Real with your Investments . Section 3 Consolidating. A hard look at your liabilities . Happiness Economics . Giving you the Head Start Advantage]]> 208 Shalini Amarnani Abhishek 5 3.80 Everything You Wanted to Know About Investing (A New Perspective)
author: Shalini Amarnani
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.80
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2019/11/01
date added: 2020/07/26
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Gung Ho! Turn On the People in Any Organization]]> 869003 187 Kenneth H. Blanchard 068815428X Abhishek 4 3.94 1996 Gung Ho! Turn On the People in Any Organization
author: Kenneth H. Blanchard
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.94
book published: 1996
rating: 4
read at: 2010/01/01
date added: 2020/07/26
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Birbal Tenali And Investment Sutras]]> 49012821 115 Vinayak Sapre 9387860620 Abhishek 3 3.62 Birbal Tenali And Investment Sutras
author: Vinayak Sapre
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.62
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2020/03/01
date added: 2020/07/26
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[How to be Your Own Financial Planner in 10 Steps: Master Your Financial Life (JagoInvestor, #2)]]> 19003493
Many investors who are DIY (Do It Yourself) investors can use this book to plan their financial life and be their own financial planners at some basic level. The book has the 3 elements of education, planning and action items all packed into one. Written for the common person, in simple language, the book deals with the most important financial worries and questions.

Manish Chauhan's first book, 16 Personal Finance Principles Every Investor Should Know was a great hit and well received by readers. The previous book taught investors the basics of personal finance. This book is a natural progression of that concept where you focus on actions and completing things in your financial life. The book is free from technical jargon yet has strong content, which is currently missing in the personal finance space. Grab your copy right now and give a new power to your financial life.]]> 0 Manish Chauhan 9380200676 Abhishek 5 4.27 2013 How to be Your Own Financial Planner in 10 Steps: Master Your Financial Life (JagoInvestor, #2)
author: Manish Chauhan
name: Abhishek
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2013
rating: 5
read at: 2013/10/01
date added: 2020/07/26
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The SBS in World War II: An Illustrated History (General Military)]]> 21461110
Though the movie Guns of Navarrone was inspired by SBS exploits, most people know little about them. Unlike its sister unit, which numbered more than 1,000, the SBS never comprised more than 100.
These men were mostly former commandos of guardsmen, cherry-picked by the unit's leader Lord George Jellicoe for their daring, initiative, and proficiency in killing Germans. The new unit was first committed to action on the islands of Crete and Sardinia, before spending much of the war fighting in the islands of the Aegean.
Led by men such as the famed Victoria Cross winner Anders Lassen, the SBS went from island to island, landing in the dead of night in small fishing boats and launching savage hit and run raids on the Germans. Sometimes they blew up a telegraph station, other times they cratered the airstrip, and more often than not they laid waste to a barrack room of sleeping soldiers. Like modern-day Vikings or pirates, they terrorised the German garrisons and were even described in the House of Commons as a band of "murderous, renegade cut-throats".
By the end of the war they had served in Italy, the Balkans, and mainland Greece, and following the cessation of hostilities their deeds were airbrushed out of history by an establishment that had never warmed to their piratical exploits. Gavin Mortimer, with his unrivalled access to the SBS and through interviews with the surviving members of the unit, has pieced together the dramatic exploits of this elite fighting force.]]> 256 Gavin Mortimer Abhishek 3 3.46 2013 The SBS in World War II: An Illustrated History (General Military)
author: Gavin Mortimer
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.46
book published: 2013
rating: 3
read at: 2020/07/26
date added: 2020/07/26
shelves:
review:
A brief read on the accounts of this elite and brave force of SBS. As the book is based on research done via a truck load or original documents, it provides the � “reported details� of most of the events mentioned. The book presents a very brief display of the actual chain of events that occurred, leaving the reader asking for more, to read and understand.
]]> <![CDATA[Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking]]> 40102 The Tipping Point a classic, Blink changes the way you'll understand every decision you make. Never again will you think about thinking the same way.

Malcolm Gladwell redefined how we understand the world around us. Now, in Blink, he revolutionizes the way we understand the world within. Blink is a book about how we think without thinking, about choices that seem to be made in an instant - in the blink of an eye - that actually aren't as simple as they seem. Why are some people brilliant decision makers, while others are consistently inept? Why do some people follow their instincts and win, while others end up stumbling into error? How do our brains really work - in the office, in the classroom, in the kitchen, and in the bedroom? And why are the best decisions often those that are impossible to explain to others?

In Blink we meet the psychologist who has learned to predict whether a marriage will last, based on a few minutes of observing a couple; the tennis coach who knows when a player will double-fault before the racket even makes contact with the ball; the antiquities experts who recognize a fake at a glance. Here, too, are great failures of "blink": the election of Warren Harding; "New Coke"; and the shooting of Amadou Diallo by police. Blink reveals that great decision makers aren't those who process the most information or spend the most time deliberating, but those who have perfected the art of "thin-slicing" - filtering the very few factors that matter from an overwhelming number of variables.]]> 296 Malcolm Gladwell 0316010669 Abhishek 0 to-read 3.97 2005 Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking
author: Malcolm Gladwell
name: Abhishek
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2005
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/06/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]>