"Man takes in vice far more readily than virtue." "Service without humility is selfishness and egotism."
My Experiments with Truth, the widely accla"Man takes in vice far more readily than virtue." "Service without humility is selfishness and egotism."
My Experiments with Truth, the widely acclaimed autobiography of Mahatma Gandhi marks my next stop in the list of autobiographies. This one took a lot longer than I had anticipated, but it was a nice change of pace.
"All training without culture of the spirit was of no use, and might be even harmful." "It has always been a mystery to me how men can feel themselves honored by the humiliation of their fellow-beings."
Very little introduction is required as to who Mahatma Gandhi was: Born in 1869, he was a leading character in India's struggle for independence, who employed a most remarkable approach to resolve all conflicts. Even though I had already known certain aspects on his non-violence campaigns, the experiences described here delivered a far deeper understanding on the basis of his principles. Just like with most autobiographies, a significant portion of the book is devoted to the author's inner battles and overcoming them, but there was something very special here: when it comes to drawing the line with regard to morals, he was one of the most consistent leaders of all time. It is remarkable how well he sticks to whatever course he is passionate about, with very little regard to external difficulties, but still without violating a single moral, and also leading by example each time. I'm sure most would argue such a passive approach might not be the most effective, but he never wavers from any of the virtues that had been ingrained in his personality.
"How heavy is the toll of sins and wrongs that wealth, power and prestige exact from man!" “Renunciation of objects, without the renunciation of desires, is short-lived, however hard you may try.” "Have I not told you times without number that ultimately a deceiver only deceives himself?”
I originally gave a 5-star rating for this book after finishing the book, but then, did notice there were certain shortcomings, mainly regarding the flow and immersiveness. As much as I found the teachings to be enlightening in many ways, I did feel the length of the book. But given the author was not a professional writer, the reader must empathize with that, and try to understand the underlying teaching as much as possible.
"Children wrapped up in cotton wool are not always proof against all temptation or contamination." "Proneness to exaggerate, to suppress or modify the truth, wittingly or unwittingly, is a natural weakness of man and silence is necessary in order to surmount it." "The brute by nature knows no self-restraint. Man is man because he is capable of, and only in-so-far as he exercises, self-restraint."...more
"Riches, prestige, everything can be lost. But the happiness in your own heart can only be dimmed; it will always be there, as long as you liv
"Riches, prestige, everything can be lost. But the happiness in your own heart can only be dimmed; it will always be there, as long as you live, to make you happy again."
I'm not sure if I can review this book properly. I started a few times before, but, it is just too difficult...I really wish I had skipped the Afterward section and read it sometime after. I don't recall being this sad after reading a book...
"Memories mean more to me than dresses."
"I once asked Margot if she thought I was ugly. She said that I was cute and had nice eyes. A little vague, don't you thing?"
From the very start, I found the style of writing to be very captivating, which could be hugely attributed to the fact that everything is completely genuine. As this was never intended to be shared with others, Anne does not hold back when it comes to confiding all her feelings, experiences and expectations in her ever trustworthy journal - Kitty.
"I've been taking valerian every day to fight the anxiety and depression, but it doesn't stop me from being even more miserable the next day. A good hearty laugh would help better than ten valerian drops, but we've almost forgotten how to laugh."
"Despite all my theories and efforts, I miss - every day and every hour of the day - having a mother who understands me."
In my opinion, one of the key ways this book can help all readers is by enhancing everyone's ability to empathize, not just with a teenager. Anne's experiences shine a special light on how much children suffer, due to them not being able to freely communicate or confide in others. One might say that it's just how it is with teenagers, and they'll grow out of it, but Anne's own statements contradict that - at least to an extent. When she revisits some of her earlier entries, though she regrets the fact that she feels much anger toward her mother, she never recovers completely, or finds it possible to completely forgive her. She still holds some contempt for not been able to make herself herd by her mother.
"I do my best to please everyone, more than they'd ever suspect in a million years."
"I soothe my conscience with the thought that it's better for unkind words to be down on paper than for Mother to have to carry them around in her heart."
"I continued to sit with the open book in my hand and wonder why I was filled with so much anger and hate that I had to confide it all to you."
It's heartbreaking to see how she suffered, when she dreamt of her friends and grandmother, and the way she kept it all together in the midst of all other difficulties. Even an adult would have had a hard time under similar circumstances. But for a child... and thousands of others who went through similar devastations...
"I was very sad again last night. Grandma and Hanneli came to me once more. Grandma, oh my sweet Grandma. How lonely Grandma must have been, in spite of us. You can be lonely even when you're loved by many people," "And Hanneli? Is she still alive? What's she doing? Dear God, watch over her and bring her back to us. Hanneli, you're a reminder of what my fate might have been. I keep seeing myself in your place."
If I didn't say something of some of the happy memories, it will be unfair to the book. Because, even when you take away the fact that everything in this book is genuine, the style of writing - especially for an 13 year old girl - is beyond amazing. The first half of the books is going to keep you laughing, for Anne relates the day-to-day events in such an amusing way. Most readers will find the series of events to be an emotional rollercoaster. It's amazing how well she manages to record everything, relating them to people, time of day, her own feelings and many more.
"Upstairs it sounds like thunder, but it's only Mrs. van D's bed being shoved against the window so that Her Majesty, arrayed in her pink bed jacket, can sniff the air through her delicate little nostrils."
"A few nights ago I was the topic of discussion, and we all decided I was an ignoramus."
"Dearest Kitty, Pim is expecting the invasion any day now. Churchill has had pneumonia, but is gradually getting better. Gandhi, the champion of Indian freedom, is on one of his umpteenth hunger strikes."
"Gandhi is eating again."
"You've known for a long time that my greatest wish is to be a journalist, and later on, a famous writer." Yes, she would've been an amazing writer. In fact, she already has become one. How cruel it is that the hopes and dreams of millions get destroyed because of the thoughtless actions of a few.
"We still love life, we haven't yet forgotten the voice of nature, and we keep hoping, hoping for...everything."
All I can hope is that she kept the hope kindled till the end and never gave up....more
"Man's goodness is a flame that can be hidden but never extinguished."
I'm not one for writing long reviews: I simply lack the patience, and usuall"Man's goodness is a flame that can be hidden but never extinguished."
I'm not one for writing long reviews: I simply lack the patience, and usually end-up writing a concise review before jumping to the next book. However, every now and then, when I do come across something special, I find it inexcusable to move away hastily, before properly conveying my acclamation. 'A Long Walk To Freedom', it turns out, is very, very special. If I used all my highlights, the quotes alone could've made a lengthy review. Without any doubt, this is the best, and most impactful book I've read this year so far.
"Nurture, rather than nature, is the primary molder of personality."
"It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another."
"I wondered—not for the first time—whether one was ever justified in neglecting the welfare of one’s own family in order to fight for the welfare of others. Can there be anything more important than looking after one’s aging mother? Is politics merely a pretext for shirking one’s responsibilities, an excuse for not being able to provide in the way one wanted?"
Nelson Mandela is a person who needs no introduction. Aside from being one of the main political leaders who guided South Africa away from Apartheid, he was a man of morals, of vision, and above all, someone capable of seeing and understanding all human beings as equals. Even with all that making his life story a worthy read, it is reasonable for a reader to be hesitant in selecting between one of the other biographies of him and this autobiography. After all, more often than not, autobiographies tend to be subjective, somewhat distorted by the narrator's personal opinions. Don't let that be the reason why you stay away from this masterpiece. 'A Long Walk To Freedom', in my opinion, is as objective as it could get, without any of the author's personal views altering the reality of the events. And that is saying a lot, considering he spent almost three decades in prison, while his family was facing a continuous struggle, under a government that depended on racial discrimination.
"A man who takes away another man’s freedom is a prisoner of hatred, he is locked behind the bars of prejudice and narrow-mindedness."
"I was seven years old, and on the day before I was to begin, my father took me aside and told me that I must be dressed properly for school. Until that time, I, like all the other boys in Qunu, had worn only a blanket, which was wrapped around one shoulder and pinned at the waist. My father took a pair of his trousers and cut them at the knee. He told me to put them on, which I did, and they were roughly the correct length, although the waist was far too large. My father then took a piece of string and cinched the trousers at the waist. I must have been a comical sight, but I have never owned a suit I was prouder to wear than my father’s cut-off pants."
Journey starts with Mandela's family background, and early childhood memories. These early parts are relatively uneventful but provides a good understanding of the average African's aspects of life. Then we move on to his education, where he dives deeper to explain the education system at that time, and the limited facilities available to a student. Despite encountering numerous difficulties, he does not dawdle around those limitations, as, at the time, he had assumed those to be the accepted conditions of life for an African child. His political life only starts when he moves to Johannesburg, where he starts working while pursuing his higher education.
"I have always thought a man should own a house near the place he was born, where he might find a restfulness that eludes him elsewhere."
"In love, unlike politics, caution is not usually a virtue."
"After one has been in prison, it is the small things that one appreciates: being able to take a walk whenever one wants, going into a shop and buying a newspaper, speaking or choosing to remain silent. The simple act of being able to control one’s person."
The next few parts sets the overall direction of his life, where he joins politics, meets like-minded individuals, and becomes more and more active in the political arena. Usually, I prefer to stay away from books on politics, but the this book managed to keep me immersed even across completely political chapters. The logical, yet empathetic narrative kept me engaged, and I did not feel like skipping a single part. Again, I think this is due to the undistorted representation of events. Had the writing been influenced by any anger, it would have felt like a long criticism. The objective nature of the narrative completely shifts the book away from being a rant, to what feels like a great analysis. But what came after these political movement chapters were the most interesting one's for me, which were about his prison life. In these parts, the focus rapidly moves away from the external factors, and to the development of internal character of Mandela, where he spends most of his time contemplating a methodology for reaching a long-lasting peace.
"At pollsmoor I first understood the truth of Oscar Wilde's haunting line about the tent of blue that prisoners call the sky."
"To a narrow-thinking person, it is hard to explain that to be 'educated' does not only mean being literate and having a B.A., and that an illiterate man can be a far more 'educated' voter than someone with an advanced degree."
"While Mr. Sidelsky imparted his views of the law, he warned me against politics. Politics, he said, brings out the worst in men. It was the source of trouble and corruption, and should be avoided at all costs."
I believe, Mandela's character will teach most readers about humility and humbleness on a level that is only paralleled by characters like Lincoln, Gandhi, and MLK Jr. Though his part in uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) does deviate significantly from aforementioned characters, the underlying system of belief is more or less identical. Even after all he had gone through, Mandela's not being overly critical towards the opposition is commendable. He always addresses the issues of the system, not the individuals who are forced to act.
"The hurly-burly of city life has a way of erasing the past."
"There is little favorable to be said about poverty, but it was often an incubator of true friendship. Many people will appear to befriend you when you are wealthy, but precious few will do the same when you are poor. If wealth is a magnet, poverty is a kind of repellent. Yet, poverty often brings out the true generosity in others."
I believe this book should be read by every person, no matter where your interests lie. But the catch is, you'll have to be patient with this, and ready to invest the time it requires to make it to the end. Even if you find the middle parts too political, or too slow, don't give up. Unlike with fiction, don't be in a hurry to get to the end. It gets better, and better, and better, all the way to the end. You'll be glad you've done so, for, it is the journey not the destination that matters with this one, literally. The phenomenal reading experience, and the life experiences the book offers are well worth the long time it warrants.
"A mother’s death causes a man to look back on and evaluate his own life. Her difficulties, her poverty, made me question once again whether I had taken the right path. That was always the conundrum: Had I made the right choice in putting the people’s welfare even before that of my own family?"
"To humiliate another person is to make him suffer an unnecessarily cruel fate."
"The passing of the regent removed from the scene an enlightened and tolerant man who achieved the goal that marks the reign of all great leaders: he kept his people united. Liberals and conservatives, traditionalists and reformers, white-collar officials and blue-collar miners, all remained loyal to him, not because they always agreed with him, but because the regent listened to and respected all different opinions."
After a really, really long walk (took me 30+ hours to finish this), I'm glad to say, this book checked all the boxes for me, not just a few, all the way from writing style to the contents. I was never a fervent follower of politics, or social movements, but, once I started re-living the author's experiences with this book, I kept going for hours each time. I'm still surprised how I made it to the end without skipping a single sentence. A Long Walk to freedom has indeed been a long journey, but it has easily made it to my all-time-favorites, and all-must-read shelves. Irrespective of one's reading choices, this is a book one must read in his life time, and I urge every single one of your to add this to your reading list.
"There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered."
"No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite."
The air of one's home always smells sweet after one has been away.
"Early to Bed, and early to rise, makes a Man healthy, wealthy, and wise." "We may give Advice, but we cannot give Conduct." "There will be sleeping eno"Early to Bed, and early to rise, makes a Man healthy, wealthy, and wise." "We may give Advice, but we cannot give Conduct." "There will be sleeping enough in the Grave."
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, written by himself, is one of the must-read books for all, and considered by most to be the most influential autobiography ever written. As one of the founding fathers of United States, and titled 'The First American,' Benjamin Franklin was one of the most ingenious men in the recorded history.
Compared to other autobiographies, this is a very short one, (also, an incomplete one), yet, it will give readers an unbelievable amount of insights. If you still cannot find the time to refer the entire book, though I strongly recommend you do find the time to read, at least go through Chapter IX: Plan for Attaining Moral Perfection. Aside from giving you a brief idea as to why this man is considered to be highly charismatic, diplomatic, friendly, successful and likable, it will definitely be something for all to think about in terms of improving our own lifestyles.
The brief time you invest in reading this book give you information to be contemplated over a lifetime....more
It was stated by Dale Carnegie about this book that this is a 'short biography' of Abraham Lincoln, which is aimed at the normal busy person. But afteIt was stated by Dale Carnegie about this book that this is a 'short biography' of Abraham Lincoln, which is aimed at the normal busy person. But after reading it, though this is my first autobiography of Lincoln, I have to say it is detailed and thorough as any book could be.
The book begins with giving a little bit of background about Lincoln's family tree, especially his mothers side, and beautifully describes his journey from childhood to White house. You will find his most famous speeches or parts of them, such as 'the Gettysburg Speech,' and his second inauguration speech.
Notwithstanding you are an amateur on Lincoln, or a connoisseur, I believe this book will be a most interesting reads on Abraham Lincoln, one of the most important people of all time in the recorded history....more
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