Book of the week-2

I found this book in Kochi air port recently. An unusual book both by its title and content!

I have often been asked by friends about the topic of my photography. Most of my photographs are of birds, flowers, children and other scenes in nature. 

It is true that I carry a camera with me most of the time. I am not used to taking phots with the mobile phone and the camera in the phone I use is not of good quality. So I depend on the camera.

I have been rather serious about photography for the last thirty years or so. A few thousands of pictures of children stay in the store, mostly slides of children whom I wanted to follow up during my neuro-developmental examination. I do not access them now.

But since using digital photography in the last twenty years, I moved on to nature, sights and scenes and the present collection is easy to access.

I take time to revisit the photos and I feel inspired by something about which I write in this photoblog for the last seven years. 

But his book gives year another dimension about photography. It is all about 'taking pictures with a deeper vision'!

For the last two days, while driving to work, I noticed a solitary crane in the paddy field soaked in rain and still looking for its feed. Although I could not take its photograph due to heavy rain, this sight stayed with me for long. To me it was a symbol of the story of thousands feeling distressed by rain and yet having to fend for themselves. As this sight captivated me and connected with a reality beyond my normal thought or consideration, I realised that what Philip Richter wrote in this book is  a reality worth pondering upon. Some sights and scenes can so captivate a person that it begins to influence and change perspectives. 

For him spirituality is all about a new consciousness of self and God. 

This happens at a depth level that the message transcends from a fact that occupies the mind. There is an awakening within to move to another level of awareness about dimensions which hitherto did not seem to exist. This book is all about living with consciousness at the soul level. We see beyond the superficial when an awakened consciousness dawns on us.

The book helps the reader to find a greater purpose than the obvious we are used to.  This movement from the need driven existence, to the possibility of living purpose guided is what book calls the reader to consider! It is when we live for a purpose we can find the meaning that soul is aspiring for. 

I watched yesterday the gardener dressing the hedge outside the college canteen. He cut four inches lower than the current height of the plants. He told me that there is  more 'life in the plant beneath what is on the surface'! He allowed what was beneath to come to the surface by cutting deeper. 

It is this depth consciousness which can redeem us from thinking ill of others and feeling provoked by others. I visited the national TV channels yesterday. What disturbed me was the hate language of intimidation, challenging and arrogance of projecting some political leaders others judgementally!

We are losing the art of living from inside and depth consciousness. 

I valued reading this book, it is all about seeing beyond what is obvious!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo) 

Non fiction for doctors in training!

 A collection of stories, poems, and essays on topics such as 'what is it like to be sick, to be cured, to lose, or to triumph'R

Let me recollect from the introduction of this book. "In this era of managed health care, when medicine is becoming more institutionalised and impersonal, this book recaptures the breadth and the wonder of the medical profession".

Every rider would find this book illuminative and provocative as you find the issues facing patients, doctors, families. The reader has a collection of experiences to prepare himself or herself to practice this noble profession.

The book i published by Simon  and Schuster, Rockefeller centre, New York.

A book worth treasuring!

Anything that Ruskin Bond wrote is for easy reading and and is inspirational in nature.

This book he wrote after he turned eighty is a vivid story of, 

In his words, this book is a 'Mist of Himalayan valleys, and monsoon rain sweeps across the ills. Sometimes, during the day, a bird visits me- a deep purple whistling thrush. She perches on the window sill, and looks out with me at the rain'.

It is a book of short narrations in language of elaborate of descriptions which is a tribute to his observational and insightful writing. 

A book that would take you to the heart of nature, people and situations which bring meaning and delight!

Published by Speaking Tiger publishing, New Delhi, available in usual book shops. 

Mitch Album, an author of considerable repute decided to visit his mentor and teacher, who was failing in health. The weekly    visits on Tuesdays led to an insightful  recollection of life and its meaning when the mentor and his professor, Morrie Schwartz was facing the challenges of living a dependent life.

After Mitch got himself immersed in the business of life since he left the college, he took time to to return  to have one 'final class' with More became a turning point for Mitch on the issue of 'How to live'!

Professor Morrie talked to Mitch about love, work, community, ageing, forgiveness, and finally health.

This is book is all about meaning of life and the purpose of staying connected with oneself and others. 

You would want to finish the book in one sitting just because of its flowing thoughts which capture the rider instantly. 

Published by Doubleday, New York, available from leading book shops and online.

This book is a challenge to any health professional or public health professional or news reporter or policy maker.  It is collection of information about the  trends in health and economics far beyond the superficial information of statistics we often hear from the usual sources. 

It describes the goalbal trends on several burning issues. 'What percentage of people around the world are living in poverty, why the global population is increasing, how many girls finished school- we systematicallyget the answers wrong. So wrong a chimpanzee choosing answers will consistently outguess journalists, Nobel laureates, and investment bankers'.  

This is book of facts before you form your opinions, published by Sceptre, Great Britain.

'Have you ever felt you are not getting through to the person you are talking to or not coming across the way you intend! You are not alone' Although that is a bad news, we can do something about it. 

Th author narrated in this book  insights and proposals to make a new beginning in our approach to ourselves and others.

The author is a social psychologist elaborated on the dynamics that exist behind human behaviour, Trust, Power and Ego. 

We carry lenses within us because of which we perceive subjectively. Once we are aware of this, we can set ourselves free and build relationships with openness and mutuality.

This book i all bout becoming authentic.

Published by Harward Business ReviEw Press, Boston, USA.

' Imagine meeting someone for the first time and within minutes-without a word being said- having the ability to tell what that person is thinking'.

This book is a book designed to give an introduction to 'interpret and respond to no-verbal signals of friends, loved ones, and even strangers'.

In the practice of medicine a lot can be learned about patients by observing their posture, mannerisms, expressions, communicating style, which would be asset to know more than they would want to reveal verbally. 

Each of us has a evolved our style of verbal and non-verbal communication. This book would invite us to embrace social manners when we present ourselves to others.

A book that tells a lot about ourselves and others, published by Rupa Publications, New Delhi. 

This is an unusual book is a practical book, which helps to say yes to ourselves and prepares us to say yes to others. 

Many of  us struggle with accepting something or other we do not feel comfortable with ourselves or others. What appears to be a conflict is usually based on our perceptions. If only we can change perceptions about ourselves and others, and accept ourselves and others then conflict becomes less intense. 

The author is an experienced negotiator of international reputation, who helps the readers in 'achieving the inner satisfaction that will in turn, make your life better, your relationships healthier, your family happier, your work more productive and the world around yo more peaceful'.   

Published by Harper-Collins, UK.

'This book is wonderfully intelligent, step-by-step guide on how to be professional. Filled with lively, real-life examples from all around the world, Bagchi's The professional takes the reader on a thought-provoking journey that links professional's life to his or her personal life and values'.

This books give us an insight about the need to live our professional life intelligently and with integrity.

We can be inspirational in our life and work if we can live with  a sense of loyalty and deception to serve and make others experience the dream of their lives.

This book shares the heart and wisdom of an outstanding entrepreneur of recent times, who was instrumental in creating Mind Tree, a company of humanitarian values. 

Published by Penguin books , India.

Let me invite the doctors in training belonging to the batch of 2019 at MOSC Medical College, consider making reading their habit. It is reading that would make your life richer and fuller!

M.C.Mathew (text and photo) 

Book of the week-1

I have been in the habit of trying to read one book every week. 

Let me introduce this book, A book of simple living, which is a 'gift of beauty and wisdom from India's most loved and understated writer'.

It was the text in the back cover that prompted me to buy this book: "This personal diary records the many small moments that constitute a life of harmony-with the self, the natural world, and friends, family and passersby. In these pages, we see wild plum blossom, and the moon come up between deodar trees; we hear redstart whistle and the rain drum on tin roof; we recognise the aftermath of loss and the consolation of old companions".

Ruskin Bond, while writing this memoirs was past eighty years, and told us in the introduction of the book that ' I know that for the most part I have followed instinct rather than intelligence, and this has resulted in a modicum of happiness.. All that this book can do is to show you that there was fellow traveller'. 

He loved his life passionately, and  he wished that  it 'could go on'. But he referred to his life journey with a sense of ease and freedom, 'But all good things must come to an end, and when the time comes to make my exist, I hope I can do do with grace and humour. But there is time yet, and many small moments to savour'! 

Ruskin, of British descent lived in Landour, Mussoorie, with his Indian adopted family. 

This book is all about his experiences, observations and stories of life events which he watched and became part of during his long years in his cottage. 

There is imagery, facts, fiction, play of language, humour, values, personal reflections on culture and beliefs... no wonder as a writer he distinguished himself and received awards and recognition. 

If you want short stories to let your mind relax and come away with a bagful of insights, this is the book one ought to read slowly over a few days. His pencil sketches would impress you of his artistic skills. Only 150 pages, but it is abundant with life experiences that would awaken our consciousness about the art of observation and imagination! 

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)