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LightCastle places high importance on reading, as it aligns with our vision of promoting a knowledge-based economy that inspires businesses and changes lives. Our book reviews from consultants can interest entrepreneurs, development professionals, and college students and may inspire them to learn more.
This is the third part of the four-part series of what our consultants have read in the past year. In the previous two parts, we covered 16 book reviews from our team. In this third part, we present six more reviews to you. We hope you enjoy reading about our best reads in 2022.
Author: Trevor Noah
Reader: Shubham Roy, Business Consultant, LightCastle Partners
Trevor Noah, the popular comedian and host of The Daily Show shares his experience of growing up in South Africa during apartheid. As he recalls his childhood memories, he takes the readers on his journey of facing the horrors of systemic racism and finding optimism to overcome all the challenges.
It is not only a gripping story that captures the bitter reality of apartheid but also a heartfelt tribute to Trevor’s mother, who showed tremendous courage and grit. The humorous storytelling keeps the reader engaged throughout without compromising the severity of the discrimination and discontentment that Trevor observed in the places he lived.
It is interesting how Trevor prefers having the ability to communicate in different languages as a way of blending in with people from other tribes and communities. It resonates with the inherent need of the people to feel accepted and their ability to adapt for survival.
It is important to realize from an early age what is out there to be achieved beyond the current confines. If one learns the correct values and receives guidance, it is always possible to navigate any problems and beat all the odds.
Author: Viktor E. Frankl
Reader: Khandaker Raisa Rashed, Trainee Consultant, LightCastle Partners
The book focuses on hope, inner freedom, purpose, and the strength to endure harrowing life experiences.
Dr. Frankl, a holocaust survivor and psychologist by profession, takes us through his time at a Nazi concentration camp. He sets the context that led him to pioneer logotherapy, a psychological tool developed from his philosophy through one of the most traumatic human experiences in recent history.
The sheer resilience Dr. Frankl demonstrated, and his candid recollection of it inspires strength and empathy for the human condition.
“He, who has a why to live for, can bear with almost any how.”
Author: Robert T. Kiyosaki
Reader: John Gomes, Business Analyst, LightCastle Partners
Rich Dad Poor Dad is a personal finance book focusing on financial literacy and education. It encourages readers to take control of their financial future by building assets rather than just accumulating liabilities. The book advocates for entrepreneurship and investing to achieve financial independence and challenges traditional thinking about money and success. It also provides strategies and a mindset for building wealth and achieving financial independence.
The author provides a concise concept of “mindset,” or how a person thinks about and approaches money and financial success. Kiyosaki argues that a key factor in financial success is the mindset one has toward money and wealth-building. The author encourages readers to adopt a “rich dad mindset,” which involves being proactive in seeking financial education, thinking creatively, and taking risks to build wealth.
One day, Kiyosaki’s rich dad took him to his real estate office and showed him the balance sheet for one of his rental properties. Kiyosaki was surprised to see that the property was worth more than the mortgage and asked his rich dad how this was possible. His rich dad explained that the property was an asset that generated passive income in the form of rent and that the mortgage was a liability that was being paid off with the income generated by the asset. This scene particularly helped me realize that money should not be a primary objective but rather be used to make oneself more productive and competent, enabling greater opportunities.
One of the teachings I have learned from the book is that true wealth is not about how much money one earns but how much one keeps and how one uses it to build assets that generate passive income. In simple terms, money should be viewed as a tool for making more money.
Author: Adam Ferner & Darren Chetty
Reader: M. Rakinul Islam, Business Analyst, LightCastle Partners
The book is part of a ‘Build & Become‘ series that ideates the different scenarios in our lives where we engage in conversation and builds on the importance and etiquettes of disagreement for the reader to become open and on finding enjoyment in thinking and talking about difference.
The authors have taken a structured approach to compile the different arenas in which the world disagrees and goes on to stimulate the reader into the thought process that starts at a micro level and slowly builds up to introduce conflicts or disagreements at a global level and how they ought to be addressed.
While books of such nature (personal opinion!) can tend to get monotonous, How to Disagree presents toolkits and further learning suggestions end of each chapter. This presentation structure allows the reader to delve into individual chapters and explore beyond the book’s scope to a guided knowledge adventure.
Although a small read, the chapter ‘Meal Sharing’ reflected the reality of conversation in today’s world. Often we forget or are quick to present our thoughts in a social media-driven society where everyone is always heard.
Stating the campaigns of Bhimrao Ambedkar, the book molds the thought of how powerful it can be to share a meal with someone, especially with whom you disagree. Resonating with personal experience, I found it true the intimacy and impact of dining together instill a thorough sense of companionship and melt the ice, making it amicable to have conversations that two (or more) don’t always agree on.
In a world where we travel through countless noise frequencies, intentions are overshadowed by words and how they are spoken. Speak them right, with empathy and consideration.
Author: Markus Zusak
Reader: Ilham Hasan Chowdhury, Business Consultant, LightCastle Partners
Ed Kennedy’s a typical 19-year-old. His life centers around underage cab driving, playing cards, and his coffee-drinking dog. On an average day, Ed, a regular person who doesn’t have much going for him, gets in the way of a bank robbery. Ed completes his tasks of helping and hurting as needed. The first ace arrives in the mail, turning his world upside down. “The Messenger” is Ed.
The book’s plot is beautiful and emotional, and you won’t realize how devoted you have become to it until the end. After reading the book, my perspective on things was irreversibly altered. I rate this book four out of five stars.
As a messenger, Ed’s life has changed because he has improved people’s lives.
Ed Kennedy realizes that our greatest talent is to help each other care, pay attention, love, and go out of our way to show a little kindness if only to help someone understand they’re not alone in the world.
If average, uninteresting Ed Kennedy can do it, we can too.
Author: Clayton M. Christensen
Reader: Aminul Ihsaan Islam, Digital Marketing Specialist, LightCastle Partners
Clayton M. Christensen, a world-renowned innovation expert, gave a powerful speech to the Harvard Business School‘s graduating class in 2010. Using his business research as a starting point, he presented a set of guidelines for finding happiness and meaning in life.
Christensen observed that despite big accomplishments, many of his classmates were unhappy. In his talk, he provided examples from his own experience that demonstrated how high achievers could all too often fall into traps that lead to unhappiness. Against this backdrop, Christensen challenged his Harvard graduates to examine, measure, and improve their lives after graduation by questioning about three critical areas of life.
So, the book presents various business theories and their applications in real-life situations under three headings – career, relationships, and integrity. Clayton’s speech was later transcribed into a book with editorial support from James Allworth and Karen Dillon. The book is full of inspiration and wisdom to help students and mid-career professionals forge their paths to fulfillment.
The author clearly explained how good theories could lead to good decisions. I could relate since I have seen how simple choices, or the lack of a plan, can lead to tragic outcomes. Likewise, knowing what you want from your life and following through on it can yield significant results.
The common belief is that the most effective way to predict the future is by gathering a large amount of data before making a decision. However, this is similar to driving a car while only looking in the rearview mirror, as data can only provide insight into the past. I liked how the book explained how theories could be crucial for our lives.
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