BOOK REVIEW

                                                                            

Author: Manoj Gupta  |  Book: New York to New You – The 31/7 odyssey  |  Genre: Self-Help Book  |  Language: English  |  Pages: 189  |  Publisher: StoryMirror    

 

                                                                     Blurb

“Humans went through evolution to create machines, not to become one”, replete with such hard-hitting lines, this book from Manoj Gupta (working in tech sector for over 25 years & has a vast International experience in multiple domains) is an eye opener. It is a necessary life manual which provides practical tips to discover that indispensable balance between exterior efficiency & dynamism and interior peace & joy.

 

                                                                    Review

1.      Cover page:- Comprehending the title and cover image of the book always intrigues me. With words like New You, Inner leadership & Mindfulness,  author has given away few hints about the core content of the book. At the same time the subtitle ‘The 31/7 odyssey’ is smartly inculcated to arouse the curiosity. The cover image is soothing and carries an underlying meaning to it.

 

2.      Characters:- The story revolves around James (a cynosure investment banker of The Wall Street, New York), Guru Manvik (an astute Guru from India) & RK, the enigmatic link between the above two captivating characters.

 

3.      Plot:- All of us experience failure at some point in our life. There are moments when we feel we are immersed head deep into troubles and there is absolutely no way out. In a similar manner, here, the protagonist James finds himself plummeting into a gaping hole when he meets with an accident. Guru Manvik subtly and pragmatically dishes out to him the importance of conquering the inner world in order to conquer the external world. Will he successfully pull out James from the swamp of chaos? Can his blueprint be useful for everyone of us?

 

4.      Language:- It is an easy-to-read book for all categories of readers including the beginners. The language used is simple and silky.

 

5.      Comprehension:- Use of uncomplicated narration makes decoding even those deep and profound messages conveyed by the author very easy. Although I would have liked a few aspects like ‘emotional personality’ and ‘atman’ described a little more.

 

6.      Pace:- It is a racy page turner from the very beginning. You would simply don’t want to put the book down. Not a single boring or slow moment. Perfectly edited I would say.

 

7.      Connecting Power:- James is such a relatable character that you start connecting to his emotions in no time. This book will grab your attention in an intense way.

 

8.      Impact:- It is bound to make an ever lasting impact on your perceptions and your thought processes. You will become more sagacious, for sure.

 

                                                                        X-Factor

1.      Author has revealed the meaning of cover image by himself in the acknowledgement section which was a new thing for me. It helps you to comprehend the precise significance of the image.

2.      The ‘How to read the book’ instruction will help you to soak in the distilled knowledge & wisdom accurately and steadily from each chapter.

3.     Each and every aspect is explained using daily life examples like what happens with your physiology and psychology when you see a beautiful girl which makes your day and why it happens. 

4.      The use of diagrams make the reading experience more interactive.

5.      The messages are injected skillfully in the form of a conversation which makes it easy to digest. You will never feel choked with information which is generally the case with self-help books.

6.      Use of abbreviations like 31/7 & A,B,C,D makes it interesting and undemanding to remember.

7.      Innumerable wow moments such as this revealtion – the measuring unit of life is experience!!

8.      The biggest x-factor for me was the ‘Recap’ section provided at the end of the story. This is really thoughtful and innovative from the author. It prohibits the momentum break while reading. You won’t need to keep taking notes which is usually the case with self-help books.

 

 

                                                   Fynally

                                                                

New York to New You is not only a reading experience, it gives you a travelling experience too. You travel to your deepest layers and find precious nuggets lying everywhere. Human Physiology and Psychology has been explained in a more succinct and condensed way with the use of ‘VIBGYOR’. In day to day life, we have somewhat lost ‘the human’ from the mankind and have forgotten that we are not here to be unhappy or anxious. This book reminds us ‘Life is simple, why complicate it?’ The most important & practical takeaways for me was the ‘I & I’ formula & various ‘breathing techniques’ which I have incorporated immediately into my daily routine. If you are one of those who likes to stay happy & grow as a person, it is a treasure trove that has the potential to transfigure you and usher you to locate your full potential, if you embrace the key messages.