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17 book review examples to help you write the perfect review.

It’s an exciting time to be a book reviewer. Once confined to print newspapers and journals, reviews now dot many corridors of the Internet — forever helping others discover their next great read. That said, every book reviewer will face a familiar panic: how can you do justice to a great book in just a thousand words?

As you know, the best way to learn how to do something is by immersing yourself in it. Luckily, the Internet (i.e. Goodreads and other review sites , in particular) has made book reviews more accessible than ever — which means that there are a lot of book reviews examples out there for you to view!

In this post, we compiled 17 prototypical book review examples in multiple genres to help you figure out how to write the perfect review . If you want to jump straight to the examples, you can skip the next section. Otherwise, let’s first check out what makes up a good review.

Are you interested in becoming a book reviewer? We recommend you check out Reedsy Discovery , where you can earn money for writing reviews — and are guaranteed people will read your reviews! To register as a book reviewer, sign up here.

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What must a book review contain?

Like all works of art, no two book reviews will be identical. But fear not: there are a few guidelines for any aspiring book reviewer to follow. Most book reviews, for instance, are less than 1,500 words long, with the sweet spot hitting somewhere around the 1,000-word mark. (However, this may vary depending on the platform on which you’re writing, as we’ll see later.)

In addition, all reviews share some universal elements, as shown in our book review templates . These include:

• A review will offer a concise plot summary of the book. 
• A book review will offer an evaluation of the work. 
• A book review will offer a recommendation for the audience. 

If these are the basic ingredients that make up a book review, it’s the tone and style with which the book reviewer writes that brings the extra panache. This will differ from platform to platform, of course. A book review on Goodreads, for instance, will be much more informal and personal than a book review on Kirkus Reviews, as it is catering to a different audience. However, at the end of the day, the goal of all book reviews is to give the audience the tools to determine whether or not they’d like to read the book themselves.

Keeping that in mind, let’s proceed to some book review examples to put all of this in action.

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Book review examples for fiction books

Since story is king in the world of fiction, it probably won’t come as any surprise to learn that a book review for a novel will concentrate on how well the story was told .

That said, book reviews in all genres follow the same basic formula that we discussed earlier. In these examples, you’ll be able to see how book reviewers on different platforms expertly intertwine the plot summary and their personal opinions of the book to produce a clear, informative, and concise review.

Note: Some of the book review examples run very long. If a book review is truncated in this post, we’ve indicated by including a […] at the end, but you can always read the entire review if you click on the link provided.

Examples of literary fiction book reviews

Kirkus Reviews reviews Ralph Ellison’s The Invisible Man :

An extremely powerful story of a young Southern Negro, from his late high school days through three years of college to his life in Harlem.

His early training prepared him for a life of humility before white men, but through injustices- large and small, he came to realize that he was an "invisible man". People saw in him only a reflection of their preconceived ideas of what he was, denied his individuality, and ultimately did not see him at all. This theme, which has implications far beyond the obvious racial parallel, is skillfully handled. The incidents of the story are wholly absorbing. The boy's dismissal from college because of an innocent mistake, his shocked reaction to the anonymity of the North and to Harlem, his nightmare experiences on a one-day job in a paint factory and in the hospital, his lightning success as the Harlem leader of a communistic organization known as the Brotherhood, his involvement in black versus white and black versus black clashes and his disillusion and understanding of his invisibility- all climax naturally in scenes of violence and riot, followed by a retreat which is both literal and figurative. Parts of this experience may have been told before, but never with such freshness, intensity and power.

This is Ellison's first novel, but he has complete control of his story and his style. Watch it.

Lyndsey reviews George Orwell’s 1984 on Goodreads:

YOU. ARE. THE. DEAD. Oh my God. I got the chills so many times toward the end of this book. It completely blew my mind. It managed to surpass my high expectations AND be nothing at all like I expected. Or in Newspeak "Double Plus Good." Let me preface this with an apology. If I sound stunningly inarticulate at times in this review, I can't help it. My mind is completely fried.

This book is like the dystopian Lord of the Rings, with its richly developed culture and economics, not to mention a fully developed language called Newspeak, or rather more of the anti-language, whose purpose is to limit speech and understanding instead of to enhance and expand it. The world-building is so fully fleshed out and spine-tinglingly terrifying that it's almost as if George travelled to such a place, escaped from it, and then just wrote it all down.

I read Fahrenheit 451 over ten years ago in my early teens. At the time, I remember really wanting to read 1984, although I never managed to get my hands on it. I'm almost glad I didn't. Though I would not have admitted it at the time, it would have gone over my head. Or at the very least, I wouldn't have been able to appreciate it fully. […]

The New York Times reviews Lisa Halliday’s Asymmetry :

Three-quarters of the way through Lisa Halliday’s debut novel, “Asymmetry,” a British foreign correspondent named Alistair is spending Christmas on a compound outside of Baghdad. His fellow revelers include cameramen, defense contractors, United Nations employees and aid workers. Someone’s mother has FedExed a HoneyBaked ham from Maine; people are smoking by the swimming pool. It is 2003, just days after Saddam Hussein’s capture, and though the mood is optimistic, Alistair is worrying aloud about the ethics of his chosen profession, wondering if reporting on violence doesn’t indirectly abet violence and questioning why he’d rather be in a combat zone than reading a picture book to his son. But every time he returns to London, he begins to “spin out.” He can’t go home. “You observe what people do with their freedom — what they don’t do — and it’s impossible not to judge them for it,” he says.

The line, embedded unceremoniously in the middle of a page-long paragraph, doubles, like so many others in “Asymmetry,” as literary criticism. Halliday’s novel is so strange and startlingly smart that its mere existence seems like commentary on the state of fiction. One finishes “Asymmetry” for the first or second (or like this reader, third) time and is left wondering what other writers are not doing with their freedom — and, like Alistair, judging them for it.

Despite its title, “Asymmetry” comprises two seemingly unrelated sections of equal length, appended by a slim and quietly shocking coda. Halliday’s prose is clean and lean, almost reportorial in the style of W. G. Sebald, and like the murmurings of a shy person at a cocktail party, often comic only in single clauses. It’s a first novel that reads like the work of an author who has published many books over many years. […]

Emily W. Thompson reviews Michael Doane's The Crossing on Reedsy Discovery :

In Doane’s debut novel, a young man embarks on a journey of self-discovery with surprising results.

An unnamed protagonist (The Narrator) is dealing with heartbreak. His love, determined to see the world, sets out for Portland, Oregon. But he’s a small-town boy who hasn’t traveled much. So, the Narrator mourns her loss and hides from life, throwing himself into rehabbing an old motorcycle. Until one day, he takes a leap; he packs his bike and a few belongings and heads out to find the Girl.

Following in the footsteps of Jack Kerouac and William Least Heat-Moon, Doane offers a coming of age story about a man finding himself on the backroads of America. Doane’s a gifted writer with fluid prose and insightful observations, using The Narrator’s personal interactions to illuminate the diversity of the United States.

The Narrator initially sticks to the highways, trying to make it to the West Coast as quickly as possible. But a hitchhiker named Duke convinces him to get off the beaten path and enjoy the ride. “There’s not a place that’s like any other,” [39] Dukes contends, and The Narrator realizes he’s right. Suddenly, the trip is about the journey, not just the destination. The Narrator ditches his truck and traverses the deserts and mountains on his bike. He destroys his phone, cutting off ties with his past and living only in the moment.

As he crosses the country, The Narrator connects with several unique personalities whose experiences and views deeply impact his own. Duke, the complicated cowboy and drifter, who opens The Narrator’s eyes to a larger world. Zooey, the waitress in Colorado who opens his heart and reminds him that love can be found in this big world. And Rosie, The Narrator’s sweet landlady in Portland, who helps piece him back together both physically and emotionally.

This supporting cast of characters is excellent. Duke, in particular, is wonderfully nuanced and complicated. He’s a throwback to another time, a man without a cell phone who reads Sartre and sleeps under the stars. Yet he’s also a grifter with a “love ‘em and leave ‘em” attitude that harms those around him. It’s fascinating to watch The Narrator wrestle with Duke’s behavior, trying to determine which to model and which to discard.

Doane creates a relatable protagonist in The Narrator, whose personal growth doesn’t erase his faults. His willingness to hit the road with few resources is admirable, and he’s prescient enough to recognize the jealousy of those who cannot or will not take the leap. His encounters with new foods, places, and people broaden his horizons. Yet his immaturity and selfishness persist. He tells Rosie she’s been a good mother to him but chooses to ignore the continuing concern from his own parents as he effectively disappears from his old life.

Despite his flaws, it’s a pleasure to accompany The Narrator on his physical and emotional journey. The unexpected ending is a fitting denouement to an epic and memorable road trip.

The Book Smugglers review Anissa Gray’s The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls :

I am still dipping my toes into the literally fiction pool, finding what works for me and what doesn’t. Books like The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray are definitely my cup of tea.

Althea and Proctor Cochran had been pillars of their economically disadvantaged community for years – with their local restaurant/small market and their charity drives. Until they are found guilty of fraud for stealing and keeping most of the money they raised and sent to jail. Now disgraced, their entire family is suffering the consequences, specially their twin teenage daughters Baby Vi and Kim.  To complicate matters even more: Kim was actually the one to call the police on her parents after yet another fight with her mother. […]

Examples of children’s and YA fiction book reviews

The Book Hookup reviews Angie Thomas’ The Hate U Give :

♥ Quick Thoughts and Rating: 5 stars! I can’t imagine how challenging it would be to tackle the voice of a movement like Black Lives Matter, but I do know that Thomas did it with a finesse only a talented author like herself possibly could. With an unapologetically realistic delivery packed with emotion, The Hate U Give is a crucially important portrayal of the difficulties minorities face in our country every single day. I have no doubt that this book will be met with resistance by some (possibly many) and slapped with a “controversial” label, but if you’ve ever wondered what it was like to walk in a POC’s shoes, then I feel like this is an unflinchingly honest place to start.

In Angie Thomas’s debut novel, Starr Carter bursts on to the YA scene with both heart-wrecking and heartwarming sincerity. This author is definitely one to watch.

♥ Review: The hype around this book has been unquestionable and, admittedly, that made me both eager to get my hands on it and terrified to read it. I mean, what if I was to be the one person that didn’t love it as much as others? (That seems silly now because of how truly mesmerizing THUG was in the most heartbreakingly realistic way.) However, with the relevancy of its summary in regards to the unjust predicaments POC currently face in the US, I knew this one was a must-read, so I was ready to set my fears aside and dive in. That said, I had an altogether more personal, ulterior motive for wanting to read this book. […]

The New York Times reviews Melissa Albert’s The Hazel Wood :

Alice Crewe (a last name she’s chosen for herself) is a fairy tale legacy: the granddaughter of Althea Proserpine, author of a collection of dark-as-night fairy tales called “Tales From the Hinterland.” The book has a cult following, and though Alice has never met her grandmother, she’s learned a little about her through internet research. She hasn’t read the stories, because her mother, Ella Proserpine, forbids it.

Alice and Ella have moved from place to place in an attempt to avoid the “bad luck” that seems to follow them. Weird things have happened. As a child, Alice was kidnapped by a man who took her on a road trip to find her grandmother; he was stopped by the police before they did so. When at 17 she sees that man again, unchanged despite the years, Alice panics. Then Ella goes missing, and Alice turns to Ellery Finch, a schoolmate who’s an Althea Proserpine superfan, for help in tracking down her mother. Not only has Finch read every fairy tale in the collection, but handily, he remembers them, sharing them with Alice as they journey to the mysterious Hazel Wood, the estate of her now-dead grandmother, where they hope to find Ella.

“The Hazel Wood” starts out strange and gets stranger, in the best way possible. (The fairy stories Finch relays, which Albert includes as their own chapters, are as creepy and evocative as you’d hope.) Albert seamlessly combines contemporary realism with fantasy, blurring the edges in a way that highlights that place where stories and real life convene, where magic contains truth and the world as it appears is false, where just about anything can happen, particularly in the pages of a very good book. It’s a captivating debut. […]

James reviews Margaret Wise Brown’s Goodnight, Moon on Goodreads:

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown is one of the books that followers of my blog voted as a must-read for our Children's Book August 2018 Readathon. Come check it out and join the next few weeks!

This picture book was such a delight. I hadn't remembered reading it when I was a child, but it might have been read to me... either way, it was like a whole new experience! It's always so difficult to convince a child to fall asleep at night. I don't have kids, but I do have a 5-month-old puppy who whines for 5 minutes every night when he goes in his cage/crate (hopefully he'll be fully housebroken soon so he can roam around when he wants). I can only imagine! I babysat a lot as a teenager and I have tons of younger cousins, nieces, and nephews, so I've been through it before, too. This was a believable experience, and it really helps show kids how to relax and just let go when it's time to sleep.

The bunny's are adorable. The rhymes are exquisite. I found it pretty fun, but possibly a little dated given many of those things aren't normal routines anymore. But the lessons to take from it are still powerful. Loved it! I want to sample some more books by this fine author and her illustrators.

Publishers Weekly reviews Elizabeth Lilly’s Geraldine :

This funny, thoroughly accomplished debut opens with two words: “I’m moving.” They’re spoken by the title character while she swoons across her family’s ottoman, and because Geraldine is a giraffe, her full-on melancholy mode is quite a spectacle. But while Geraldine may be a drama queen (even her mother says so), it won’t take readers long to warm up to her. The move takes Geraldine from Giraffe City, where everyone is like her, to a new school, where everyone else is human. Suddenly, the former extrovert becomes “That Giraffe Girl,” and all she wants to do is hide, which is pretty much impossible. “Even my voice tries to hide,” she says, in the book’s most poignant moment. “It’s gotten quiet and whispery.” Then she meets Cassie, who, though human, is also an outlier (“I’m that girl who wears glasses and likes MATH and always organizes her food”), and things begin to look up.

Lilly’s watercolor-and-ink drawings are as vividly comic and emotionally astute as her writing; just when readers think there are no more ways for Geraldine to contort her long neck, this highly promising talent comes up with something new.

Examples of genre fiction book reviews

Karlyn P reviews Nora Roberts’ Dark Witch , a paranormal romance novel , on Goodreads:

4 stars. Great world-building, weak romance, but still worth the read.

I hesitate to describe this book as a 'romance' novel simply because the book spent little time actually exploring the romance between Iona and Boyle. Sure, there IS a romance in this novel. Sprinkled throughout the book are a few scenes where Iona and Boyle meet, chat, wink at each, flirt some more, sleep together, have a misunderstanding, make up, and then profess their undying love. Very formulaic stuff, and all woven around the more important parts of this book.

The meat of this book is far more focused on the story of the Dark witch and her magically-gifted descendants living in Ireland. Despite being weak on the romance, I really enjoyed it. I think the book is probably better for it, because the romance itself was pretty lackluster stuff.

I absolutely plan to stick with this series as I enjoyed the world building, loved the Ireland setting, and was intrigued by all of the secondary characters. However, If you read Nora Roberts strictly for the romance scenes, this one might disappoint. But if you enjoy a solid background story with some dark magic and prophesies, you might enjoy it as much as I did.

I listened to this one on audio, and felt the narration was excellent.

Emily May reviews R.F. Kuang’s The Poppy Wars , an epic fantasy novel , on Goodreads:

“But I warn you, little warrior. The price of power is pain.”

Holy hell, what did I just read??

➽ A fantasy military school

➽ A rich world based on modern Chinese history

➽ Shamans and gods

➽ Detailed characterization leading to unforgettable characters

➽ Adorable, opium-smoking mentors

That's a basic list, but this book is all of that and SO MUCH MORE. I know 100% that The Poppy War will be one of my best reads of 2018.

Isn't it just so great when you find one of those books that completely drags you in, makes you fall in love with the characters, and demands that you sit on the edge of your seat for every horrific, nail-biting moment of it? This is one of those books for me. And I must issue a serious content warning: this book explores some very dark themes. Proceed with caution (or not at all) if you are particularly sensitive to scenes of war, drug use and addiction, genocide, racism, sexism, ableism, self-harm, torture, and rape (off-page but extremely horrific).

Because, despite the fairly innocuous first 200 pages, the title speaks the truth: this is a book about war. All of its horrors and atrocities. It is not sugar-coated, and it is often graphic. The "poppy" aspect refers to opium, which is a big part of this book. It is a fantasy, but the book draws inspiration from the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Rape of Nanking.

Crime Fiction Lover reviews Jessica Barry’s Freefall , a crime novel:

In some crime novels, the wrongdoing hits you between the eyes from page one. With others it’s a more subtle process, and that’s OK too. So where does Freefall fit into the sliding scale?

In truth, it’s not clear. This is a novel with a thrilling concept at its core. A woman survives plane crash, then runs for her life. However, it is the subtleties at play that will draw you in like a spider beckoning to an unwitting fly.

Like the heroine in Sharon Bolton’s Dead Woman Walking, Allison is lucky to be alive. She was the only passenger in a private plane, belonging to her fiancé, Ben, who was piloting the expensive aircraft, when it came down in woodlands in the Colorado Rockies. Ally is also the only survivor, but rather than sitting back and waiting for rescue, she is soon pulling together items that may help her survive a little longer – first aid kit, energy bars, warm clothes, trainers – before fleeing the scene. If you’re hearing the faint sound of alarm bells ringing, get used to it. There’s much, much more to learn about Ally before this tale is over.

Kirkus Reviews reviews Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One , a science-fiction novel :

Video-game players embrace the quest of a lifetime in a virtual world; screenwriter Cline’s first novel is old wine in new bottles.

The real world, in 2045, is the usual dystopian horror story. So who can blame Wade, our narrator, if he spends most of his time in a virtual world? The 18-year-old, orphaned at 11, has no friends in his vertical trailer park in Oklahoma City, while the OASIS has captivating bells and whistles, and it’s free. Its creator, the legendary billionaire James Halliday, left a curious will. He had devised an elaborate online game, a hunt for a hidden Easter egg. The finder would inherit his estate. Old-fashioned riddles lead to three keys and three gates. Wade, or rather his avatar Parzival, is the first gunter (egg-hunter) to win the Copper Key, first of three.

Halliday was obsessed with the pop culture of the 1980s, primarily the arcade games, so the novel is as much retro as futurist. Parzival’s great strength is that he has absorbed all Halliday’s obsessions; he knows by heart three essential movies, crossing the line from geek to freak. His most formidable competitors are the Sixers, contract gunters working for the evil conglomerate IOI, whose goal is to acquire the OASIS. Cline’s narrative is straightforward but loaded with exposition. It takes a while to reach a scene that crackles with excitement: the meeting between Parzival (now world famous as the lead contender) and Sorrento, the head of IOI. The latter tries to recruit Parzival; when he fails, he issues and executes a death threat. Wade’s trailer is demolished, his relatives killed; luckily Wade was not at home. Too bad this is the dramatic high point. Parzival threads his way between more ’80s games and movies to gain the other keys; it’s clever but not exciting. Even a romance with another avatar and the ultimate “epic throwdown” fail to stir the blood.

Too much puzzle-solving, not enough suspense.

Book review examples for non-fiction books

Nonfiction books are generally written to inform readers about a certain topic. As such, the focus of a nonfiction book review will be on the clarity and effectiveness of this communication . In carrying this out, a book review may analyze the author’s source materials and assess the thesis in order to determine whether or not the book meets expectations.

Again, we’ve included abbreviated versions of long reviews here, so feel free to click on the link to read the entire piece!

The Washington Post reviews David Grann’s Killers of the Flower Moon :

The arc of David Grann’s career reminds one of a software whiz-kid or a latest-thing talk-show host — certainly not an investigative reporter, even if he is one of the best in the business. The newly released movie of his first book, “The Lost City of Z,” is generating all kinds of Oscar talk, and now comes the release of his second book, “Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI,” the film rights to which have already been sold for $5 million in what one industry journal called the “biggest and wildest book rights auction in memory.”

Grann deserves the attention. He’s canny about the stories he chases, he’s willing to go anywhere to chase them, and he’s a maestro in his ability to parcel out information at just the right clip: a hint here, a shading of meaning there, a smartly paced buildup of multiple possibilities followed by an inevitable reversal of readerly expectations or, in some cases, by a thrilling and dislocating pull of the entire narrative rug.

All of these strengths are on display in “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Around the turn of the 20th century, oil was discovered underneath Osage lands in the Oklahoma Territory, lands that were soon to become part of the state of Oklahoma. Through foresight and legal maneuvering, the Osage found a way to permanently attach that oil to themselves and shield it from the prying hands of white interlopers; this mechanism was known as “headrights,” which forbade the outright sale of oil rights and granted each full member of the tribe — and, supposedly, no one else — a share in the proceeds from any lease arrangement. For a while, the fail-safes did their job, and the Osage got rich — diamond-ring and chauffeured-car and imported-French-fashion rich — following which quite a large group of white men started to work like devils to separate the Osage from their money. And soon enough, and predictably enough, this work involved murder. Here in Jazz Age America’s most isolated of locales, dozens or even hundreds of Osage in possession of great fortunes — and of the potential for even greater fortunes in the future — were dispatched by poison, by gunshot and by dynamite. […]

Stacked Books reviews Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers :

I’ve heard a lot of great things about Malcolm Gladwell’s writing. Friends and co-workers tell me that his subjects are interesting and his writing style is easy to follow without talking down to the reader. I wasn’t disappointed with Outliers. In it, Gladwell tackles the subject of success – how people obtain it and what contributes to extraordinary success as opposed to everyday success.

The thesis – that our success depends much more on circumstances out of our control than any effort we put forth – isn’t exactly revolutionary. Most of us know it to be true. However, I don’t think I’m lying when I say that most of us also believe that we if we just try that much harder and develop our talent that much further, it will be enough to become wildly successful, despite bad or just mediocre beginnings. Not so, says Gladwell.

Most of the evidence Gladwell gives us is anecdotal, which is my favorite kind to read. I can’t really speak to how scientifically valid it is, but it sure makes for engrossing listening. For example, did you know that successful hockey players are almost all born in January, February, or March? Kids born during these months are older than the others kids when they start playing in the youth leagues, which means they’re already better at the game (because they’re bigger). Thus, they get more play time, which means their skill increases at a faster rate, and it compounds as time goes by. Within a few years, they’re much, much better than the kids born just a few months later in the year. Basically, these kids’ birthdates are a huge factor in their success as adults – and it’s nothing they can do anything about. If anyone could make hockey interesting to a Texan who only grudgingly admits the sport even exists, it’s Gladwell. […]

Quill and Quire reviews Rick Prashaw’s Soar, Adam, Soar :

Ten years ago, I read a book called Almost Perfect. The young-adult novel by Brian Katcher won some awards and was held up as a powerful, nuanced portrayal of a young trans person. But the reality did not live up to the book’s billing. Instead, it turned out to be a one-dimensional and highly fetishized portrait of a trans person’s life, one that was nevertheless repeatedly dubbed “realistic” and “affecting” by non-transgender readers possessing only a vague, mass-market understanding of trans experiences.

In the intervening decade, trans narratives have emerged further into the literary spotlight, but those authored by trans people ourselves – and by trans men in particular – have seemed to fall under the shadow of cisgender sensationalized imaginings. Two current Canadian releases – Soar, Adam, Soar and This One Looks Like a Boy – provide a pointed object lesson into why trans-authored work about transgender experiences remains critical.

To be fair, Soar, Adam, Soar isn’t just a story about a trans man. It’s also a story about epilepsy, the medical establishment, and coming of age as seen through a grieving father’s eyes. Adam, Prashaw’s trans son, died unexpectedly at age 22. Woven through the elder Prashaw’s narrative are excerpts from Adam’s social media posts, giving us glimpses into the young man’s interior life as he traverses his late teens and early 20s. […]

Book Geeks reviews Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love :

WRITING STYLE: 3.5/5

SUBJECT: 4/5

CANDIDNESS: 4.5/5

RELEVANCE: 3.5/5

ENTERTAINMENT QUOTIENT: 3.5/5

“Eat Pray Love” is so popular that it is almost impossible to not read it. Having felt ashamed many times on my not having read this book, I quietly ordered the book (before I saw the movie) from amazon.in and sat down to read it. I don’t remember what I expected it to be – maybe more like a chick lit thing but it turned out quite different. The book is a real story and is a short journal from the time when its writer went travelling to three different countries in pursuit of three different things – Italy (Pleasure), India (Spirituality), Bali (Balance) and this is what corresponds to the book’s name – EAT (in Italy), PRAY (in India) and LOVE (in Bali, Indonesia). These are also the three Is – ITALY, INDIA, INDONESIA.

Though she had everything a middle-aged American woman can aspire for – MONEY, CAREER, FRIENDS, HUSBAND; Elizabeth was not happy in her life, she wasn’t happy in her marriage. Having suffered a terrible divorce and terrible breakup soon after, Elizabeth was shattered. She didn’t know where to go and what to do – all she knew was that she wanted to run away. So she set out on a weird adventure – she will go to three countries in a year and see if she can find out what she was looking for in life. This book is about that life changing journey that she takes for one whole year. […]

Emily May reviews Michelle Obama’s Becoming on Goodreads:

Look, I'm not a happy crier. I might cry at songs about leaving and missing someone; I might cry at books where things don't work out; I might cry at movies where someone dies. I've just never really understood why people get all choked up over happy, inspirational things. But Michelle Obama's kindness and empathy changed that. This book had me in tears for all the right reasons.

This is not really a book about politics, though political experiences obviously do come into it. It's a shame that some will dismiss this book because of a difference in political opinion, when it is really about a woman's life. About growing up poor and black on the South Side of Chicago; about getting married and struggling to maintain that marriage; about motherhood; about being thrown into an amazing and terrifying position.

I hate words like "inspirational" because they've become so overdone and cheesy, but I just have to say it-- Michelle Obama is an inspiration. I had the privilege of seeing her speak at The Forum in Inglewood, and she is one of the warmest, funniest, smartest, down-to-earth people I have ever seen in this world.

And yes, I know we present what we want the world to see, but I truly do think it's genuine. I think she is someone who really cares about people - especially kids - and wants to give them better lives and opportunities.

She's obviously intelligent, but she also doesn't gussy up her words. She talks straight, with an openness and honesty rarely seen. She's been one of the most powerful women in the world, she's been a graduate of Princeton and Harvard Law School, she's had her own successful career, and yet she has remained throughout that same girl - Michelle Robinson - from a working class family in Chicago.

I don't think there's anyone who wouldn't benefit from reading this book.

Hopefully, this post has given you a better idea of how to write a book review. You might be wondering how to put all of this knowledge into action now! Many book reviewers start out by setting up a book blog. If you don’t have time to research the intricacies of HTML, check out Reedsy Discovery — where you can read indie books for free and review them without going through the hassle of creating a blog. To register as a book reviewer , go here .

And if you’d like to see even more book review examples, simply go to this directory of book review blogs and click on any one of them to see a wealth of good book reviews. Beyond that, it's up to you to pick up a book and pen — and start reviewing!

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Home » Chapter Summary & Overview – Writing Guide and Examples

Chapter Summary & Overview – Writing Guide and Examples

Table of Contents

Chapter Summary

Chapter summary is a brief overview of the key points or events covered in a specific chapter of a book, academic paper, or other written work. It typically includes a concise description of the main ideas, arguments, or themes explored in the chapter, as well as any important supporting details or evidence .

Chapter summaries are often used as study aids, providing readers with a quick way to review and understand the content of a particular section of a longer work. They may also be included as part of a book’s table of contents or used as a promotional tool to entice potential readers.

How to Write Chapter Summary

Writing a chapter summary involves condensing the content of a chapter into a shorter, more concise form while still retaining its essential meaning. Here are some steps to help you write a chapter summary:

• Read the chapter carefully: Before summarizing a chapter, it is important to read it thoroughly to ensure that you understand the main ideas and points being made.
• Identify the main ideas: Identify the main ideas and arguments that the chapter is presenting. These may be explicit, or they may be implicit and require some interpretation on your part.
• Make notes: Take notes while reading to help you keep track of the main ideas and arguments. Write down key phrases, important quotes, and any examples or evidence that support the main points.
• Create an outline : Once you have identified the main ideas and arguments, create an outline for your summary. This will help you organize your thoughts and ensure that you include all the important points.
• Write the summary : Using your notes and outline, write a summary of the chapter. Start with a brief introduction that provides context for the chapter, then summarize the main ideas and arguments, and end with a conclusion that ties everything together.
• Edit and revise: After you have written the summary, review it carefully to ensure that it is accurate and concise. Make any necessary edits or revisions to improve the clarity and readability of the summary.
• Check for plagiarism : Finally, check your summary for plagiarism. Make sure that you have not copied any content directly from the chapter without proper citation.

Chapter Summary in Research Paper

In a Research Paper , a Chapter Summary is a brief description of the main points or findings covered in a particular chapter. The summary is typically included at the beginning or end of each chapter and serves as a guide for the reader to quickly understand the content of that chapter.

Here is an example of a chapter summary from a research paper on climate change:

Chapter 2: The Science of Climate Change

In this chapter, we provide an overview of the scientific consensus on climate change. We begin by discussing the greenhouse effect and the role of greenhouse gases in trapping heat in the atmosphere. We then review the evidence for climate change, including temperature records, sea level rise, and changes in the behavior of plants and animals. Finally, we examine the potential impacts of climate change on human society and the natural world. Overall, this chapter provides a foundation for understanding the scientific basis for climate change and the urgency of taking action to address this global challenge.

Chapter Summary in Thesis

In a Thesis , the Chapter Summary is a section that provides a brief overview of the main points covered in each chapter of the thesis. It is usually included at the beginning or end of each chapter and is intended to help the reader understand the key concepts and ideas presented in the chapter.

For example, in a thesis on computer science field, a chapter summary for a chapter on “Machine Learning Algorithms” might include:

Chapter 3: Machine Learning Algorithms

This chapter explores the use of machine learning algorithms in solving complex problems in computer science. We begin by discussing the basics of machine learning, including supervised and unsupervised learning, as well as different types of algorithms such as decision trees, neural networks, and support vector machines. We then present a case study on the application of machine learning algorithms in image recognition, demonstrating how these algorithms can improve accuracy and reduce error rates. Finally, we discuss the limitations and challenges of using machine learning algorithms, including issues of bias and overfitting. Overall, this chapter highlights the potential of machine learning algorithms to revolutionize the field of computer science and drive innovation in a wide range of industries.

Examples of Chapter Summary

Some Examples of Chapter Summary are as follows:

Research Title: “The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health: A Review of the Literature”

Chapter Summary:

Chapter 1: Introduction

This chapter provides an overview of the research problem, which is the impact of social media on mental health. It presents the purpose of the study, the research questions, and the methodology used to conduct the research.

Research Title : “The Effects of Exercise on Cognitive Functioning in Older Adults: A Meta-Analysis”

Chapter 2: Literature Review

This chapter reviews the existing literature on the effects of exercise on cognitive functioning in older adults. It provides an overview of the theoretical framework and previous research findings related to the topic. The chapter concludes with a summary of the research gaps and limitations.

Research Title: “The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership Effectiveness: A Case Study of Successful Business Leaders”

Chapter 3: Methodology

This chapter presents the research methodology used in the study, which is a case study approach. It describes the selection criteria for the participants and the data collection methods used. The chapter also provides a detailed explanation of the data analysis techniques used in the study.

Research Title: “Factors Influencing Employee Engagement in the Workplace: A Systematic Review”

Chapter 4: Results and Discussion

This chapter presents the findings of the systematic review on the factors influencing employee engagement in the workplace. It provides a detailed analysis of the results, including the strengths and limitations of the studies reviewed. The chapter also discusses the implications of the findings for practice and future research.

Purpose of Chapter Summary

Some Purposes of the Chapter Summary are as follows:

• Comprehension : A chapter summary can help readers understand the main points of a chapter or book. It can help readers remember important details, keep track of the plot or argument, and connect the key ideas.
• Review : A chapter summary can be a useful tool for reviewing the material covered in a chapter. It can help readers review the content quickly and efficiently, and it can also serve as a reference for future study.
• Study aid: A chapter summary can be used as a study aid, especially for students who are preparing for exams or writing papers. It can help students organize their thoughts and focus on the most important information.
• Teaching tool: A chapter summary can be a useful teaching tool for educators. It can help teachers introduce key concepts and ideas, facilitate class discussion, and assess student understanding.
• Communication : A chapter summary can be used as a way to communicate the main ideas of a chapter or book to others. It can be used in presentations, reports, and other forms of communication to convey important information quickly and concisely.
• Time-saving : A chapter summary can save time for busy readers who may not have the time to read an entire book or chapter in detail. By providing a brief overview of the main points, a chapter summary can help readers determine whether a book or chapter is worth further reading.
• Accessibility : A chapter summary can make complex or technical information more accessible to a wider audience. It can help break down complex ideas into simpler terms and provide a clear and concise explanation of key concepts.
• Analysis : A chapter summary can be used as a starting point for analysis and discussion. It can help readers identify themes, motifs, and other literary devices used in the chapter or book, and it can serve as a jumping-off point for further analysis.
• Personal growth : A chapter summary can be used for personal growth and development. It can help readers gain new insights, learn new skills, and develop a deeper understanding of the world around them.

When to Write Chapter Summary

Chapter summaries are usually written after you have finished reading a chapter or a book. Writing a chapter summary can be useful for several reasons, including:

• Retention : Summarizing a chapter helps you to better retain the information you have read.
• Studying : Chapter summaries can be a useful study tool when preparing for exams or writing papers.
• Review : When you need to review a book or chapter quickly, a summary can help you to refresh your memory.
• Analysis : Summarizing a chapter can help you to identify the main themes and ideas of a book, which can be useful when analyzing it.

Advantages of Chapter Summary

Chapter summaries have several advantages:

• Helps with retention : Summarizing the key points of a chapter can help you remember important information better. By condensing the information, you can identify the main ideas and focus on the most relevant points.
• Saves time : Instead of re-reading the entire chapter when you need to review information, a summary can help you quickly refresh your memory. It can also save time during note-taking and studying.
• Provides an overview : A summary can give you a quick overview of the chapter’s content and help you identify the main themes and ideas. This can help you understand the broader context of the material.
• Helps with comprehension : Summarizing the content of a chapter can help you better understand the material. It can also help you identify any areas where you might need more clarification or further study.
• Useful for review: Chapter summaries can be a useful review tool before exams or when writing papers. They can help you organize your thoughts and review key concepts and ideas.
• Facilitates discussion: When working in a group, chapter summaries can help facilitate discussion and ensure that everyone is on the same page. It can also help to identify areas of confusion or disagreement.
• Supports active reading : Creating a summary requires active reading, which means that you are engaging with the material and thinking critically about it. This can help you develop stronger reading and critical thinking skills.
• Enables comparison : When reading multiple sources on a topic, creating summaries of each chapter can help you compare and contrast the information presented. This can help you identify differences and similarities in the arguments and ideas presented.
• Helpful for long texts: In longer books or texts, chapter summaries can be especially helpful. They can help you break down the material into manageable chunks and make it easier to digest.

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

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20 MARCH 2020 / PRODUCTIVITY BOOK REVIEW

Chapter by chapter breakdown: Atomic Habits by James Clear

In 2020, my focus is on reading more non-fiction and whilst reading Atomic Habits by James Clear, I summarised each chapter with one sentence. By taking notes in this way I can easily digest and review the content and then come back to these again and again. 

The book is incredibly well written with accompanying diagrams and examples to demonstrate important concepts and at the end of each chapter, James Clear summarises all the key points.

If you are looking to create new habits or break bad ones, check out the chapter by chapter breakdown below for a brief insight into the tools and techniques provided in the book.

The Fundamentals : Why Tiny Changes Make a Big Difference

1. The Surprising Power of Atomic Habits

Build a system of atomic habits by implementing regular routines that are small and easy to do to result in compound growth.

2. How Your Habits Shape Your Identity (and Vice Versa)

Shape your habits around who you want to become.

3. How to Build Better Habits in 4 Simple Steps

Your habits are shaped by the systems in your life and become automated when they take little energy and effort. The Four laws of behaviour change: make it obvious, make it attractive, make it easy, make it satisfying.

The 1st Law : Make It Obvious

4. The Man Who Didn’t Look Right

Be aware of your habits as some we may do unconsciously, use the pointing and calling technique to consciously acknowledge behaviour.

5. The Best Way to Start a New Habit

Use implementation intention by setting a clear time and place for your habit and add on to an existing habit through habit stacking.

6. Motivation is Overrated; Environment Often Matters More

Habit cues are influenced by environments and context, make them obvious to trigger habits or build habits in a new environment.

7. The Secret to Self-Control

Self-control is a short term strategy; optimise your environment to make good habit cues obvious and bad habit cues invisible.

The 2nd Law : Make It Attractive

8. How to Make a Habit Irresistible

Temptation bundling pairs a habit you need to do with a habit you want to do to make it more attractive where the anticipation of reward is driven by dopamine.

9. The Role of Family and Friends in Shaping Your Habits

We imitate the habits of the close, the many and the powerful. Join a culture with your desired behaviour and a shared interest.

10. How to Find and Fix the Casuses of Your Bad Habits

Habits are associated with emotions, to quit a bad habit make it seem unattractive and to create a motivation ritual by doing something that evokes good feelings before a difficult habit.

The 3rd Law : Make It Easy

11. Walk Slowly, but Never Backward

Motion is useful, action will deliver an outcome and repetition makes an action more automated.

12. The Law of Least Effort

Redesign your life to create less friction to good behaviours and more friction to bad behaviours.

13. How to Stop Procrastinating by Using the Two-Minute Rule

Implement a habit that takes only 2 minutes and then over time build on it.

14. How to Make Good Habits Inevitable and Bad Habits Impossible

Future-proof your habits by using commitment devices to make bad habits difficult in the present and automating your desired habits.

The 4th Law : Make It Satisfying

15. The Cardinal Rule of Behaviour Change

If you enjoy a habit you will repeat it, link an immediate reward to the habit to initially incentivise the habit and over time it becomes your identity and the intrinsic rewards will sustain it.

16. How to Stick with Good Habits Every Day

“The first mistake is never the one that ruins you” - habit trackers can be used to measure progress and make the habit satisfying.

17. How an Accountability Partner Can Change Everything

Make a habit unsatisfying by using techniques such as an accountability partner and/or habit contracts with negative consequences for failing to put your habit into action.

Advanced Tactics : How to Go from Being Merely Good to Being Truly Great

18. The Trulh About Talent (When Genes Matter and When They Don’t)

Tailor your habits around your personality and use explore/exploit trade offs to find areas of strength.

19. The Goldilocks Rule: How to Stay Motivated in Life and Work

Work on tasks at the edge of your current ability, in this zone you can achieve a flow state and also learn to enjoy the task even when you’re bored of it.

20. The Downside of Creating Good Habits

It is important to reflect and review to prevent building mistakes into habits and to avoid holding tightly onto an identity to encourage long term growth.

Conclusion : The Secret to Results That Last

The four laws of behaviour change present a set of tools and strategies to build better systems and better habits. Small habits can compound to make remarkable changes.

Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed my article then subscribe to my monthly newsletter where you can get my latest articles and top resources delivered right to your inbox! You can follow me on Medium for more articles, follow me on Twitter or find out more about what I’m up to on my website . This article is also on Medium & the featured photo is by Isaac Smith on Unsplash .

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Kerry Parker

Data Scientist with PhD in Physics. Interested in learning, software development and productivity, see more posts on Medium.

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Review: ‘The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World’ by Dr S Jaishankar

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Think and Grow Rich: Chapter Wise Book Summary

Chapter 1: The Power of Thought

Chapter 2: desire, chapter 3: faith, chapter 4: autosuggestion, chapter 5: specialized knowledge, chapter 6: imagination, chapter 7: organized planning, chapter 8: decision, chapter 9: persistence, chapter 10: power of the mastermind, chapter 11: the mystery of sex transmutation, chapter 12: the subconscious mind, chapter 13: the brain, chapter 14: the sixth sense, chapter 15: how to outwit the six ghosts of fear, chapter 16: the devil’s workshop.

Napoleon Hill was known for his principles to improving one’s life. When he received the assignment to interview Andrew Carnegie, one the richest and influential men at that time, Carnegie challenged Hill to interview other wealthy and successful people to discover a simple formula for success. And the result was this book, Think and Grow Rich.

Not only did this book become the best-seller in personal development books of all time, the book also went on to inspire many other successful people including Tony Robbins, John Maxwell, Brian Tracy, Bob Proctor, and many others, and is highly recommended by them.

There are 13 principles shared by Napoleon Hill in the book. And today, we will talk about the summary of these 13 principles from the book for those who do not have the time to go through the book but want to benefit from the amazing principles shared by Hill.

In this first chapter, Hill demonstrates the power of your thought and how it has the power to shape your life. Hill writes that Edwin Barnes, a man who had an immense desire to partner and work with the famous inventor, Thomas Edison. Although Barnes did not know Edison in person and has no idea how he can partner with him, somehow, he kept a positive perspective on it. Of course, Barnes went through a lot of obstacles in his journey, but he never gave up. Eventually, he did manage to meet with Edison and became the major distributor of Edison’s dictating machine. Edwin Barnes became a rich man from his hard work and his labor paid off handsomely.

Besides Edwin Barnes, Hill also writes about Darby, the guy quit because he failed to mine gold. The story of Darby has become a famous inspirational story that often shared in the self-help industry. Darby quit his job and bought machinery to mine gold. After several unsuccessful attempts, he gave up and sold all his machinery to a man who collected junk. The man who bought the equipment from Darby then continued to dig the same place where Darby left off. And he found gold only after about 3 feet deeper into the ground.

A lot of people quit and give up the moment they face defeats and temporary failure. And through Darby’s story, Hill writes that one should be determined and tried harder, no matter how many times he or she experiences adversities.

According to Napoleon Hill, desire is the starting point of all achievement. Anyone can achieve anything they want if they have a strong enough burning desire. And desire is not the same as a wish or a hope, it is definite and insatiable.

Hill writes, “The most practical of all methods for controlling the mind is the habit of keeping it busy with a definite purpose.” So what is a definite purpose? A definite purpose can be a goal or anything you desire to achieve with two distinctions. First, it should be one major definite purpose and not many. Second, it should be definite.

In the book, Hill shares a six-step method how anyone can achieve what they desire in life, such as to amass wealth.

First, he says, is to fix in your mind the exact amount of money you desire to achieve. Second, determine exactly what you are willing to commit to receiving this amount of money. Next, specify an exact date by when you want to achieve it. Fourth, create a plan and take the first step immediately. And then describe your desire in a clear and concise sentence. Finally, read the state aloud twice daily.

These six steps are a part of the transformation of what you desire in your mind into the physical equivalent. It is the beginning of the key principle of the book, which is to tap into the power of your subconscious mind to accomplish what it is directed to do.

In the third chapter, Hill writes about the important to have unshakable faith. He admits that it is difficult and challenging to be faithful when everything else around you is falling apart, but Hill states that faith is absolutely essential especially during tough times.

Hill suggests his readers build faith by spending 30 minutes on their thoughts every day to inch closer to success because the positive thoughts in your mind are extremely powerful and can influence you to move in the right direction even during tough times.

The author both the good and bad to the practice of visualization. When someone sees himself in a negative way and communicate negative beliefs to his subconscious mind, he will end up living a negative life. On the other hand, someone who is positive, always see himself as successful and visualize his desire being fulfilled, will eventually lead a success and wealthy life.

One of the famous quotes from Napoleon Hill is this, “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” Hill believes that if you want to achieve whatever you want in life, you must first see it in your mind and then absolutely believe in it. You need to have faith and to realize that you can do it. Whether you believe you can or you cannot, you are right.

If you have followed the six-step method outlines by Hill in the previous chapter, you will have a statement and are working on a plan to achieve your desire. What you need to do next, according to Hill, is to train your subconscious mind to attain the success you want.

Auto-suggestion is a technique of teaching yourself to believe that you can achieve whatever you want. Hill writes that in order to do that, just sit in a peaceful and quiet area, and read your statement while visualizing and believing that you have already achieved your desire.

What you want to do is to condition your desire into your subconscious mind. And Hill writes that when you reach your own subconscious by channeling your thoughts, success will not be such an enigma anymore. Auto-suggestion will create an unfaltering faith in you that will steer you in the right direction that you want to travel.

Just like driving a car, you do not need to focus on doing it because you have trained your brain and body to act on it automatically, like your second nature. And when you have convinced yourself about the desire you want to achieve through auto-suggestion, you will work on the success you desire and gain desirable results effortlessly.

In this chapter, Hill states that knowledge is power and if you want to achieve outstanding success, you must use your specialized knowledge. Hill gives the example to differentiate between education and knowledge. He writes that professors and teachers are highly knowledgeable, but some of them are struggling with their finances because they fail to organize their knowledge with practical plans. It is the application of the knowledge that is important. Knowledge itself is just a form of potential power.

And thus, Hill suggests readers to always seek knowledge through public libraries, training courses, universities, colleges, practical experiences, and often read books in the related industry to gain more specialized knowledge that will give you an edge. You do not necessarily need to have the specialized knowledge in your own head; you can rely on and make use of those who do.

Hill also says that education system may not be the best system because it does not share with students how they can organize and apply the information they have learned. If knowledge itself is power, then every teacher in the school will be the most successful people and are living wealthy right now. However, this is often not the case. It is the implementation of the ideas and knowledge that you have acquired that make the difference.

Many years ago, a clerk from a drug store used all of his life savings, about $500 to buy an old kettle, a wooden spoon and a secret formula from a doctor. It was a good deal for the doctor who wanted to retire, but little did the doctor know that it turned out to be a life-changing deal for the clerk, Asa Candler.

Asa Candler knew that he did not really purchase the kettle and the wooden spoon, but an idea. Candler then mixed the ingredient with the secret formula through his own imagination and created Coca-Cola. Candler aggressively marketed the new drink and became super successful with it. And Coca-Cola has created thousands of jobs and business opportunities to people all across the world, and it all starts with an idea.

Hill says that imagination is one the most important steps to success that everyone must use. And he explains that there are two types of imagination, one is the synthetic imagination, which simple rearrange the existing ideas into new concepts. And another type of imagination is the creative imagination, which creates something from nothing.

Most people thought that richest come from hard work, which according to Hill, is only partially true. Hill writes that riches come “in response to definite demands, based upon the application of definite principles… when a creator of ideas and a seller of ideas got together and worked in harmony.” The ideas that come from imagination are the forces that cause things to come into reality. And so you must add imagination to your specialized knowledge to grow rich.

In the previous chapter, Hill already touches about the importance of organized information to gain riches. And in this chapter, Hill discusses how one can achieve extraordinary success through organized planning. He shares with the readers a couple of steps that can be taken to construct a practical plan to accomplish what people desire.

First, Hill says, you must associate yourself with other people to create a direction and put your plan into action. And he calls this group of people, the ‘mastermind’, which he also dedicates a whole chapter to this subject. And before you form alliances with this group of people, you need to determine what you can offer them in return for their help and cooperation. Besides that, you must make sure you meet with your mastermind group at least twice every week to perfect your plan and strategize your action. And make sure to always maintain harmony with your group to achieve better results.

Hill also says that the process of planning must be continuous and persistent. Even when you face difficulties and failures, never give up and continue to work on your idea and tweak your plans.

Hill dedicates a lot to this chapter. He even lists the 11 qualities of a leader and his 10 major causes of a leadership failure. He also writes the 30 causes of failure in life and the 28 questions you should ask yourself annually to gauge your progress.

According to Napoleon Hill, one of the most common reasons people fail is because of procrastination. He says that it is important to avoid procrastination and take immediate action. Most people will wait and refuse to do things immediately, which causes them to lose motivation and eventually, fail in their venture.

Hill gives the example of Henry Ford, who was known to make quick decisions and once he made those decisions, he changed them very slowly and deliberately. Ford was famous as an obstinate person who created the ‘Model T’, where a lot of customers and advisors said that the car was ugly, but Ford did not sway from his decision. And of course, Ford’s persistence paid off handsomely and making Ford one of the largest mass car producers in the world.

The ability to decide quickly with determination comes from having a definite purpose and understanding exactly what you want. And this ability defines leaders. As Hill writes, “The world has the habit of making room for the man whose words and actions show that he knows where he is going.”

Apart from that, Hill also says that if you are easily influenced by others and take a long time to make a decision because you need to listen to advice from others, you will rarely succeed. This is because it means that you do not have a strong burning desire for what you want. You must use your own brain, thoughts, body, and soul to make your decisions and stand by them.

Persistence is an extremely important factor that will determine your success and riches in life. Hill says that it is an important habit or practice you need to develop to build faith and succeed in your endeavors. There are a couple of examples given by Hill to show their will and determination in handling difficult moments. One is none other than Thomas Edison, the famous inventor who invented light-bulb.

Hill says that Thomas Edison failed more than 10,000 times in his attempts, but Edison continues to persist and work on his experiment despite all the failures. Most people will quit after failing a few times, let alone 10,000 times like Edison. And this is exactly why most people fail to amass wealth or success in life. They simply jump to conclusion that things will not work out and they give up way too soon. Remember the story of Darby? He was just 3 feet away from striking gold, but he quit way too soon.

Persistence is a state of mind that can be cultivated by having the definiteness of purpose, self-reliance, desire, accurate knowledge, willpower, definiteness of plans, and also a habit.

Hill writes that mastermind is perhaps the most important principles to success. As what he already explains in the earlier chapter, you need to leverage both the economic and “psychic” features of having such a group of individuals to support you in your journey.

In a simple term, the combination of experience and brainpower has a serious economic advantage. For instance, when you are surrounded by like-minded people who are always striving for higher success and better results, you will think the same and act the same. You will then be influenced by the people around you and become like them. On the other hand, when you surround yourself with lazy and negative people, you will follow the same pattern and become lazy and negative.

A mastermind group is a group of like-minded people who meet regularly to push themselves toward their goals, hold each other accountable, and tackle challenges and solve problems together. Andrew Carnegie, the industrialist who encouraged Hill to write this book, had his own mastermind group. The same goes for Henry Ford. Ford builds a group and meets regularly with Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone, and other brilliant minds in a group they held at their winter mansions in Florida.

Napoleon Hill is the person who popularized the concept of the mastermind. He believes that one cannot be successful without the help of others. And he refers to help, he is not referring to any help, but specific help from other successful people who can support and grow you to greater heights.

Hill describes the power of sex transmutation in this chapter. He says that sexual urge is a very powerful force and oftentimes, men lose their focus and risk their lives, career and also money to quench their desires. And if this sexual energy can be transformed into a creative energy, it has tremendous power and ability to help boost your willpower.

What Hill is trying to say is that sexual desires are insatiable and they can be converted into something that is very productive. As he writes it, “When driven by this desire, men develop keenness of imagination, courage, will-power, persistence, and creative ability unknown to them at other times.”

This chapter may sound awkward, but the concept and idea that Hill trying to share is quite simple. He wants his readers to understand that sexual desire is one of the strongest human desires, and if this willpower can be channeled into your productive and creative faculty, it can be life-changing.

This book is all about harnessing the power of your subconscious mind. And though Hill has covered some of the most important ideas and the concept of your subconscious mind works in the earlier chapter, Hill dedicates a full chapter to remind his readers about the importance of understanding and connecting their subconscious mind with richest and success.

According to Hill, we can voluntarily plant any idea we desire in our subconscious mind to use its power to achieve what we want in life. Of course, it is not really possible that we can control everything in our subconscious mind, but it is possible to achieve what you want when you believe in it.

Our subconscious mind works 24/7, even when we are sleeping our subconscious mind does not. Therefore, our habits, desires, and actions are a large part of our subconscious conditioning. And if you can condition the success and richness you want into your subconscious, you develop creativity, faith, beliefs, and actions that will automatically bring you the results you want.

One good way to condition your desire to your subconscious is through meditation and visualization. Quiet your mind through meditation, and then consciously visualize what you want to instill the pictures of your desire into your subconscious mind.

Napoleon Hill explains that our brain is a remarkable machine and it works just like a broadcasting and receiving station for thoughts. With more than 14 million nerve cells, the brain works like a factor that guides and controls our day-to-day life. He also says that thoughts are things and the greater the vibration our brain receives, the higher the chances we can achieve our goals.

This is why a mastermind group works. Your mind is a broadcasting and receiving station, when you talk with others and join them regularly, their thoughts will influence you and think like they do. This is what often calls “Like attracts like”, just like the concept of “Yin and Yang” too.

Plus, the vibrations in your brain can be increased through emotions. When people are emotionally attracted to what they desire in life, they tend to work more tirelessly and seem to have the energy to the breakthrough difficult situation and produce success more easily. This is what Hill means when he says to have a “burning” desire. He means a strong and emotional desire that will help you breakthrough all the failures, rejections and setbacks in your journey.

Some people refer sixth sense to their gut feeling or intuition, and Hill says that it is crucial to believe and tap into one’s sixth sense when it comes to making a decision and accumulates wealth.

Hill defines sixth sense as “that portion of the subconscious mind which has been referred to as the Creative Imagination,” through which “you will be warned of impending dangers in time to avoid them, and notified of opportunities in time to embrace them.”

Hill continues to say that it is not possible to explain how the sixth sense works, but it can only be understood once you have experienced it. This is why some successful people have the hunches or inner feelings that guide them and tell them what to do. They follow their instinct, and most of the time, their instinct will lead them somewhere better.

In this book, Hill writes that sixth sense has the ability to access our infinite intelligence, and it can provide a combination of spiritual and mental thoughts that guide and connect you with the Universal Mind. Sometimes, people do things out of their gut feeling, and as it turns out, they are right.

Napoleon Hill declares that he does not believe in miracles, but somehow, there seems to be a higher power that can transform things beyond our wildest imagination.

In this chapter, Hill addresses that there are six fears that stop us in life. They are poverty, old age, criticism, illness, love, and death. And because faith cannot co-exist with fear, you must learn to master your fear in order to grow your faith and to achieve the success you want in life. When you are fearful, you will never have faith, and when you are faithful, you will never be fearful.

For example, most people are afraid of losing their money especially during tough times like a recession. And they allow the fear of poverty stops them from moving forward. Some people are afraid to venture into a business because they are afraid of their age or criticism from others if they fail. These fears will limit your potential and spread doubt, indecision, and procrastination in your life.

And Hill writes that fear is a state of mind, and because you can control your state of mind, you can overcome your fears. Therefore, choose to exercise your willpower to banish your fear, your worry, your doubts, and the negative thinking in your head.

This is the final chapter in Think and Grow Rich. And in this section, Hill talks about another important factor that may prevent you from getting what you want and becoming rich. Hill states that this evil is even stronger and dangerous than the previous six fears that you have learned from the last chapter.

According to Hill, this evil is your susceptibility to negative influences. And if you did not take immediate action to analyze yourself to figure out if you are under negative influences, it will grow so strong that becomes very difficult to eliminate.

In order to get rid of this dangerous evil, Hill suggests his readers to first understand that human beings are lazy and indifferent by nature. People are easily influenced by negativity around them and the destructive thoughts will ruin their future if they are not aware of it. So once you understood this, you can set up habits and protective bunkers to prevent yourself from being influenced and attack by the negativity around you.

For instance, if you discover that you are easily swayed and influenced by negative people around you, you can either build a “wall” to block your mind against such influences or better yet, stay away from the negative people.

On the contrary, create your own mastermind group and always surround yourself with people who will inspire and uplift you. Get along with people who have the ability to support your dreams and put a positive influence on you.

Napoleon Hill believes that success is possible and anyone can achieve what they desire as long as they learn to overcome their fears and make good use of their mind.

Think and Grow Rich is a book written based on over 500 interviews of the greatest men in the early 20th century, including Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, John Rockefeller, Alexander Graham Bell, and more. The author, Napoleon Hill has compiled all the wisdom from these remarkable people into the book and there are 13 main principles of how one can change his thinking and become rich.

This book is about how one can change their lives and achieve the success they desire through the changing of their thoughts. It shows you how you must think to become money conscious and how developing the right mindset is the starting and ending point for all riches.

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The Goal Summary & Book Review

Who is this book for, the goal summary: outline of this article.

• ​Quick Overview

Cast of Characters

• Chapter-wise Summaries
• Main Lessons From The Goal
• Key Takeaways for Managers: How to Drive Continuous Improvement​

Final Thoughts

Quick overview.

• Alex Rogo: manufacturing plant manager (the main character)
• Jonah:  Alex's college professor, who offers critical advice & clues
• Julie Rogo:  Alex Rogo's wife
• Bill Peach:  division vice-president
• Fran:  Alex's secretary
• Lou:  the head accountant
• Stacey:  the plant inventory manager
• Bob Donovan:  the production manager
• Ralph Nakamura: Data Processing Manager
• Herbie:  a boy scout who comes to metaphorically symbolize the bottleneck in the plant
• Dave:  Alex's son
• Sharon:  Alex's daughter

Chapter 1 (The Goal)

Chapter 2 (the goal), chapter 3 (the goal), ​chapter 4 (the goal).

​Chapter 5 (The Goal)

Chapter 6 (the goal), chapter 7 (the goal), chapter 8 (the goal), chapter 9 (the goal), chapter 10 (the goal), chapter 11 (the goal), chapter 12 (the goal), chapter 13 (the goal), chapter 14 (the goal), chapter 15 (the goal), chapter 16 (the goal), chapter 17 (the goal), chapter 18 (the goal), chapter 19 (the goal), chapter 20 (the goal), chapter 21 (the goal), chapter 22 (the goal), chapter 23 (the goal), chapter 24 (the goal), chapter 25 (the goal), chapter 26 (the goal), chapter 27 (the goal), chapter 28 (the goal), chapter 29 (the goal), chapter 30 (the goal), chapter 31 (the goal), chapter 32 (the goal), chapter 33 (the goal), chapter 34 (the goal), chapter 35 (the goal), chapter 36 (the goal).

• Step 1: Identify the system’s bottlenecks
• Step 2: Decide how to exploit those bottlenecks
• Step 3: Subordinate every other decision to 'step two decisions'
• Step 4: Elevate the systems bottlenecks
• Step 5: if, in a previous step, a bottleneck has been broken, go back to the beginning (Step 1).

Chapter 37 (The Goal)

Chapter 38 (the goal), chapter 39 (the goal), chapter 40 (the goal).

• What to change?
• What to change to?
• How to cause the change?

Main Lessons From The Goal Book

• Throughput:  the rate at which the system generates money through sales net of variable costs. This corresponds to the value added by the system.
• I nventory:  “all the money that system has invested in purchasing things which it intends to sell,” This was later expanded to include all investment such as plant, property, equipment etc. 
• Operating Expense:  “all the money the system spends in order to turn inventory into throughput.” These fixed costs like rent and salaries are incurred whether or not throughput increases or decreases.

• Identify the system's constraint(s)
• Decide how to exploit the system's constraint(s) 
• Subordinate everything else to exploit the constraint(s)
• Elevate the system's constraint(s)
• If in the previous steps a constraint has been broken, go back to step 1, but do not allow inertia to cause a system's constraint.

Key Takeaways for Managers: How to Drive Continuous Improvement

• Operations Planning
• Accounting & MIS Reporting
• Process Improvement
• ​Sales & Marketing
• Achieving Work-life Balance

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MTG CBSE 10 Years Chapterwise Topicwise Solved Papers Class 12 Physics Book - CBSE Champion For 2024 Exam | CBSE Question Bank With Sample Papers (Based on Latest Pattern) MTG Editorial Board Paperback – 10 March 2023

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• Comprehensive and concise theory with a brain map for a recap and deep learning.
• Topic-wise graphical analysis of the previous 10 years of CBSE Board Paper’s questions to get an idea about chapter weightage. (VSA, SA-I, SA-II, LA) “CBSE-DELHI, ALL INDIA & FOREIGN papers.
• Vast question bank chapter-wise and topic-wise of the previous 10 years from CBSE Delhi, All India, Foreign & Compartment Papers.
• Questions are sorted out strictly according to the NCERT syllabus for thorough preparation.
• The book is completely solved and all the answers are as per the CBSE marking scheme with highlighted key points.
• For thorough practice, 5 practice papers have been added as per the latest CBSE syllabus which is completely solved.
• Previous 3 years’ questions strictly based on design and blueprint issued by the CBSE board are incorporated chapterwise-topicwise.
• Chapter-wise self-assessment exercises are given at the end of each chapter so that you can self-evaluate your performance.
• The book even includes CBSE Toppers’ answers of 2020 chapter-wise.
• CBSE cognitive levels labeled that are Remembering, Understanding, Applying, Analysing, Evaluating and Creating. The Previous years’ questions from NCERT/NCERT Exemplar are also labeled.
• ISBN-10 9355554532
• ISBN-13 978-9355554536
• Publisher MTG Learning Media Pvt. Ltd.
• Publication date 10 March 2023
• Part of series CBSE Class 12 Question Bank and Concept Guides - Books
• Language English
• Dimensions 27.31 x 20.07 x 1.88 cm
• Print length 448 pages
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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ MTG Learning Media Pvt. Ltd. (10 March 2023); MTG Learning Media Pvt. Ltd., Plot No. 99, Sector-44 Gurgaon-122003
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 448 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9355554532
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-9355554536
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 500 g
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 27.31 x 20.07 x 1.88 cm
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ India
• Net Quantity ‏ : ‎ 700 Grams
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Charlotte Brontë

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Chapters 1–4

Summary: chapter 1.

The novel opens on a dreary November afternoon at Gateshead, the home of the wealthy Reed family. A young girl named Jane Eyre sits in the drawing room reading Bewick’s History of British Birds. Jane’s aunt, Mrs. Reed , has forbidden her niece to play with her cousins Eliza , Georgiana , and the bullying John . John chides Jane for being a lowly orphan who is only permitted to live with the Reeds because of his mother’s charity. John then hurls a book at the young girl, pushing her to the end of her patience. Jane finally erupts, and the two cousins fight. Mrs. Reed holds Jane responsible for the scuffle and sends her to the “red-room”—the frightening chamber in which her Uncle Reed died—as punishment.

Summary: Chapter 2

Two servants, Miss Abbott and Bessie Lee , escort Jane to the red-room, and Jane resists them with all of her might. Once locked in the room, Jane catches a glimpse of her ghastly figure in the mirror, and, shocked by her meager presence, she begins to reflect on the events that have led her to such a state. She remembers her kind Uncle Reed bringing her to Gateshead after her parents’ death, and she recalls his dying command that his wife promise to raise Jane as one of her own. Suddenly, Jane is struck with the impression that her Uncle Reed’s ghost is in the room, and she imagines that he has come to take revenge on his wife for breaking her promise. Jane cries out in terror, but her aunt believes that she is just trying to escape her punishment, and she ignores her pleas. Jane faints in exhaustion and fear.

Summary: Chapter 3

When she wakes, Jane finds herself in her own bedroom, in the care of Mr. Lloyd , the family’s kind apothecary. Bessie is also present, and she expresses disapproval of her mistress’s treatment of Jane. Jane remains in bed the following day, and Bessie sings her a song. Mr. Lloyd speaks with Jane about her life at Gateshead, and he suggests to Jane’s aunt that the girl be sent away to school, where she might find happiness. Jane is cautiously excited at the possibility of leaving Gateshead.

Soon after her own reflections on the past in the red-room, Jane learns more of her history when she overhears a conversation between Bessie and Miss Abbott. Jane’s mother was a member of the wealthy Reed family, which strongly disapproved of Jane’s father, an impoverished clergyman. When they married, Jane’s wealthy maternal grandfather wrote his daughter out of his will. Not long after Jane was born, Jane’s parents died from typhus, which Jane’s father contracted while caring for the poor.

Summary: Chapter 4

“I am glad you are no relation of mine. I will never call you aunt again as long as I live. I will never come to visit you when I am grown up; and if any one asks me how I liked you, and how you treated me, I will say the very thought of you makes me sick. . . .” See Important Quotations Explained

About two months have passed, and Jane has been enduring even crueler treatment from her aunt and cousins while anxiously waiting for the arrangements to be made for her schooling. Now Jane is finally told she may attend the girls’ school Lowood, and she is introduced to Mr. Brocklehurst , the stern-faced man who runs the school. Mr. Brocklehurst abrasively questions Jane about religion, and he reacts with indignation when she declares that she finds the psalms uninteresting. Jane’s aunt warns Mr. Brocklehurst that the girl also has a propensity for lying, a piece of information that Mr. Brocklehurst says he intends to publicize to Jane’s teachers upon her arrival. When Mr. Brocklehurst leaves, Jane is so hurt by her aunt’s accusation that she cannot stop herself from defending herself to her aunt. Mrs. Reed , for once, seems to concede defeat. Shortly thereafter, Bessie tells Jane that she prefers her to the Reed children. Before Jane leaves for school, Bessie tells her stories and sings her lovely songs.

Analysis: Chapters 1–4

In the early chapters, Brontë establishes the young Jane’s character through her confrontations with John and Mrs. Reed, in which Jane’s good-hearted but strong-willed determination and integrity become apparent. These chapters also establish the novel’s mood. Beginning with Jane’s experience in the red-room in Chapter 2, we sense a palpable atmosphere of mystery and the supernatural. Like Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights , Jane Eyre draws a great deal of its stylistic inspiration from the Gothic novels that were in vogue during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. These books depicted remote, desolate landscapes, crumbling ruins, and supernatural events, all of which were designed to create a sense of psychological suspense and horror. While Jane Eyre is certainly not a horror novel, and its intellectually ambitious criticisms of society make it far more than a typical Gothic romance, it is Brontë’s employment of Gothic conventions that gives her novel popular as well as intellectual appeal.

Read more about Gothic conventions.

From its beginning, Jane Eyre explores and challenges the social preconceptions of nineteenth-century Victorian society. Themes of social class, gender relations, and injustice predominate throughout. Jane Eyre begins her story as an orphan raised by a wealthy and cultivated family, and this ambiguous social standing motivates much of the novel’s internal tension and conflict. Jane’s education and semi-aristocratic lifestyle are those of the upper class, but she has no money. As a penniless orphan forced to live on the charity of others, Jane is a kind of second-class citizen. In some ways she is below even the servants, who certainly have no obligation to treat her respectfully. The tensions of this contradiction emerge in the very first chapter of the novel, when Jane suffers teasing and punishment at the hands of John Reed and his hateful mother. Jane’s banishment to the red-room exemplifies her inferior position with regard to the rest of the members of the Reed household.

Read more about home and belonging as a theme.

The red-room is the first in a series of literal and metaphorical imprisonments in the novel. Although Jane’s imprisonment in the red-room is real, she will encounter spiritual, intellectual, and emotional imprisonment throughout the book. The rigid Victorian hierarchies of social class and gender will pose challenges to her freedom of movement and personal growth, and corrupt morals and religion will also constitute menaces to her ability to realize her dreams for herself. Jane will even come to fear “enslavement” to her own passions. At the same time, the red-room is also symbolic of Jane’s feeling of isolation with respect to every community: she is “locked in,” but she is also, in a sense, “locked out.” Again, class and gender hierarchies will contribute to Jane’s sense of exile. For example, her position as a governess at Thornfield once again situates her in a strange borderland between the upper class and the servant class, so that she feels part of neither group.

Read more about the red-room as a symbol.

Jane Eyre SparkNotes Literature Guide

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Rich Dad Poor Dad - a quick book summary and review

Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad Poor Dad  was first published in 1997 and quickly became a must-read for people interested in investing, money, and the global economy. The book has been translated into dozens of languages, sold around the world, and has become the #1 personal finance book of all time.

The overarching theme of Rich Dad Poor Dad is how to use money as a tool for wealth development. 

It destroys the myth that the rich are born rich, explains why your personal residence may not really be an asset, describes the real difference between an asset and a liability, and much more.

Key takeaways/lessons learned

• Six lessons Robert Kiyosaki learned from his Rich Dad about making money and the mistakes that Poor Dad made
• Five obstacles to overcome before you can become rich and stay rich
• Ten steps to follow to develop your financial genius
• Actionable to-do steps you can put to work right away

Chapter/Section Summaries

Rich Dad Poor Dad contains a total of 10 chapters plus the introduction, but much of the book is focused on the first 6 parts or lessons. 

We’ll cover the introduction and the first 6 lessons, then the remaining 4 sections later in this review.

• Introduction: Rich Dad Poor Dad
• Chapter 1: The Rich Don’t Work for Money
• Chapter 2: Why Teach Financial Literacy?
• Chapter 3: Mind Your Own Business
• Chapter 4: The History of Taxes and the Power of Corporations
• Chapter 5: The Rich Invent Money
• Chapter 6: Work to Learn – Don’t Work for Money

Introduction

Poor Dad was Kiyosaki’s biological father, a man who was highly intelligent and very well educated. Poor Dad believed in studying hard and getting good grades, then finding a well-paying job. Yet, despite these seemingly positive attributes, Poor Dad didn’t do well financially.

Rich Dad was the father of Kiyosaki’s best friend. He had a similar work ethic to Kiyosaki’s real dad, but with a twist. Rich Dad believed in financial education, learning how money works, and understanding how to make money work for you. Although he was an eighth-grade dropout, Rich Dad eventually became a millionaire by putting the power of money to work for him.

The book is written from Kiyosaki’s perspective of how Rich Dad went about making money and the mistakes that Poor Dad made. The first 6 chapters of Rich Dad Poor Dad make up about two-thirds of the book and discuss the 6 lessons that Kiyosaki learned from his Rich Dad.

Chapter 1: The rich don’t work for money

Oftentimes people misunderstand the title of this chapter, and mistakenly believe that it means the rich don’t work. In fact, the complete opposite is true.

Instead of reading the chapter title as “The Rich Don’t Work for Money”, what Kiyosaki means to say is that “The Rich Don’t Work for Money. ” Note that by putting the emphasis on the word “money,” this section takes on an entirely different meaning.

The truth is that the majority of rich people do work very hard, but they go about it differently than most people do. Rich people—and people who want to become rich—work and learn every day how to put money to work for them. As Rich Dad says, “The poor and middle class work for money. The rich have money work for them.”

Kiyosaki also notes that having a regular job is just a short-term solution to the long-term problem (or challenge) of creating wealth and financial freedom:

“It’s fear that keeps most people working at a job: the fear of not paying their bills, the fear of being fired, the fear of not having enough money, and the fear of starting over. That’s the price of studying to learn a profession or trade, and then working for money. Most people become a slave to money—and then get angry at their boss.”

Chapter 2: Why teach financial literacy?

The second chapter of Rich Dad Poor Dad explains the difference between an asset and a liability. Chapter 2 drives home the point that it’s not about how much money you make, but about how much money you keep.

An asset is something that has value, that produces income or appreciates, and has a market where the asset can easily be bought and sold:

• Assets produce income
• Assets appreciate
• Assets do both

Conversely, liabilities take money out of your pocket because of the costs associated with them. When Rich Dad Poor Dad was first published back in 1997, Kiyosaki created a lot of controversy with this statement. 

That’s because by definition, a personal residence isn’t an asset unless it appreciates enough to offset the costs of ownership. On the other hand, rental property is an asset because it can generate enough passive income to exceed the expenses of operating and financing the real estate.

As Kiyosaki writes in Chapter 2 of Rich Dad Poor Dad , “Want to grow rich? Concentrate your efforts on buying income-producing assets – when you truly understand what an asset is. Keep liabilities and expenses low. You’ll deepen your asset column.”

Chapter 3: Mind your own business

There are 2 key messages in this chapter.

• First, pay off your debts and start investing in income-producing assets as soon as possible.
• Next, stay financially healthy by spending your time (instead of your paycheck) and investing as much of your money as possible in assets.

Kiyosaki notes in Chapter 3 of Rich Dad Poor Dad that most people confuse their profession with their business. In other words, they spend their entire lives working in somebody else’s business and making other people rich.

One of my favorite quotes from this section is:

“The primary reason the majority of the poor and middle class are fiscally conservative is that they have no financial foundation. They have to cling to their jobs and play it safe. They can’t afford to take risks.”

Chapter 4: The history of taxes and the power of corporations

When reading this chapter, it’s important to keep in mind that Kiyosaki wrote Rich Dad Poor Dad as a motivational book, not to provide expert financial or tax advice. 

For example, Kiyosaki writes about the time he bought a Porsche and treated it as a business expense, using before-tax dollars. Buying a high-end luxury car when a much less expensive make and model would do could put an investor on the fast track to an IRS audit.

But putting the Porsche aside, the points made in this chapter discuss how to play the investment game smart. The rich understand the power of company structures and the tax code and use every legal means they can to minimize their tax burden.

Compare how business owners and investors with corporations such as C corps, S corps, or LLCs pay taxes to how most people pay tax:

Business owners with a corporate structure:

Employees who work for corporations:

Notice that employees who work for somebody else spend their money post-tax, while business owners earn and spend before paying tax.

Chapter 4 of the book also covers the 4 main components of what Kiyosaki calls “Financial IQ”: Accounting, Investment Strategy, Market Law, and Law.

As Rich Dad Poor Dad reminds us, understanding the legal and tax advantages significantly contribute to building long-term wealth:

“For instance, a corporation can pay expenses before paying taxes, whereas an employee gets taxed first and must try to pay expenses on what is left. . . Corporations also offer legal protection from lawsuits. When someone sues a wealthy individual, they are often met with layers of legal protection and often find that the wealthy person actually owns nothing [in their own name]. They control everything, but [personally] own nothing.”

Chapter 5: The rich invent money

Inventing money means finding opportunities or deals that other people don’t have the skill, knowledge, resources, or contacts for. 

In Chapter 5, Rich Dad Poor Dad explains there are 2 types of investors:

• Investment packages are bought by people who entrust their money to a developer or fund manager. This is the way that most people invest, such as buying shares of an ETF or putting money into a real estate crowdfunding venture.
• Professional investors look after their own investments, research the market to find deals that make sense , then hire professionals to manage the daily oversight. Professional investors have 3 things in common: 
• Identify opportunities that other people have not found
• Raise funds for investment
• Work with other intelligent people

Here’s one of my favorite closing thoughts from this chapter:

“Some people argue that there aren’t real estate bargains where they are, but there are prime opportunities everywhere that are overlooked. Most people aren’t trained financially to recognize the opportunities in front of them.”

Chapter 6: Work to learn—don’t work for money

Poor Dad was intelligent and well educated and worked for money because job security meant everything to him. Rich Dad became a millionaire by working to learn.

As Kiyosaki writes:

“I recommend to young people to seek work for what they will learn, more than what they will earn. Look down the road at what skills they want to acquire before choosing a specific profession and before getting trapped in the Rat Race.”

In fact, that’s exactly what Kiyosaki did. He joined the Marines after graduating from college and learned the essential business skills of leading and managing people. After serving his country, Kiyosaki joined Xerox, overcame his fear of rejection to become one of the top 5 salespeople in the company, then left the corporate world to form his own business.

Chapter 6 of Rich Dad Poor Dad then discusses the synergy of management skills needed for success in business:

• Cash flow management
• Systems management
• People management

Overcoming Obstacles

Chapter 7 of Rich Dad Poor Dad begins by noting that “the primary difference between a rich person and a poor person is how they manage fear.”

Robert Kiyosaki isn’t talking about the type of fear that some people have when going to the dentist or watching The Exorcist . In the book, “fear” is about the fear of losing money and how to handle that fear.

It’s one of the 5 biggest obstacles people face on the path to becoming financially independent:

These roadblocks—and the failure to overcome them—are why people who have studied and achieved financial literacy are still unable to develop assets that generate plentiful amounts of cash flow.

Losing money is a fact of investing life, and so is the fear that comes along with it. Kiyosaki notes that he’s never met a rich person who has never lost money, but he’s met plenty of poor people who have never lost a dime because they’ve never invested .

Real estate investors who choose to act only on a “sure thing” are paralyzed by fear in disguise. People who can’t see the big picture and think big are the ones who almost never, ever succeed in investing or in life.

Everybody has doubts that affect self-confidence, and it’s easy to fall into the trap of playing “What if?” especially when friends and family are constantly reminding you of your potential shortcomings.

Things like the economy crashing, interest rates rising, and tenants not paying their rent are common “what if” fears that all real estate investors have. While these are important items to consider, it’s important not to allow the cynicism of others to overtake your control. Otherwise, you may become immobilized as opportunities pass you by.

In today’s interconnected world it’s easy to confuse being busy with actually accomplishing things that matter. In fact, according to Rich Dad Poor Dad , busy people are often the most lazy. 

Busy people arrive at the office early and leave late. They bring work home to finish at night and on the weekends. Before they know it, the people and things that matter most to them have disappeared. 

Instead of giving in to the call of the rat race and mistaking action for accomplishment, successful real estate investors are proactive and take care of themselves and their wealth first.

Habits control behavior. For example, most people pay their bills first before they pay themselves. The result is that there’s usually very little left over at the end of the month for investing.

Paying yourself first—even if you don’t have enough money to pay other people—makes you financially stronger, mentally and fiscally. In a way, it’s a form of reverse psychology. 

When you develop the habit of paying yourself first, you become motivated by the fear of not being able to pay creditors. In turn, you begin looking for other forms of income like investment real estate. 

Investors know what makes them money. But it’s the things they don’t know—and don’t know they don’t know—that makes them lose money. When people become truly arrogant, they honestly believe that what they don’t know doesn’t matter.

Train yourself to listen to what other people have to say, especially when it comes to money and investing. If you discover you’re ignorant about a subject, educate yourself or find an expert in the field.

Overcoming these 5 biggest obstacles on the path to real estate success requires a blend of balance and focus. There are plenty of “Chicken Littles” in the world today—people with a victimhood mentality who live their lives in cynicism and pessimism.

Rich Dad Poor Dad suggests filtering negative people and their fears out of your life. Instead, concentrate on the big picture and always ask, “What’s in it for me?”

Getting started

In Chapter 8, Rich Dad Poor Dad tells us that “there is gold everywhere, most people are not trained to see it.” 

Part of this lack of vision and clarity comes from the world we live in. We’re trained from a very young age to work hard for someone else, spend the money that we earn, and borrow more if we run short.

Unfortunately, people who choose to become one of the masses never take the time to develop their financial genius. 

Investing in real estate is the perfect example. The average person can spend a week out in the field and find nothing, while the investor who has trained himself can easily find four or five deals that make sense in a single day!

Here are the 10 steps to follow to develop your financial genius and discover the gold that’s already out there, just waiting to be found:

• Have a deep emotional reason or purpose for doing what you do, a combination of wants and don’t wants.
• Understand the power of choice and choose daily what to do, including choosing the right habits and educating yourself.
• Choose your friends carefully by leveraging the power of association, being careful not to listen to poor or frightened people.
• Master the power of learning quickly and develop a formula for making money.
• Pay yourself first by mastering the power of self-discipline to manage your cash flow, people, and personal time.
• Select great people for your team and compensate them generously for their advice, because the more money they make the more money you will make.
• Ask “How fast do I get my money back?” by focusing on return of investment first, followed by return on investment.
• Use money generated by assets you own to buy luxuries by focusing on self-discipline to direct money to create more.
• Have a role model to follow and tap into the power of their genius to put to your use.
• Realize that if you want something, you need to give something first.

Still want more? Here are some to-do’s.

In the final section of Rich Dad Poor Dad , Chapter 9, Kiyosaki pulls the key lessons of the book together into a checklist of actions you can start taking today:

• Stop doing what you’re doing by taking a break and assessing what is and isn’t working. 
• Look for new ideas by finding resources on different and unique subjects.
• Find a mentor who’s been where you're going, take them to lunch and pick their brain.
• Always be learning by taking classes, attending seminars, and reading.
• Make lots of offers (always with escape clauses) because eventually someone will say “Yes.”
• Spend 10 minutes each month for the next 12 months walking, running, or driving a certain area and looking for changes that create bargains.
• Shop for real estate deals when the market corrects, because profits are made when buying, not when selling.
• Learn how, when, and where to buy by investing in your education.
• Think bigger to get richer, because small thinkers don’t get the big breaks.
• Most people only look for what they can afford, so buy a bigger pie and cut it into pieces by finding a buyer first, then a seller.
• Negotiate volume discounts by thinking big, pooling people together, and buying in bulk.
• Read and learn from history, because history always repeats itself.
• Action always beats inaction.

Is Rich Dad Poor Dad Worth Reading?

The goal of Rich Dad Poor Dad is to motivate you to develop your own unique path to financial freedom. 

While the book doesn’t take a one-size-fits-all approach with ready-made answers, it does provide an excellent framework for creating your own objectives to build wealth by investing in real estate.

• Provides a contrarian view that is different from the “common knowledge” found in most personal finance education
• Focuses on turning income you earn into assets that produce even more income
• Encourages controlling spending and expenses
• Explains why investors should focus on real estate vs. other asset types
• Emphasizes the power of thought and continual learning
• Talks about taking action instead of just thinking about it
• Success examples in the book are unique to Kiyosaki’s specific situation and may be hard to replicate
• Some parts of the book also lack detail, which may make the concepts discussed more difficult to apply
• Frequently demeans people who are more comfortable following the herd rather than thinking for themselves
• Rich Dad Poor Dad is a motivational book, not a book written by a financial exper

Jeff has over 25 years of experience in all segments of the real estate industry including investing, brokerage, residential, commercial, and property management. While his real estate business runs on autopilot, he writes articles to help other investors grow and manage their real estate portfolios.

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Atomic Habits by James Clear

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Rating: 5/5

The Book in Three Sentences

• An atomic habit is a regular practice or routine that is not only small and easy to do but is also the source of incredible power; a component of the system of compound growth.
• Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don’t want to change, but because you have the wrong system for change.
• Changes that seem small and unimportant at first will compound into remarkable results if you’re willing to stick with them for years.

The Five Big Ideas

• Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement.
• If you want better results, then forget about setting goals . Focus on your system instead.
• The most effective way to change your habits is to focus not on what you want to achieve, but on who you wish to become.
• The Four Laws of Behavior Change are a simple set of rules we can use to build better habits. They are (1) make it obvious, (2) make it attractive, (3) make it easy, and (4) make it satisfying.
• Environment is the invisible hand that shapes human behavior.               

Want a Free Copy of My Summary?

Atomic habits summary, chapter 1: the surprising power of tiny habits.

“Success is the product of daily habits—not once-in-a-lifetime transformations.”

“You should be far more concerned with your current trajectory than with your current results.”

“Your outcomes are a lagging measure of your habits. Your net worth is a lagging measure of your financial habits. Your weight is a lagging measure of your eating habits. Your knowledge is a lagging measure of your learning habits. Your clutter is a lagging measure of your cleaning habits. You get what you repeat.”

“Time magnifies the margin between success and failure. It will multiply whatever you feed it. Good habits make time your ally. Bad habits make time your enemy.”

“Goals are about the results you want to achieve. Systems are about the processes that lead to those results.”           

“If you want to predict where you’ll end up in life, all you have to do is follow the curve of tiny gains or tiny losses, and see how your daily choices will compound ten or twenty years down the line.”

“Breakthrough moments are often the result of many previous actions, which build up the potential required to unleash a major change.”                

If you find yourself struggling to build a good habit or break a bad one, it is not because you have lost your ability to improve. It is often because you have not yet crossed what James calls, the “Plateau of Latent Potential.”

“When you finally break through the Plateau of Latent Potential, people will call it an overnight success.”                

“The purpose of setting goals is to win the game. The purpose of building systems is to continue playing the game. True long-term thinking is goal-less thinking. It’s not about any single accomplishment. It is about the cycle of endless refinement and continuous improvement.”

“Ultimately, it is your commitment to the process that will determine your progress.”                

“Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement.”

“Getting 1 percent better every day counts for a lot in the long-run.”

“Habits are a double-edged sword. They can work for you or against you, which is why understanding the details is essential.”

“Small changes often appear to make no difference until you cross a critical threshold. The most powerful outcomes of any compounding process are delayed. You need to be patient.”

“An atomic habit is a little habit that is part of a larger system. Just as atoms are the building blocks of molecules, atomic habits are the building blocks of remarkable results.”

“If you want better results, then forget about setting goals. Focus on your system instead.”

“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”                

Chapter 2: How Your Habits Shape Your Identity (and Vice Versa)

“Changing our habits is challenging for two reasons: (1) we try to change the wrong thing and (2) we try to change our habits in the wrong way.”    

“There are three layers of behavior change: a change in your outcomes , a change in your processes , or a change in your identity .”

“Outcomes are about what you get. Processes are about what you do. Identity is about what you believe.”                

“With outcome-based habits, the focus is on what you want to achieve. With identity-based habits , the focus is on who you wish to become.”                

“The ultimate form of intrinsic motivation is when a habit becomes part of your identity.”

“It is a simple two-step process: Decide the type of person you want to be. Prove it to yourself with small wins.”                                

“Ask yourself, “Who is the type of person that could get the outcome I want?”

“The most effective way to change your habits is to focus not on what you want to achieve, but on who you wish to become.”

“Your identity emerges out of your habits. Every action is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.”

“Becoming the best version of yourself requires you to continuously edit your beliefs, and to upgrade and expand your identity.”

“The real reason habits matter is not because they can get you better results (although they can do that), but because they can change your beliefs about yourself.”                

Chapter 3: How to Build Better Habits in 4 Simple Steps

Whenever you want to change your behavior, ask yourself:

• How can I make it obvious?
• How can I make it attractive?
• How can I make it easy?
• How can I make it satisfying?

“A habit is a behavior that has been repeated enough times to become automatic.”

“The ultimate purpose of habits is to solve the problems of life with as little energy and effort as possible.”

“Any habit can be broken down into a feedback loop that involves four steps: cue , craving , response , and reward .”

“The Four Laws of Behavior Change are a simple set of rules we can use to build better habits. They are (1) make it obvious , (2) make it attractive , (3) make it easy , and (4) make it satisfying .”                

Chapter 4: The Man Who Didn’t Look Right

“If you’re having trouble determining how to rate a particular habit, ask yourself: ‘Does this behavior help me become the type of person I wish to be? Does this habit cast a vote for or against my desired identity?’”                

“With enough practice, your brain will pick up on the cues that predict certain outcomes without consciously thinking about it.”

“Once our habits become automatic, we stop paying attention to what we are doing.”

“The process of behavior change always starts with awareness. You need to be aware of your habits before you can change them.”

“Pointing-and-Calling raises your level of awareness from a nonconscious habit to a more conscious level by verbalizing your actions.”

“The Habits Scorecard is a simple exercise you can use to become more aware of your behavior.”                

Chapter 5: The Best Way to Start a New Habit

“The 1st Law of Behavior Change is make it obvious.”

“Many people think they lack motivation when what they really lack is clarity.”

“The Diderot Effect states that obtaining a new possession often creates a spiral of consumption that leads to additional purchases.”                

“One of the best ways to build a new habit is to identify a current habit you already do each day and then stack your new behavior on top. This is called habit stacking .”

“The habit stacking formula is: ‘After [CURRENT HABIT], I will [NEW HABIT].’”                

“The two most common cues are time and location.”

“Creating an implementation intention is a strategy you can use to pair a new habit with a specific time and location.”

“The implementation intention formula is: I will [BEHAVIOR] at [TIME] in [LOCATION].”

“Habit stacking is a strategy you can use to pair a new habit with a current habit.”

“The habit stacking formula is: After [CURRENT HABIT], I will [NEW HABIT].”                

Chapter 6: Motivation is Overrated; Environment Often Matters More

“Environment is the invisible hand that shapes human behavior.”               

“Small changes in context can lead to large changes in behavior over time.”

“Every habit is initiated by a cue. We are more likely to notice cues that stand out.”

“Make the cues of good habits obvious in your environment.”

“Gradually, your habits become associated not with a single trigger but with the entire context surrounding the behavior. The context becomes the cue.”

“It is easier to build new habits in a new environment because you are not fighting against old cues.”                

Chapter 7: The Secret to Self-Control

“The inversion of the 1st Law of Behavior Change is make it invisible.”

“Once a habit is formed, it is unlikely to be forgotten.”

“People with high self-control tend to spend less time in tempting situations. It’s easier to avoid temptation than resist it.”

“One of the most practical ways to eliminate a bad habit is to reduce exposure to the cue that causes it.”

“Self-control is a short-term strategy, not a long-term one.”                

Chapter 8: How to Make a Habit Irresistible

“The 2nd Law of Behavior Change is make it attractive.”

“The more attractive an opportunity is, the more likely it is to become habit-forming.”

“Habits are a dopamine-driven feedback loop. When dopamine rises, so does our motivation to act.”

“It is the anticipation of a reward—not the fulfillment of it—that gets us to take action. The greater the anticipation, the greater the dopamine spike.”

“Temptation bundling is one way to make your habits more attractive. The strategy is to pair an action you want to do with an action you need to do.”  

Chapter 9: The Role of Family and Friends in Shaping Your Habits

“The culture we live in determines which behaviors are attractive to us.”

“We tend to adopt habits that are praised and approved of by our culture because we have a strong desire to fit in and belong to the tribe.”

“We tend to imitate the habits of three social groups: the close (family and friends) , the many (the tribe) , and the powerful (those with status and prestige) .”

“One of the most effective things you can do to build better habits is to join a culture where (1) your desired behavior is the normal behavior and (2) you already have something in common with the group. ”

“The normal behavior of the tribe often overpowers the desired behavior of the individual. Most days, we’d rather be wrong with the crowd than be right by ourselves.”

“If a behavior can get us approval, respect, and praise, we find it attractive.”                

Chapter 10: How to Find and Fix The Cause of Your Bad Habits

“The inversion of the 2nd Law of Behavior Change is make it unattractive.”

“Every behavior has a surface level craving and a deeper underlying motive.”

“Your habits are modern-day solutions to ancient desires.”

“The cause of your habits is actually the prediction that precedes them. The prediction leads to a feeling.”

“Highlight the benefits of avoiding a bad habit to make it seem unattractive.”

“Habits are attractive when we associate them with positive feelings and unattractive when we associate them with negative feelings. Create a motivation ritual by doing something you enjoy immediately before a difficult habit.”                

Chapter 11: Walk Slowly, But Never Backward

“The 3rd Law of Behavior Change is make it easy.”

“The most effective form of learning is practice, not planning.”

“Focus on taking action, not being in motion.”

“Habit formation is the process by which a behavior becomes progressively more automatic through repetition.”

“The amount of time you have been performing a habit is not as important as the number of times you have performed it.”

Chapter 12: The Law of Least Effort

“Human behavior follows the Law of Least Effort.”

“We will naturally gravitate toward the option that requires the least amount of work.”

“Create an environment where doing the right thing is as easy as possible.”

“Reduce the friction associated with good behaviors. When friction is low, habits are easy.”

“Increase the friction associated with bad behaviors. When friction is high, habits are difficult.”

“Prime your environment to make future actions easier.”                

Chapter 13: How to Stop Procrastinating by Using the Two-Minute Rule

Every day, there are a handful of moments that deliver an outsized impact. James refers to these little choices as “decisive moments.”                

“Decisive moments set the options available to your future self.”                

“A habit must be established before it can be improved.”                

“Habits can be completed in a few seconds but continue to impact your behavior for minutes or hours afterward.”

“Many habits occur at decisive moments—choices that are like a fork in the road—and either send you in the direction of a productive day or an unproductive one.”

“ The Two-Minute Rule states, ‘When you start a new habit, it should take less than two minutes to do.’”

“The more you ritualize the beginning of a process, the more likely it becomes that you can slip into the state of deep focus that is required to do great things.”

“Standardize before you optimize. You can’t improve a habit that doesn’t exist.”                

Chapter 14: How to Make Good Habits Inevitable and Bad Habits Impossible

“The inversion of the 3rd Law of Behavior Change is make it difficult.”

“A commitment device is a choice you make in the present that locks in better behavior in the future.”

“The ultimate way to lock in future behavior is to automate your habits.”

“Onetime choices—like buying a better mattress or enrolling in an automatic savings plan—are single actions that automate your future habits and deliver increasing returns over time.”

“Using technology to automate your habits is the most reliable and effective way to guarantee the right behavior.”                

Chapter 15: The Cardinal Rule of Behavior Change

“The 4th Law of Behavior Change is make it satisfying.”

“We are more likely to repeat a behavior when the experience is satisfying.”

“The human brain evolved to prioritize immediate rewards over delayed rewards.”

“The Cardinal Rule of Behavior Change: What is immediately rewarded is repeated. What is immediately punished is avoided.”

“To get a habit to stick you need to feel immediately successful—even if it’s in a small way.”

“The first three laws of behavior change—make it obvious, make it attractive, and make it easy—increase the odds that a behavior will be performed this time. The fourth law of behavior change—make it satisfying—increases the odds that a behavior will be repeated next time.”                

Chapter 16: How to Stick with Good Habits Every Day

“Named after the economist Charles Goodhart, Goodhart’s Law states, ‘When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.’”

“One of the most satisfying feelings is the feeling of making progress.”

“A habit tracker is a simple way to measure whether you did a habit—like marking an X on a calendar.”

“Habit trackers and other visual forms of measurement can make your habits satisfying by providing clear evidence of your progress.”

“Don’t break the chain. Try to keep your habit streak alive.”

“Never miss twice. If you miss one day, try to get back on track as quickly as possible.”

“Just because you can measure something doesn’t mean it’s the most important thing.”                

Chapter 17: How an Accountability Partner Changes Everything

“The inversion of the 4th Law of Behavior Change is make it unsatisfying.”

“We are less likely to repeat a bad habit if it is painful or unsatisfying.”

“An accountability partner can create an immediate cost to inaction. We care deeply about what others think of us, and we do not want others to have a lesser opinion of us.”

“A habit contract can be used to add a social cost to any behavior. It makes the costs of violating your promises public and painful.”

“Knowing that someone else is watching you can be a powerful motivator.”

Chapter 18: The Truth About Talent (When Genes Matter and When They Don’t)

“The secret to maximizing your odds of success is to choose the right field of competition.”

“Pick the right habit and progress is easy. Pick the wrong habit and life is a struggle.”

“Genes cannot be easily changed, which means they provide a powerful advantage in favorable circumstances and a serious disadvantage in unfavorable circumstances.”

“Habits are easier when they align with your natural abilities. Choose the habits that best suit you.”

“Play a game that favors your strengths. If you can’t find a game that favors you, create one.”

“Genes do not eliminate the need for hard work. They clarify it. They tell us what to work hard on.”                

Chapter 19: The Goldilocks Rule—How to Stay Motivated in Life and Work          

“The Goldilocks Rule states that humans experience peak motivation when working on tasks that are right on the edge of their current abilities. ”

“The greatest threat to success is not failure but boredom.”

“As habits become routine, they become less interesting and less satisfying. We get bored.”

“Anyone can work hard when they feel motivated. It’s the ability to keep going when work isn’t exciting that makes the difference.”

“Professionals stick to the schedule; amateurs let life get in the way.”              

Chapter 20: The Downside of Creating Good Habits

“The upside of habits is that we can do things without thinking. The downside is that we stop paying attention to little errors.”

“Habits + Deliberate Practice = Mastery”

“Reflection and review is a process that allows you to remain conscious of your performance over time.”

“The tighter we cling to an identity, the harder it becomes to grow beyond it.”                

Recommended Reading

If you like Atomic Habits , you may also enjoy the following books:

• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen R. Covey
• Building a Second Brain: A Proven Method to Organize Your Digital Life and Unlock Your Creative Potential  by Tiago Forte
• Better Than Before: Mastering The Habits of Our Everyday Lives by Gretchen Rubin

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• Non Fiction Books

Wise And Otherwise

Sudha Murthy is one of the most well-known personalities of India. She is famous for her corporate venture and Philanthropy work. Mrs. Murthy is an avid traveler and a voracious reader. She is also an inspiring writer.

In this book, she has narrated the wonderful incidents of her life. The incidents that are the learning curves and have a strong impact on our society.

Related: List of All Books Written By Sudha Murthy

Book Summary: Wise And Otherwise

The book has 50 chapters depicting the most important lessons of her life. Each chapter in this book symbolizes the need for compassion and humanity in general. Readers can connect their emotion to most of the stories.

The stories are simple and filled with emotions. Here we get to see the real neglected interiors of India that needs immediate help. We understand a new definition and meaning for the much-used term ‘Women Empowerment’. The philanthropy world which plays the role of a fundraiser is an eye-opener for most of us.

Sudha Murthy has penned these stories to throw us the light on some strong values that still exist in our money laundering society. There are lessons of values such as honesty, compassion, hard work, giving back to the society, empathizing for the people who are in need, enjoying the beauty of every minute of life, never late to learn to be more human, the significance of being an Indian and what not!

There is also desperation about the changes that are to be done immediately in the framework of Education, Industries, Philanthropy, the system of values, societal status.

All the stories are the true stories that will surprise and shock us. As readers, we are bound to be amazed by the minute observation of the writer. The observation about the daily routines of rich, poor, educated, uneducated, powerful and many others.

The stories take us to the world of protagonists and make us feel the emotion and the trauma that they are undergoing in their lives. Be it a rich businessman or a poor village schoolmaster, a software engineer or a daily wage worker. We connect to the characters of the story. Isn’t it wonderful to relive and revisit the lives of the real-life characters?

Like, in the story In Sahyadri Hills, Sudha Murthy narrates her experience with the tribes. The culture and humility of the tribes are very well written here. The headman of the tribe Tandappa teaches the valuable lesson of Gift to our writer. The writer realizes the importance of the humble ‘gifts’ that touch the right chord of the heart.

Death without Grief is another such story that can stir many of us. How will be the atmosphere of that house where there has been a tragic death? We can think of some horrifying trauma and strong emotions. But the house (which suffered a death) atmosphere that Sudha Ma’am visits will bring a small chill in our spines. She is devastated by looking at the ‘party’ time of the kith and kin in the house.

It is a lot more horrifying to understand the conversation between the couple and Sudha ma’am. The writer stresses the horrifying absence of love and declining values in the system of family. Which makes us pose a lot of questions about the family system that are slowly turning to be a failure, unfortunately.

She has thrown light about some of the social evils like illiteracy, dowry deaths, ill-treatment of women, poverty, and forced prostitution. We do encounter a few stories where a beautiful life is destroyed because of one of the social evils.

The story ‘A Bond Betrayed on Rakhi Day’ makes us think about the plight of the sex workers strongly. The reason they are in such a condition. The heartbreaking story of a 12-year-old who was forced to become a sex worker in exchange for the money by her own brother. The zeal of Tara to get educated by the teachers who come to her area is commendable.

The way she is treated by society and called by different names and then she hears someone calling her “Akka” (Elder sister in Kannada). She shares her story of betrayal with Sudha Murthy and she promises herself to learn a lot more in her lifetime. This inspires us to never say die for the unlimited spirit that each human has in his/her potential.

• Writing Style

A true salute to the lives of people who crossed every hurdle in their lives and continue to inspire many

My Thoughts

All the stories create a spark of inspiration for all of us. This book has a strong message of humanity to mankind. Wise and otherwise upholds the values that are essential for the humankind to survive in this incredible life. As the subtitle says – this book is a salute for life. The life of the undying spirit.

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• It's a great choice for a book person
• Murty Sudha (Author)
• English (Publication Language)

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Economics society.

• Karis Quinlan
• Jan 11, 2021

Book review: 'Poor Economics' by Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo

Poor Economics is an important read for anyone who wants to understand (and ultimately end) poverty, not least because it won the authors the 2019 Nobel prize in economics in “for their experimental approach to alleviating global poverty” the total benefits of which are almost immeasurable. The extensive number of case studies that can be found within Poor Economics is a direct result of numerous experimental programmes that the pair set up across developing countries in the span of 15 years. Each of these as an attempt to solve the smaller issues, hoping that these will one day also resolve the bigger issues that the poor face. In conjunction with Michael Kremer (who won the Nobel alongside them), the pair are responsible for a new approach to fighting global poverty, one which begins with individual communities. One of their many successes has been that they recorded and published the results of a successful education programme in India which involved extra support and tutoring for students who were falling behind. It has since been recorded that more than 5 million Indian school children have benefitted from similar programmes.

In their introduction, Banerjee and Duflo outline the aim of Poor Economics which is to encourage people not to be defeated or intimidated by the issue of world poverty. I would claim that Poor Economics fulfils this role completely through their engaging and impactful analysis of the economic activities of those living in poverty. This is largely because it introduces two entirely new concepts to the study of global poverty, making the book both an easy read and impactful on the way that economists approach global poverty.

Esther Duflo, courtesy of NPR

Esther Duflo is only the second woman to win the Nobel Prize in economics, the first female economist, and the youngest person (46) to do so. It is perhaps for these reasons that the book offers such a new approach to the economics of poverty, and consequently, has changed the attitudes of economists towards the issue of poverty worldwide.

A refreshing aspect of Poor Economics is the author’s tendency to defeat many of the polarised arguments between economists, while introducing their fresh new view. For instance, on the issue of aid, economists are often for or against aid in poor and developing countries, but Banerjee and Duflo argue that these polarising arguments are ‘too big’ and will not help those in poverty. This belief has lead to their new approach towards the issue of global poverty.

The first stage of Banerjee and Duflo’s new approach was to claim that in order to resolve big issues such as ‘how can we end poverty?’ we must start by solving smaller, more localised issues, such as persuading the poor to use bed nets for protection from Malaria. Although this may not seem likely to solve the issue of global poverty, it attempts to solve one of many ‘poverty traps’. The idea being that the bed nets will increase the health of the population and enable people to work and escape poverty. It is only when these smaller issues have been addressed that we can start to think about the bigger picture. This approach makes the book accessible for everyone because instead of trying to wrap your head around complex and abstract economic thought, the issues that the book deals with directly are simplistic, while still making a large difference to the lives of the poor and the study of economics.

Similarly, the second stage of their new approach is that Poor Economics contains many case studies of experiments that have been carried out to understand and improve the lives of those living in poverty. These case studies allow us to quantitively see the benefits of some interventions, and the downfall of many others. A particularly memorable example being that people are less likely to buy subsidised healthcare products, and more likely to buy them full price. The main point to be taken away from these case studies is that the actions of those living in poverty often do not match up with the actions that the rich of the world would expect of the poor. One such example is that when the poor find themselves with additional money, they would not choose to spend it on more nutritious or calorific food, but rather on more expensive brands of food. These case studies are what makes the book engaging because they allow people to relate and understand easily. Poor Economics is rife with excerpts from conversations that Banerjee and Duflo had directly with people living in poverty, adding an authenticity to their findings.

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International Relations in India & Beyond

• Book Review / India / Opinion

[Book Review] The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World

by Arjun · 7th April 2022

In the present context of world politics, the global community is witnessing a significant paradigm shift in the world order. Countries are repositioning their stance in the global architecture of political hierarchy. The upward surge of the Asian continent, the reinvention of Russia, the economic potentials of Africa and the inward-looking policy of America in the 21 st century have reconfigured the overall global geo-strategic matrix. Moreover, the tectonic shift in technology and politics has ensured that power can no longer be considered purely in terms of ‘hard’ military and economic capabilities but needs to account for cyber, digital and physical connectivity and technological research and development.

Against this backdrop, the incumbent Indian Foreign Minister, Dr S. Jaishankar, has authored The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World to shed light on the new global political conditions and norms. Spelling out the winds of change in the workings of contemporary international relations, the author alludes to the fact that international interactions at the bilateral and multilateral levels have moved forward from a world of agreements towards a world of convergences. The Foreign Minister’s acumen and diplomatic experience enable the reader to identify key determinants that affect and influence the dynamic interplay between state actors which consequently determine the trajectory and outcome of contemporary politics. Additionally, he provides a ringside view of India’s political disposition in the international forum and puts forward a vision for how India can achieve its destiny in the coming years. In the process, he lists out the various challenges that lie ahead for New Delhi and proposes policy solutions to overcome them.

The clear central thesis that reverberates throughout Jaishankar’s book is the need for India to adopt a more pragmatic and realist based foreign policy to subsist and to engage with the changing world. To make his case, he refers to some of the most significant events in India’s modern history to indicate how its typically complacent and defensive disposition often compromised the country’s national interests, due to its failure to anticipate, identify, comprehend, and analyse external events. As a result, India has always been reactive rather than being proactive which naturally proves to be an ineffective strategy against the present fluid and uncertain state of world affairs. The author’s prescription for this predicament is to have India disengage from its traditional “moralpolitik” (p.4), stance and cast aside her erstwhile “soft-state” (p.50), disposition and instead adopt a more pragmatic, muscular form of “realpolitik” (p.5), foreign policy. This will allow India to safeguard her regional equities and enable her to advance her global interests as the country aspires to play an instrumental role in international relations.

Jaishankar is of the firm belief that the world has become more dynamic in terms of change and is experiencing tremendous turmoil apart from the shift in the traditional understanding of power. The new facet and constitutional attributes of power include, the access of information and technology, greater physical connectivity, and trade. Moreover, the emergence of new regional actors entering into the fray has intensified the global power competition, resulting in the creation of a multipolar configuration. Not only do rival states compete with one another for power and dominance but there exists an implicit competition between allied partners as well. Given this scenario, the author articulates a three-prong strategy that could help steer a new course for India’s diplomacy. This includes refraining from forming alliances, exploiting conflicts which are intrinsic to the multipolar system, and accepting and exercising contradictory policies. As a basis for a new Indian strategic culture, Jaishankar draws upon the Mahabharata. The author carefully recounts snippets of the epic while attempting to draw lessons from the past. In doing so, he throws light on how ancient India was able to balance its pursuit of power accrue, while, concurrently maintaining its ethical values and responsibilities (p.48).

The most prominent problem that the book is concerned with is how -the rapid transformation in the international order caused by China’s rise and the relative decline of the US has impacted the political and diplomatic outlook of India and other Asian powers. Jaishankar contends that the fluid state of affairs and the changes in the international order have caused many of the fundamental assumptions and principles of international relations to be revisited, also stressing that India’s strategy must also be amended in order to harness greater capabilities and responsibilities. Specifically, he argues that calculated risk-taking is essential to the realisation of one’s potential and a nation like India, with its great power aspirations, cannot shy away for too long from taking a firm stand in challenging situations and times of crises.

The author therefore maintains that it is imperative that New Delhi puts behind its entrenched dogmas and moves forward with time when addressing the transmuting international system. Applying his three-prong strategy, the author gets the ball rolling on how India should manage its external relations particularly vis-à-vis with China. He suggests how India could deal and work mutually with the latter despite their existing differences and border tensions. He also reminds the audience of the fraternal rapport that the two countries shared in the past, by evoking the historical and cultural links. The author posits that the manner in which the two powers operate in the coming decades will determine the future course of the Asian century. Following this thread of argument, he further proposes different dimensions of strategic partnerships with the regional members to ensure the restoration of the balance of power in Asia against China’s rise and domination.

Having discussed the concept of change in the international system, the author deliberates the same on the domestic level. He opines that the ‘Indian Street’ has fared better than the ‘Lutyens’ Delhi’ (reference to the area where the Indian elite reside in the national capital built by Sir Lutyens during the colonial era) in accepting the phenomenon of change (p.109). The people of India have been receptive and smart enough to acknowledge the notion of change which has enabled them to make better assessment of their investments and opportunities abroad. Despite the lack of a formal training and understanding of geopolitics, the common Indian’s knack for comprehending the complexities of diplomacy has   proven rather accurate (p.110). This instinctive foresight has driven him to make choices in his best interest, well ahead of the policy changes made by the Indian statecraft. This has entailed the development of a new mindset in the country that approaches foreign policy from a realist perspective-pragmatism.

To prevail in a transactional world where states are solely focussed on maximising their individual interests, there is no scope for ‘political-romanticism’ (p.4). However, the rules of engagement are more pragmatic, hard-lined and exploitative. Hence, for India to succeed in the prevalent international political environment, it is imperative that she shed her pre-set dogmas and embrace realism as her mantra of success.  

This book offers an insight into the prevailing trajectory of India’s foreign policy as well as the South Block’s outlook towards global politics for both the global audience and for the Indian public. What sets this work apart from the rest is that it pronounces the overarching strategy of India’s foreign policy by the very man who guides and manages India’s external affairs. Not only has the author coherently placed on record the complexities involved in India’s relations with its neighbourhood and with major powers, but has unequivocally drawn the reader’s attention towards the importance of departing from the traditional diplomatic practice of Non-Alignment towards a more engaging and proactive form of multilateralism and “plurilateralism” (p.35) to safeguard and advance India’s national interests in the prevailing context of a multipolar world, as opposed to a bi-polar world where alliances was the accepted practice. In contrast to the former traditional understanding of nationalism based on the principles of non-violence and the Nehruvian idea of Non-Alignment, the author impresses upon his audience the shift in India’s strategy that is inspired by its ethnic nationalism drawn from the Hindu culture along with the teachings from the Mahabharat. Setting a new template of foreign policy which is innately driven by realism, not only has India been able to successfully promote itself as an influential actor in the international community but has been able to significantly elevate its global image as a potential leader.

To cope and sustain with the laws of change and uncertainty that are inherent in the current world, developing a strategic autonomy will serve in India’s best interest and will enable New Delhi to make hard choices that will converge its domestic dreams with its global aspirations as a world power. However, in order to effectively translate this narrative into a reality, there is a need to formulate a robust ecosystem that would facilitate this transition. For this to happen, India must learn to take the bull by the horns and turn the events around so that she can victoriously stand tall in the international arena.

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The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Kootneeti Team

Tags: book review China Foreign Policy India International Relations Non Alignment Movement S Jaishankar

Arjun is a Doctoral Research Fellow in Jindal School of International Affairs, O.P Jindal Global University, Sonipat Haryana.

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Word Wise: Say What You Mean, Deepen Your Connections, and Get to the Point

Will jelbert.

224 pages, Paperback

Published October 20, 2020

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