#kakinota : the color purple by alice walker

It is a story about 2 sisters - Celie and Nettie.

Celie was sexually abused at the age of 14 by her so called father.

She delivered 2 babies - a boy and a girl which was given away by her Pa.

When she turned 20 years old, her Pa married her to Mr ??? in exchange of Nettie.

Mr ??? abused her through out their marriage. Her stepchilden disrespect her.

She have to look after her husband mistress, Shug Avery, a well known singer. But she did with a happy heart.

It turned out to be blessing in disgust as after a while, Celie and Shug fast becoming best friend. Even though Shug having affair with Mr??? aka Albert, Shug told Celie that she will never marry Albert because he is weak. So weak that not only he couldn't stand up for Shug, he couldn't even stand up for himself. She taught Nellie how to be a strong woman.

When they found out the truth about Nettie, Celie was so angry with Mr ???. She think about murdering him. Shug stopped her and told Celie what she's going to do. Shug told Albert her plan which included Celie and despite his protest, he let her go.

Celie's life was getting better and better. She was able to fend for herself for the first time without Shug's help and finally they went their own separate ways.

Meanwhile, after Nettie moved out from their family home, she stay with Celie for a while before she was thrown out by Mr ??? for being stubborn. Her last word to her beloved sister, Celie - Be Strong.

She joined a missionary to Africa. Through out her journey, she wrote to Celie. She wrote explaining what Mr ??? did to her . She wrote about her journey. She wrote about finding the truth about their parents. She wrote about finally meeting Celie's children that were given away. She wrote about her family. She wrote if they will ever meet again. She wrote asking if Celie is still alive or whether Celie did received all her letters. She wrote nevertheless...  and hope.


                                     

                                     8/10

#kakinota : the one minute entreprenuer by ken blanchard

The book explained about relationship, bonding, touching....

People with people...

Everywhere...

Anywhere...

In any situations...

Savvy?

Actually, it is a very simple yet a straight forward book about how people work best with other people.

And to make reading more interesting, it combined facts and a story.

It is about A One Minute Manager explained to a young man how to be an effective manager.

Even though, the story is about managing people in an organization but generally the knowledge can be applied into our daily interaction with others anywhere and in every situations except if we're dealing other than human beings.

As the author explained :
1. People are more complicated.
2. People are aware.
3. People think for themselves.
4. People certainly do not want to be manipulated by others.

Remember and respect those features will produce a good management skill.

One Minute Manager explained 3 key factors to become an effective manager :

1. One Minute Goal Setting

This is the foundation for one minute management. Write our goals on papers. One goal a sheet not more than 250 words of explanations. Read and re read it often to make sure our behaviours match our goals.

2. One Minute Praising

It helps people to reach their full potential. As a manager, it is adviceable to praise people when they do something right or if a person is a new learner, praise them when they did something approximately right and guide them until they are able to do it correctly without much guidance.

3. One Minute Reprimand

If a person have all the skills to do something right and he/she did not do the work accordingly, One Minute Reprimand will be given. Before giving reprimand, a manager have to see the behaviour himself. A manager cannot depend on what someone else saw. Never give a reprimand based on 'hearsay'.

I believe if we can apply them into our daily routine, we will be more productive, calmer and happier individual.

I also believe in writing down our own goals be it a yearly, monthly, weekly or daily basis. It makes us more focus on what we need to do especially with so many distractions and noises thrown into our path. When we can see clearly what our main focus are - when and where we will reach them, not only we would be a happier person but a calmer person as well. Because any distractions or noises lay in front of us, we can either skip, delay or ignore them altogether no matter how persistence they are.

According to the author, TOUCHING is a very honest and powerful message. People have strong feelings about being touched. We will know if somebody really care about us or just trying to manipulate us through touching. Touch people we care only when giving them something such as reassurance, support, encouragement etc.
                   

                       

                                8/10

#kakinota : the last lecture by randy pausch

The late Randy Pausch was a lecturer.

He passed away in 2008 due to cancer.

He left a wife, Jai Pausch and 3 children - Dylan, Logan and Chloe.

The last lecture was really Randy last lecture for his fellow students and friends at Carnegie Mellon University.

He recorded the lecture as a gift to his kids to show them how much he loved them and as a guidance for them in the future.

The book explained about his childhood dreams and how he worked hard to make it happened. He encouraged us not to give up ours. Never belittle or laugh other people dreams no matter how silly or illogical it sound to us. We never know what will happen in the future.

This is a person who taught us how to face the reality no matter how painful it is - acknowledged it and moved forward. He explained how he prepared his loved ones, mentally, emotionally and financially.

Through out the book and by watching his youtube, Randy didn't sound like a person who knew he had few months left to live. He was happy and healthy. I believed this was due to his upbringing. Randy was very very fortunate to have an enjoyable childhood. He was blessed with the coolest parents and a sister. That was why he had an amazing positive attitude toward life.

This is a book that contained answers to a question I've been reading in most human development books, "How would you spend  your day if today is your last day?"

I cannot say that everybody will accept their ill fated positively. I have seen person who cannot accept that he had few months to live and was very broken hearted and passed away. I cannot be prejudice why some people easily give up on life and their loved ones. I believed they have their own reasons.

I also met some people who fight their illnesses for their loved ones. Some of them do survived. Some do not and their loved ones let them go peacefully.

What ever it is, they left one valuable lesson for us to remember - never take anything in life for granted. You never know if today is going to be your last day alive?

Live well....


                         

                   

                               9/10

#kakinota : half girlfriend by chetan bhagat

It is about a guy meet girl love story.

Madhav Jha a guy from rural Dumroan, Bihar meet Riya Sumani from city Delhi at St. Stephen College.

Madhav fell in love with Riya but she wasn't interested to have serious relationship yet.

Madhav tried to talk to Riya to be his girlfriend but Riya refused. Tired with Madhav non stop nagging, she relented. She agreed to be his Half Girlfriend.

What is Half Girlfriend?

They have very closed relationship. They spend time together especially both are into basketball. They shared affectionate hugs. That's it. Nothing more.

Riya doesn't want to be pressured to do more. Madhav reluctantly agreed.

But one day, Madhav  said something unexpectedly due to peer pressure. Riya was so mad and left him.

When Madhav begged her few months later, Riya was getting married to her old friend, Rohan Chandak. She dropped out and moved to London.

Madhav was broken hearted. Finished his education. Refused a 50,000 a month job offer. Returned home to help his mom runs a private school, Dumraon Royal School.

They meet a few years later by accident. She was meeting a client. He was meeting Bill Gates Foundation representatives for being short listed for a small grant of USD20,000 for his school.

But... he needed to make a 5 to 10 minutes speech in English. Riya offered to help him with his speeches.

As a modern Indian woman and a divorcee who live in a traditional community, Riya faced difficulties especially Madhav's mother, who disapproved of their relationship. Not to worsen mother and son relationship, Riya ran away... again. She left a letter confessing that she was in final stages of cancer.

Madhav was so devastated. He vowed never to fall in love again. He dedicated his life to run his school and mother.

Everything changed when he received Riya's journals. With little assistance received from a well known author, Madhav embarked a journey to discover what had happened to Riya through out the years. He told the author that he will not give up and will find ways to do it until he'll get the answer.

I find the story is simple. Even though it lack the wow factor, it is interesting and enjoyable enough. The words are straight to the point. No flamboyant sentences or words. I believe readers will not be bored to read until the end.

I loved it.

     

                 

                              9/10

#kakinota : the ultimate gift by jim stovall

This book I like to call 2 in 1. Just like all things in life. 2 in 1 shampoo or 2 in 1 moisturisers etc.

It is a motivational in a story book. You'll enjoy the story plot and you'll get some inspirational or life guide notes too.

I believed it is to capture readers who want fast yet entertaining motivational facts. Sometime, the points are more easily absorbed into our mind and soul. Just like when we want to memorize something important by combining it into our favourite song.

I did that a lot. I memorized my school subjects with songs as my back ground. So when I want to recall certain facts, I remember the song and suddenly... wallah!

Okay.... This book is about a lawyer Mr. Theodore J. Hamilton and his faithful assistant Ms Margaret Hastings executed a will from the late Mr. Howard 'Red' Stevens.

Everybody in the family - the sons, daughter, in laws, out laws, relatives closed and far far away land received their entitlements except one.

The only person who, late Red Stevens supposed to hate, did not received any of Red Stevens properties............ yet.

Jason Steven 24 year old great nephew was fumed when he did not get his as easily as the rest of his family member.

And to make thing more interesting, his great uncle make him wait until next year with certain instructions for him to do under Mr Hamilton supervision.

He need to fulfill an elements within a month before he can open the next element in sequences.

Those are :

1. The Gift of Work
He who loves his work never labors.

2. The Gift of Money
Money is nothing more than a tool. It can be a force for good, a force for evil or simply be idle.

3. The Gift of Friends
It is a wealthy person, indeed who calculates riches not in gold but in friends.

4. The Gift of Learning
Education is a lifelong journey whose destination expands as you travel.

5. The Gift of Problems
Problems can only be avoided by exercising good judgement. Good judgement can only be gained by experiencing life's problems.

6. The Gift of Family
Some people are born into wonderful families. Others have to find or create them. Being a member of a family is a priceless privilege which costs nothing but love.

7. The Gift of Laughter
Laughter is a good medicine for the soul. Our world is desperately in need of more such medicine.

8. The Gift of Dreams
Faith is all that dreamers need to see into the future.

9. The Gift of Giving
The only way you can truly get more out of life for yourself is to give part of yourself away.

10. The Gift of Gratitude
In those times when we yearn to have more in our live, we should dwell on the things we already have. In doing so, we will often find that our lives are already full to overflowing.

11. The Gift of a Day
Life at its essence boils down to one day at a time. Today is the day! Plan how you would like the last day of your life.

12. The Gift of Love
Love is a treasure for which we can never pay. The only way we keep it is to give it away.

Readers will read how Jason completed his tasks until to the final element. It is how the author explained in details about each element of the ultimate gift. I believe all of them are equally important. It is what differentiate a good person than a bad one.

The 1st simple element we can try is The Gift of Gratitude. Once we wake up in the morning, before get out of bed, we should state 10 things we're grateful for. It need not be difficult. Just list out all simple things we had in our life. Things that we take granted all this while. Someone once said to me that things we take granted are usually free. Since they are free, we tend to overlook them. But once they are taken away, we cannot replace them.

The 2nd element we could give a try is The Gift of a Day. How would we spend our last day today? Remember.. tomorrow we will die. How and who we want to spend our last day in life. If we do this often, we can differentiate what is important in our life and what is to ignore.

Life will be less stressful if we can answer both questions truthfully. These 2 important questions are the basic element that teach us to focus our life more clearly

In the end, life lived to its fullest is its own ultimate gift.

                                   9/10

#kakinota : eat that frog! by brian tracy

21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time.

As it is, the book explained 21 ways to achieved whatever we plan to do.

It means take ACTION NOW & FAST. Don' t  scumb to PROCRASTINATION and later we'll become scumbags.

I like it. I loved books which give guidance to readers to become a better person. When I read them, it got me thinking, "God! I can do this.". I feel motivated. My mind got me thinking more creatively even for a while.

The 21 greats ways are :

1. Set the table

2. Plan in advance daily

3. Rule 80/20 ( It got me thinking about Miranda Kerr philosophy - 80% healthy 20% fun)

4. Consider consequences

5.Practise creative procrastination. (I loved this one very much.)

6. Use ABCDE method

7. Focus on key result area

8. The Law of 3

9. Prepare throughly

10. Take 1 step a a time ( depends on situation, actually. Some situation need to be bulldoze forcefully to complete them)

11. Upgrade own skills (Strongly agreed)

12. Leverage your special talents

13. Identify your key constraints.

14. Put the pressure on yourself

15. Maximize your personal power

16. Motivate yourself into action

17. Get out of technological time sinks. (Strongly agreed)

18. Slice & dice the task ( depend on tasks actually)

19. Create large chunk of time ( I loved this too)

20. Develop a sense of urgency

21. Single handle the task.

There.... all 21 of them.

I am one of the procrastinator... I am.

I know that every morning I have this big ugly hateful 'frog' (task) to do but sometimes how I tackle them depend on my day.

The big ugly hateful 'frog' cannot be avoided. Even if I closed my eyes, deep in my heart, I know the frog still there. It is still there staring at me. Sometime it makes noises to irritate me. Then I have no choice but to face it and get it done with.

My way to overcome the big ugly hateful frog (task) is by forcing myself. I mentally talk to myself... I hate this frog (task)... I hate this frog (task)... so many times until the hateful and angry feelings overshadow that big ugly frog (task), grab it and swallow it force fully until I finish it. I will get all kind of feelings throughout the process - feel like crying and feel like vomiting but I just focus my mind and force myself to go through and get it done with. Only after I finished the process, I can proceed to the next task without feeling guilty or cheating.

If I try to cut and dice it smaller, I believed I will immediately stop on my second thoughts. I know I will.

That's how I eat my big ugly fat frog early in the morning... daily ( urghhh...)

Next....

10/10

#kakinota : scars by cheryl rainfield

It is a story about 15 year old Kendra Marshall.

She is a sexual abuse survivor.

The story explained how Kendra coping with the effect of abuse. How she tried to cope them by cutting herself. She sees them as a way to maintain her sanity when things become to hard for her.

The story explained how the abuse effected her relationship with her parents. How their concerns suffocated her. How she feel her mother never listened to her even from the beginning. And indirectly she blamed her for her ignorant.

Kendra feels closer to her therapist, Carolyn Fairchild. Carolyn is more of a mom to her than her own mother. Carolyn understand her. Carolyn never pushed her. Carolyn sincerely concerned about her well being.

She also find solace with Sandy and Mrs Archer. These people understand, appreciate and encourage her to do her paintings. Something that comes from her inner self even if most of her painting seems raw and scary to others.

She find true relationship with Meghan, who promised will not betray her when thing get tough and not afraid of being different.

I read a lot of books about sexual abuse. Maybe to others, these stories were fictional but I believe in them. Maybe the characters are fictional but normally the stories were from real life sources.

I also read some books about a survivor of human trafficking. The stories had me so traumatised up until today. Every time when there are news about missing people especially women or children, it got me thinking about those books.

Not every person could survive from the abuse, physical or sexual, even with the help from people around them.

It takes a long time and a lot of effort to heal the unseen scars. Only few of them who strongly enough to survive the unfinished abuse but most of them drifted further into the in depth of the abused left behind by the abuser.

                           

                         

10/10

#kakinota : the obstacle is the way - ryan holiday

The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph.

The book taught us how to acknowledge obstacles in our life. To embrace it. And to turn it into something that will help and guide us towards our goals.

The author gave a lot of well known personalities as examples people who change their obstacles into triumphs.

Through his extensive research , the author explained how each of them worked very hard and persistent to overturn their problems into something great.

What I find the most endearing was when he advice readers to :
1. Hard work
2. Honesty
3. Helping others as best we can.

I have mentioned before that my late father also emphasised the same advice which I held dearly in my heart.

1. Lead life with honesty and integrity
2. Giving your best in everything you do
3. Never ever ever do bad thing to others
4. Adaptability

Then whatever life put you through, you will be fine. Universe will show you the way out somehow.

And he didn't even read Mr Holiday book.

He didn't have high education to know it.

                 

  " This too shall pass."  -  Abraham Lincoln.

                             10/10

# kakinota : lullabies - lang leav

I have high expectation from Ms Leav.

I read her first book - love and misadventure.

I loved it.

And when I saw her second version, I'm so excited.

But sadly the book is not as good as I expected it to be.

The stories in between were longer and I couldn't understand what and how they correlated with each other.

Furthermore the poems were not as good as the first version. Even if it is just for light reading, I wouldn't recommend it. After I read it a loud, the whole book sound like a sad book which make the whole reading experience confused and depressed.

It was different experience altogether with her first version which  make me feel excited and happy as a lot of the poems sound funny and cheeky.


                   

               

                           4/10

#kakinota : think big by ben carson

                                 

                                                 

Dr Ben Carson is a well known and respected person in States and in medical arena through out the world.

But for me, who is in a far far away land, I don't know who Dr Ben Carson is. 

I just read it. I never heard his name before. Never watched his movie. Never read his other book.

Firstly, his book is full with medical jargon unless Dr Ben explained it in layman terms, are quite confusing.

I would like to emphasised that I really really really admire and respect his mom. I believed her strong influence in her sons' life is what shape them today - successful and respected person.

I personally liked her famous quote :

"You can do anything they can do - only you must try to do it better."

Dr Carson wrote about his childhood until he started his medical career. He thanked all persons involved in helping him through out his life.

Dr Carson strongly believed that reading is the utmost important attitude we needed to ingrain into ourselves, our children, our community and our country to make world a better place.

Knowledge not only open our mind, it also open many doors of opportunities. 

Knowledge help improve Dr Carson life tremendously -  from poverty to become one of the best expert in the medical world.

Dr Carson encouraged his readers to try our best in any chosen field and always trust in GOD. 

He explained :

T - Talent

H - Honesty

 I  - Insight

N - Nice

K - Knowledge

B - Books

 I - In-depth knowledge

G - GOD

Recently I once read a survey done by a well known company here (not US or EU) which result shown that :

"The rich read more books and spend less time watching tv. The reading habit seems strongly correlated with household income. Either the rich have more time to read or 

they are richer because they read more."

I believed this is what Dr Carson's mom observed while working in those wealthy families.

                                  10/10