Reader Spotlight - Reflecting on the reading journey!

I joined Aniket's reading program "The Reading Habits"

In its simplest form it is GRP - guided reading program. 

I was curious to know, how he runs it & hence joined it. 

And over the period of last few months read really sizable number of books with him. 

B J Fogg's Tiny Habits, David Allen's Getting Things Done, Scott Adam's How to fail at almost everything and still win big, Steven Covey's 7 Habits of highly effective people, Paulo Coehlo  Alchemist,  Jake Knapp's Make Time, Kahneman's Thinking Fast and Slow. And soon will be reading "Anxious People" as well as "Old Man and the Sea". The journey is surely enriching. And his book selection never fails.  Overall I became a disciplined & better reader.

( I couldn't enjoy only "Getting things done". But that may be my own way of looking at time and productivity management.)         

As a part of his reading activity. He chooses a reader, asks him few questions and they respond to it in the group. He calls this "ReadAR Spotlight"  (That's not typo !). 

I was part of this recently on 9th July 2021. 

But the way I wrote answers to those questions, I felt like preserving and sharing them to the others outside that group. Hence this blog post! 

Particularly to with my friends and families - who may be knowing me as a reader. 

Here is that "written Q-n-A" 

This is primarily written on Mobile for WhatsApp, hence pardon for any typo/spelling or punctuations! 

Links are added in the blog!   

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*9th July 2021*

*ReadARs Spotlight - Santosh*

@⁨ReadAR Santosh Sali⁩ , we would like to know - 

*A. Your life as a Book Reader.*  

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Where do I start? 

I started reading I think, sometime when I was in 2nd std. With comics. Amar Chitra Katha. Then Marathi books, sometime in Engineering with English books, n then with English non fictions. I think that's the only thing I have done confidently to speak in CV. 

*B. Since you are heavily tilted towards Nonfiction, what is it about reading Fiction books that scares you* 

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Not really, in fact I have always read fictions. Non fiction is much recent entry in life. See reply to previous question. Non-fiction is most recent entry. But being in Organizations Behavior specialization, even most of my area books are widely read n referred for self development. It's much closer to self help. Hence I *deliberately developed taste* for non fiction. 

My getting lost in non fiction scares me. 

I once took Netflix subscription, n proved to be heavy time killer. I cancelled in trial period itself. 

That's what I fear about non fiction. In school too, I use to read it even during exam days . Till last week, I was following @⁨Readar Aniket Rai⁩ plan of kane n Able. Suddenly two days back. I read it intermittently during day. N in evening I started n continued n finished by night 0230. Completed book!!. I fear this. I often get lost in reading fictions. There are many instances that I read books continuously, without any long break. This scares me . 

(Just few days back, I read "When breath becomes air" at a stretch, in one sitting, at night. Check link). 

*C. Most memorable Fiction book(s) that you have read till date* 

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I think Kane n able will come on top. Then Alchemist, Jonathan living Seagull, Animal farm, 1984, Old man n sea,  Flowers for Algernon, The Reader, 

I have certainly much longer list in Marathi. But as most of members are English readers, not sharing it. 

But if you ask me just one or two out of this then.. 

1. Old man n sea. 

2. Animal farm 

3. Shodhyatra (Marathi). 

First two are already on top of variety of booklist. 

*D. How do you read Fiction Books, where do you read them, what time do you prefer? What do you do after finishing a Fiction Book?* 

No rule rules   

I start, n if book grows on me, I just go on till I finish it. I don't stop even for food or washroom (). I just multitask. I remember reading books even in nightshift on job (Good that I quit IT ). 

I normally don't do anything after reading book. It just lies in my room somewhere. 

But recently I started thinking I shall do something. 

One member talked about character arc, or story line. Aniket spoke about character s drawing them in relation to each other. 

My daughter too read. She dreams of writing fiction . N she is trying n keeps me asking questions. That I don't understand. Plot, climax, n storyboard etc. So I seriously think of looking into backside or mechanics of novels n fictions. (Any help/books/course will immensely help ). 

*E. What is the one thing that you would like all of us to do over this weekend as we read "Kane & Abel"?* 

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As in last answer, I would love to understand mechanics or how fiction writers create this magic. Plot/character arc/storyline/storyboard/climax so many things are there to get under the skin of fiction. Can we start doing it slowly n learn more how to READ fiction ? 

*F. Beyond Books & Reading, how will you introduce Santosh to the big bad world out there...* 

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I touched 50 this year! 

Suddenly it dawned on me. Probably I am in last phase of life. Even with % optimism 50% life is done!! 

So I have changed life gears from living life to enjoying life to its full extent. 

Now I want to live life on my terms. Not dictated by any external agency. N I have already started taking steps to realize it. 

Reading is love of Life. I wonder how do I spread it. How do I make people realize its beauty, it's flow, it's elixir. I keep on thinking. N probably will try to develop something that will help others to really *appreciate* beauty of reading. 

*Every hobby has its sports equivalent, there isn't one for reading, my dream is to build that sport equivalent of reading*. 

On side note, I have developed my knowledge in Organizational  Behavior n HR. So I genuinely try to mentor/coach/help others in career development either in job or in entrepreneurship. 

[Anyone need help/assistance, do connect]

And a small portion of  mind is obsessed with yoga/Vedanta n spirituality. So trying to get drizzle in it. 

N attempt currently is to develop a life style that will help me to do all three of this. . 

Hushhh.. 

*That's long isn't it? * 

When Aniket asked me, I thought I will write over a weekend n post. But then he said do today quickly n then expand later. 

So I tried to do this QUICKLY . 

Hope you guys will enjoy it. 

*Thanks a ton*. I wonder how many times, I will say THANKS to you. 

Your today's prompt help me in reflecting. N dive deep inside me for last may be 30 min.

I typed this on my android. I HATE it. 

Hope it is readable n to some extent enjoyable too. 

Friends feel free to give your comments/feedback. Whether it is good,bad,ugly. No problem.  

Will take this further on my blog or LinkedIn. 

Thanks a ton. 

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Please feel free to comment on this.. Thanks.  

[ Image Source: Wikimedia: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Spotlight_Logo.png ]

When "Death" brings meaning!

Sometime back, I read Paul Kalanithi's article in New York Times How Long have I got Left? 

I remember reading his Stanford article "Before I go also on the same day. 

I must have reached through the entangled world wide web. 

I registered somewhere in my mind that I need to read this book. 

Articles were piercing, thoughtful, and show a delicate balance of scholar and crafted writing. 

In the drudgery of daily toil, the book slipped my mind. 

And one fine day, a fellow book club member and voracious reader Neelkanth posted the book cover, signaling he ordered the book. 

Memories kindled, and I, too, ordered it immediately. 

 

[Image from Amazon]

Book arrived sometime.  

I reached home in the evening, opened the packet, and was playing around. 

I looked at the front cover. I looked at the back cover. 

Generally, I refrain from books that don't have indexes and references. Such non-fiction books may be questionable (I feel so). This book doesn't have one. A doubt slipped in mind, is this worth my time! 

Then we had dinner. 

That day, I was attending to my ailing mother. 

I had to attend to her frequently. 

I started going through the book forward. 

I think it was 1100 PM or 1130 PM. 

Through forward, I moved on. 

I was attending mother and going through the book. 

Slowly, I was involved in the book. I continued reading. 

Sitting on the bed, and I was going through pages one after another. 

I did not have a pen or pencil to mark the book—something rare in my book reading.

I continued reading page after page. 

Then sometime at night, I had to remove spectacle. My eyes were moist! 

I cleaned it and continued reading. [Incidentally, today morning, my daughter asked, have you ever cried while reading a book, I told her about the popular Marathi book "Shaymchi Aai" (Shyam's mother). And how everyone cries. I marked in mind; I can say to her about this book too]. 

I continued and completed the book. It was almost night 0230! 

After a long period, I read the book end-to-end in one sitting at a stretch without deciding so! 

That's my experience of reading this book. 

Do you need a review, summary to start reading it now? 

Isn't this enough to pick up and read it! 

Off-course it is not something easy to read too. 

It talks about the broad reading that the author has - a clear indicator of how good reading leads to good writing! His study of literature, philosophy, and the quest to understand DEATH! 

His quest to understand death and life. The border between meaning and life took him to pick up neurosurgery!

He toiled hard for a decade to reach the pinnacle of neurosurgery, studied neuroscience too.

He has published award-winning papers! 

The bulk of the book is packed with medical jargon. Something similar to The Emperor of Maladies! 

What is great about the book is his encounter with death with the theory that he studied. A pure sign of scholar! Something similar you find in Victor Frankl's "Man's search of Meaning."

His way of conveying why neurosurgery is not for the weak-hearted. Neurosurgeon deals with the questions of life and death every instant. He deals with the more critical question of whether to allow this person to die or save him! How it separates the doctor's JOB from the doctor's CALLING! 

It very delicately navigates the meaning of work and life.  

It navigates the questions of identity, the patient's identity, and the doctor's identity. 

The work of Paul Kalanithi of "When breath becomes air" is a pure gem in the league Victor Frankl's "Man's search of meaning"!  

If you want to understand this thread of "meaning" in the literature, you can't ignore this book! 

Why Bucket List - Persuasive Speech Toastmaster Old Path CC#9.

 I delivered my CC#9 after a long time in InSteel Toastmasters club, Jamshedpur. 

And Voila - it was club level best speech! 

I too, enjoyed the speech writing and delivery. 

Purely a labor of love! 

It's quiet a while that I haven't yet posted on the blog. 

I certainly worked hard on this speech, applied Manroe's persuasive formula, practiced lot and I could see that it had impact on audience whatever was expected. 

So here are the details of the speech in Google Document. 

Please feel free to use the format and revert in case of any clarifications. 

Check Below Hyperlink for All Speech Details. It has everything structure, logic, references etc.

CC#9 - Santosh Toastmaster Speech 

Speech Delivered: Sept-2016

Speech Title: Wanna Fun, List Your Life! 

Objective: 

1. Persuade listener to adopt your point of viewpoint or ideas to take some action.
2. Appeal to Audience interest
3. Use logic and emotion to support your position
4. Avoid using notes

I will post CC#10 soon. 

There too I practiced lot, but it was fiasco! 

Marking in the book: To do or not do?

(Annotated Text: Image Source: WikiMedia)

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiversity/en/f/fa/Annotating_Text.jpg)

 

"Eeeeeee!" screamed my sister at the top pitch. 

She looked with disgust as if a giant cockroach was sitting on the book. 

Agree; my handwriting resembles a cockroach walk, but I wasn't writing; I was marking the book! 

And my sister never marked in the book. 

Her books are spotlessly clean as if just bought from the shop. 

Mine is the opposite end. 

I mark the 100th page with name/purchase date as soon as I touch the book! 

I use a pencil, pen, marker, and highlighter, what-ever is handy for marking.  

In which camp are you? Do you mark it in the book or keep it clean! 

Here are few reasons, why you should mark the book. 

1. Marking has a long history. 

 Researchers found 1566 copy of Seneca's writing with annotation. Annotation is just a fancy or sophisticated word for marking. It's that old. It is not a new phenomenon. 

2. Marking can be completely clean!  

If you are like my sister, who screams at the sight of marking, you can use Post-It notes. They come in all sizes, colors, and varieties. They stuck quickly and didn't spoil the book. You can use them to take notes or marking in the book. Readers often use them in the library or borrowed books as well as expensive books. 

3.  Markings make reading an active process. 

Reading is a pretty passive process. But it need not be. You can make it active. 

Have a purpose for reading or have some questions in mind about the reading. You will suddenly slow down or skim some part. Your speed will vary, markings will vary. And your understanding and retention of reading material will go up. That's active reading. You can read more about "active reading here" 

4. Marking is a sign of respect for the author. 

This may take little time to digest. Think about your partner, spouse, friend, or teacher. If you agree with them, you say yes, you nod. If you disagree, you say no, or explain the rationale for opposing. 

And what if you ignore the person? Then you neither agree nor disagree. Neither you say yes nor no. You just ignore. Thus when you agree or disagree with the author. You are not ignoring the author; you are respecting them. You are reading actively. 

Marking is just making it explicit. Here is a quote that describes it beautifully.   

Marking a book is literally an experience of differences or agreements with the author. It is the highest respect you can pay to him. 

                    -Edgar Allen Poe. 

 Thus marking is a way to enter into conversation with the author. You converse only if you respect. 

5. Marking is creative. 

Marking can be done with various pens, pencils in different colors too. You are making it visually appealing. Even on Kindle or PDF versions, multiple colors and styles are available for marking. You can set your color coding too. For example, I use Yellow for highlight, Orange for Quotes, and Blue for unknown words or phrases. Readers often develop their coding for marking; it is like a floral formula used in biology. That only biologist understands, and your code only you. For instance, star/asterisk - for critical, Single dot for the article's objective, chapter, or topic sentence. Double dot for linkage to some other material and so on. You can find many such schemes online.  

Here is how Cal Newport marks. It's minimal and elegant. 

Here are some famous authors markings. My markings are like this. Often book becomes useless for others :-). 

Here is Pinterest collection of annotations. Particularly look at how Post-it stickers are used. 

6. Marking is a sign of a growing reader. 

The marking indicates your agreement/disagreement/linkages, questions/doubts raised.

Your conversation with the author has started. This conversation leads to a better understanding. Markings will lead to better notes, better summary, and better review in the next stage. 

Marking is the first step in this growth.  

Marking is a qualitative skill, a kind of art. That one develops as one keeps on practicing it. 

Graduate and doctoral students are often asked to prepare an annotated bibliography. 

Well-written annotated bibliographies are always in demand. Scholars even get paid (funding) to write/prepare an annotated bibliography, and they are often part of the proposal. 

So are you convinced now about learning nuances of marking? 

Whether you scream or scoff at markings and annotations, you must start doing and practicing it. 

7. Marking preserves book.

This sounds counterintuitive—a clean book you may be sold or given. 

But the marked and annotated book becomes your treasure. It has unique markings, your stamp on it; the marked book becomes priceless and thus a treasure for you. 

For example, As a faculty every year, I get OB (Organization Behavior) textbook. I have freely given OB book copies to others, except my first copy. 

When I studied OB first time as an FPM scholar, I bought Stephen Robbins OB Textbook. I marked it right and left, with multiple colors. The margins are used to write notes. 

The book was utterly "destroyed" (in good sense!). But at the time of term - the faculty changed the text to the "Ray Andre" version of OB. I got that copy too. And it is also a heavily marked version. 

So whenever anyone asked me about OB book, I gave them other editions of Stephen Robbins, but never my marked copy of the book. Thus marking preserves the book and makes it treasure! 

 

So I guess this small write-up would have convinced you to mark the book. So get the book, pen/pencil, and start marking! 

Next, we will see, how to translate markings into summaries. Stay tuned to this blog! 

Bonus: A beautiful opinion piece in New York Times on Marking or annotation: 

https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/02/opinion/sunday/scribbling-in-the-margins.html