Tag Archives: experience

Book Review: Life Is Abracadabra by Baisakhi Saha

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About the Book:

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‘I think people are afraid to dream because they don’t want to be disappointed,’ she told the Belgian guy . . .

But what if there was a way to co-create our dreams with the universe? And what if the universe responded to us in a tangible way?

At the tender age of seventeen, Baisakhi left her home to pursue higher studies abroad. Since then, she has dwelled in different continents―from Asia to Europe to Africa to South America to North and Central America―studying life through myriad mirrors of reality. She has lived with local families―eating their food, adopting their lifestyles, contributing to their economy, negotiating extreme realities and belief systems, and navigating diverse traditions and religions for several years to answer life’s most pertinent questions. Coming from a conservative family in India, she had to overcome all limitations to fly!

This book narrates the magical adventures and marvellous encounters of an ordinary girl who believes in extraordinary possibilities as she traverses the globe to fulfil her destiny. Life Is Abracadabra is peppered with true anecdotes of hope and faith, of meaningful coincidences and miracles that will make you perceive life from an altogether new dimension. It is about noticing the signs and synchronicities strewn on our paths and acting on them. Because when we do, life will be on our side too.

My Thoughts:

This review has been a long time coming!

I am so glad to have gotten the chance to read this book and join the author as she narrates some of her adventures and mis adventures, all the while maintaining hope and having faith in her dreams.

This book gives us glimpses into the author’s life as she navigates almost impossible situations, makes new friends, faces adverse conditions and comes out stronger in the end. This is a story of resilience, facing the impossible and strength, exploring new countries and learning life lessons along with new cultures.

I loved reading this book, even though some parts of it just scared me. The author’s experiences are unique (though it is possible that many have faced similar situations, but have not been able to talk about it). This book is a conversation starter, a chance for people to know that they are not alone, but also to know that the proverb “try and try until you succeed” actually works.

Without sounding as though she is preaching, Baisakhi shows us that there is indeed magic in the world. If there’s one thing I learnt from all this, it is that there is goodness in friendship and sometimes even strangers can become family (a kind of found family). Baisakhi’s journey is one to know about, one to learn from and I believe that though each person’s take away may differ, one thing will remain common, and that is the agreement that Life is indeed Abracadabra!

Book Review – Unemployable: How I Hired Myself by Alysia Silberg

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About the Book:

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In Unemployable, How I Hired Myself Alysia Silberg shares her incredible journey from a childhood math and science prodigy in Johannesburg, South Africa, to a successful venture capitalist in Silicon Valley. It all began with a pair of pretty pink roller skates and a small business selling old suits on the street. Alysia’s story is one of pain, perseverance, love, romance, and the pursuit of the “American Dream.” Through a gripping memoir and a practical guide, she offers valuable insights into overcoming challenges, achieving financial freedom, and finding purpose. As Alysia invites you to put on your roller skates and join her on this extraordinary journey, you will be inspired to change your life for the better and embark on your own path to personal and financial growth.

Author’s Bio:

Alysia Silberg was born to blaze trails. As the daughter of a Hollywood makeup artist who worked with screen legends like Marilyn Monroe, Natalie Wood, and Marlon Brando, Alysia was a math and science prodigy from an early age. At just 11 years old, she started her first business, an import-export agency, cultivating her entrepreneurial instincts. Today, as CEO & General Partner of Street Global, Alysia is a leading venture capitalist in Silicon Valley, mentoring tech startups and helping them go public. She gained recognition for her groundbreaking online radio show, Global Fireside Chats, which united industry titans from around the world to share insights on our rapidly evolving world during its operation. A UN Women Empower Women Global Champion and international board director with sovereign wealth fund experience, Alysia’s first book, Unemployable, How I Hired Myself is both a gripping memoir detailing her life story and a practical guide to achieving financial freedom.

My Thoughts:

In Unemployable: How I Hired Myself by Alysia Silberg, the author is candid about her experiences and how she found her way to forging her own path to achieve her goals. Through her journey, she seeks to share with us some of the lessons she learnt as she navigated various challenges time and time again. Even in the face of adversity, she persevered and pushed the boundaries to reach her goals.

Alysia’s journey is truly inspirational and there’s something to take away from each chapter in her memoir. Reading this memoir feels as though Alysia is having a conversation with the reader, narrating her experiences and pulling us right in along with her. What stayed with me the most was her determination to turn even the worst situation into a learning experience or an opportunity and to never give up.

Alysia takes us from Johannesburg to the United States as she describes her relationship with her father, her mother and other people who had an impact on her life. She gives us a glimpse into how each person shaped who she has become today whether by their actions or words or even as a result of the decisions she took as a consequence of the above. Another aspect that I enjoyed is how she brought her vision, passion and learning to people and helped others to realize their visions.

I’ll leave you all with some lines from Alysia which are an inspiration to me:

“Home isn’t the place where you live. Home is where you find the courage, and the heart, and the brain, to carry on with your journey. Follow the path of your desire, blaze your own trail, and someday, somewhere over the rainbow, your dreams, too, will come true!”

Book Review: Twisted Tales and Turns : A Journey through the Unexpected by Smita Das Jain

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About the Book:

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What if reality was a carefully crafted illusion, and every truth you thought you knew was a mirage?

Get ready to experience a roller coaster of emotions. Just when you think you have it figured out, the unexpected will leap at you from a page, leaving you stunned and breathless.
A daughter waiting for her father to return from war…
An artist struggling to create a masterpiece…
A scientist having her own definition of a better world…
A friend who loves without being loved back…
A man who has eyes only for another woman on his wedding night…

Twisted Tales and Turns is a captivating collection of short stories where nothing is as it seems.
Are you prepared for the buried truths and shocking revelations that lurk beneath the surface?

My Thoughts:

Wow! This is a well-written collection of short stories that prove to be a quick read. While writing short stories is no easy feat, author Smita makes it seem so simple and easy. I do not usually read a lot of short stories because I know that it is not easy to convey everything in just a few pages. But, I am glad I stepped out of my comfort zone to explore Smita’s book: Twisted Tales and Turns.

The set of stories I most enjoyed were grouped under Out of this World. Even though I am not exactly a fan of the mythical or ghosts, these stories brought out much more than that in terms of emotions. The feelings of loss, love and togetherness are all felt and these reverberate through the reader. I also enjoyed the stories under Love comes in all Hues. In some ways I could see that the author has drawn inspiration from so many sources including her life and the stories each touch the reader in different ways.

I am not sure that I connected with some of the other stories as much, but overall, I truly loved the experience of reading this book and I definitely recommend it to all those who enjoy a quick and meaningful read. Each story is so well-written that the author conveys the message in a way that stays with the reader even after finishing the book.

Beautiful Scars: A Life Redefined by Kilee Brookbank and Lori Highlander

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About the Book:

Kilee Brookbank was a typical sixteen-year-old, thinking about school, soccer, her friends, and her boyfriend. But her last ordinary day erupted in an explosion that consumed her house, burning over 45 percent of her body and sending her to the very brink of death. After thirty-eight days of surgeries, skin grafts, perpetual physical therapy, and excruciating pain, she had to discover how to live again.

When Kilee returned home, she had to find a new “normal,” relearning how to tie her shoes, put on her makeup, and even turn a doorknob. In each moment of her long journey back to everyday life, she had to make choices that would define who she was and who she would become.

With unwavering support from her mom, Lori, and the rest of her family, Kilee faced her journey with determination, strength, and a positive attitude that inspired not only her community, but people around the world.

Told together by Kilee and Lori, Beautiful Scars is a story of recovery, healing, and hope, reminding us all that we’re never powerless, never alone, and that each challenge we face helps make us the people we are meant to be.

My Thoughts:

This story of 16 year old, Kilee Brookbank’s experience with skin burns and her positive outlook to fight back and live a fulfilling life is encouraging and inspiring. The idea to get her story out there, to teach people to love themselves in spite of how they look or the scars they bear is wonderful and I applaud Kilee for the same!

This book brings out the sequence of events from both Kilee’s POV and her mother, Lori’s POV, thus helping us to understand all sides of the story and the feelings of everyone involved. It is a scary thing that happened, but the way in which it was approached and dealt with, made a huge difference to the recovery.

How do you recover from the pain and shock of the burns to living a normal life again? How does someone accept that they no longer look the way they used to, they are different in many ways? All this is covered and shared in great detail. The strength and support of the family and the people around them is wonderful and this story of hope and healing tells us that we are not alone, as long as we do not hesitate to ask for help. There is always someone out there who has gone through what you are going through and there are support groups and help if we seek it out. This is a story of growth and healing of not only of Kilee but also of her family and her mother who stood by her and supported her. They treated her as a normal person, in spite of her burns and the difficulties she faced initially. She had to re-learn to do all the everyday things by herself and I think Lori deserves a huge amount of credit for her unwavering faith and support. The idea to help people deal with the trauma of burns and healing makes Kilee’s story worth a read!