Bala's Updates en-US Thu, 27 Mar 2025 07:34:34 -0700 60 Bala's Updates 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg GiveawayRequest694083735 Thu, 27 Mar 2025 07:34:34 -0700 <![CDATA[<a href="/user/show/2441094-bala">Bala</a> entered a giveaway]]> /giveaway/show/409187-how-to-be-human-reflections-and-anecdotes-for-life-s-journey How to Be Human by Nicole Martins Ferreira ]]> GiveawayRequest694081859 Thu, 27 Mar 2025 07:29:46 -0700 <![CDATA[<a href="/user/show/2441094-bala">Bala</a> entered a giveaway]]> /giveaway/show/407716-your-home-remedy-for-acid-reflux-disease-live-eat-and-heal-abundantly Your Home Remedy for Acid Reflux Disease by Howard Christian ]]> Review7391452276 Mon, 10 Mar 2025 06:30:23 -0700 <![CDATA[Bala added 'Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement with Everyday Life']]> /review/show/7391452276 Finding Flow by Mihály Csíkszentmihályi Bala gave 3 stars to Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement with Everyday Life (Paperback) by Mihály Csíkszentmihályi
While the book is good, I could not connect with it. It explains the concept in detail.

It is similar to
'Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life'.

]]> Review7345627367 Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:28:46 -0800 <![CDATA[Bala added 'Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away']]> /review/show/7345627367 Quit by Annie Duke Bala gave 5 stars to Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away (Hardcover) by Annie Duke
If you’ve ever felt guilty about quitting something, this book might just become your new best friend.

This book is basically the opposite of "Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance" by Angela Duckworth. While Duckworth champions the "never give up" mantra, Annie Duke is like, "Hey, maybe it’s okay to quit -- strategically, of course." On a lighter note, if you read both these books back to back, you risk getting more confused about life than before reading them.

The book dives into the art of strategic quitting. Forget the shame of quitting for a second. Instead, Annie walks you through several ideas that help you figure out when it’s time to call it quits without totally abandoning your dignity. Instead of a step-by-step guide on how to quit, the book offers examples and stories of people who quit at the right time and came out ahead. There are also tales of businesses that stubbornly clung to their founding identity like a dog with a bone, only to find themselves on the path to demise.

So, if you’re tired of hearing how you should never quit, this book will convince you that there’s a time and place to step away gracefully—and still come out on top. ]]> Review7345642850 Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:09:16 -0800 <![CDATA[Bala added 'All About Asset Allocation']]> /review/show/7345642850 All About Asset Allocation by Richard A. Ferri Bala gave 3 stars to All About Asset Allocation (Kindle Edition) by Richard A. Ferri
This is a good book for investment novices. I did not gain much from it. Often, I had to skip to the end of each chapter. ]]> Review7345637804 Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:08:47 -0800 <![CDATA[Bala added 'Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life / The Little Book of Lykke / Lagom: The Swedish Art of Balanced Living']]> /review/show/7345637804 Ikigai by HĂ©ctor GarcĂ­a Bala gave 2 stars to Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life / The Little Book of Lykke / Lagom: The Swedish Art of Balanced Living (Hardcover) by HĂ©ctor GarcĂ­a
This book explains the concept of Ikigai.
I found this book to be more of the authors' experience with certain part of Japanese culture and not very appealing as a self-help book. ]]> Review7345637804 Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:07:17 -0800 <![CDATA[Bala added 'Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life / The Little Book of Lykke / Lagom: The Swedish Art of Balanced Living']]> /review/show/7345637804 Ikigai by HĂ©ctor GarcĂ­a Bala gave 2 stars to Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life / The Little Book of Lykke / Lagom: The Swedish Art of Balanced Living (Hardcover) by HĂ©ctor GarcĂ­a
This book explains the concept of Ikigai.
I found this book to be more of the authors' experience with certain part of Japanese culture and not very appealing as a self-help book. ]]> Review7345627367 Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:06:58 -0800 <![CDATA[Bala added 'Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away']]> /review/show/7345627367 Quit by Annie Duke Bala gave 5 stars to Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away (Hardcover) by Annie Duke
If you’ve ever felt guilty about quitting something, this book might just become your new best friend.

This book is basically the opposite of "Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance" by Angela Duckworth. While Duckworth champions the "never give up" mantra, Annie Duke is like, "Hey, maybe it’s okay to quit -- strategically, of course." On a lighter note, if you read both these books back to back, you risk getting more confused about life than before reading them.

The book dives into the art of strategic quitting. Forget the shame of quitting for a second. Instead, Annie walks you through several ideas that help you figure out when it’s time to call it quits without totally abandoning your dignity. Instead of a step-by-step guide on how to quit, the book offers examples and stories of people who quit at the right time and came out ahead. There are also tales of businesses that stubbornly clung to their founding identity like a dog with a bone, only to find themselves on the path to demise.

So, if you’re tired of hearing how you should never quit, this book will convince you that there’s a time and place to step away gracefully—and still come out on top. ]]> Review7345627367 Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:03:31 -0800 <![CDATA[Bala added 'Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away']]> /review/show/7345627367 Quit by Annie Duke Bala gave 5 stars to Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away (Hardcover) by Annie Duke
If you’ve ever felt guilty about quitting something, this book might just become your new best friend.

This book is basically the opposite of "Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance" by Angela Duckworth. While Duckworth champions the "never give up" mantra, Annie Duke is like, "Hey, maybe it’s okay to quit -- strategically, of course." On a lighter note, if you read both these books back to back, you risk getting more confused about life than before reading them.

The book dives into the art of strategic quitting. Forget the shame of quitting for a second. Instead, Annie walks you through several ideas that help you figure out when it’s time to call it quits without totally abandoning your dignity. Instead of a step-by-step guide on how to quit, the book offers examples and stories of people who quit at the right time and came out ahead. There are also tales of businesses that stubbornly clung to their founding identity like a dog with a bone, only to find themselves on the path to demise.

So, if you’re tired of hearing how you should never quit, this book will convince you that there’s a time and place to step away gracefully—and still come out on top. ]]> Review7142283808 Mon, 30 Dec 2024 21:31:30 -0800 <![CDATA[Bala added 'Myths, Lies and Downright Stupidity: Get Out the Shovel - Why Everything You Know is Wrong']]> /review/show/7142283808 Myths, Lies and Downright Stupidity by John Stossel Bala gave 4 stars to Myths, Lies and Downright Stupidity: Get Out the Shovel - Why Everything You Know is Wrong (Paperback) by John Stossel
An interesting book that presents thought provoking alternatives to popular beliefs in the USA society.

I enjoyed listening to it. ]]>