Hello,

Welcome to 2020 and my Journey with books! This is the second book of 2020 I am reading, and it is based on the prompt 12: A book with the cover in your favorite color from the #TBRChallenge2020 with Shalzmojo.in & LifeofLeo.

P.S.: I equally love Turquoise as I do Purple (& it’s shades) – and this book turned out to be a great pick! I loved the color of the cover, the font of the title and the writing! Read on to know my thoughts on this book.

The Book I choose: How to be a Likeable Bigot by Naomi Datta
Publisher: Penguin
You can get your paperback copy here and a kindle version here on amazon.in.

About the Book:

In this collection of satirical essays in her deft, inimitable style, Naomi Datta tells you how to survive various situations-from how to befriend tiger moms to how not to get a pink slip- simply by being ‘ordinary’. This is a book which celebrates conformity and tells you how to be perfectly regular, to blend in and be largely forgettable. It is a fine art-moderation. This book will hold up a mirror to all of us, and we may not like what we see.

My Review/ Thoughts:

If you work in the corporate jail – and are looking to unwind & for validation of the ridiculousness of work, war and social media currently – then this is the book for you!

I have not read anything from this author before and I have to say I really enjoyed her satirical writings.

The book is such an antithesis of everything we HAVE to do everyday just to stay in our jobs!

She nails the ‘How to Look Competent’ with the most affable (and hilarious) ideas – and when you take a closer look, you find that you (in some parts) and so many others are behaving like this – both in the offline and the online worlds!

Now the online world – these pieces were so real that you realise that social media is no more than a big song and dance, a-la a Bollywood drama, and we are mesmerised by this world.

She so aptly bring out the futility of the lives we currently lead between the corporate jobs and staying ‘relevant’ and showing off our ‘good’ lives on social media. (PS: All this just leaves me exhausted! – and reading her book validates the futility of the lives we currently lead – it lacks balance and when we look back, apart from a good laugh, will there be anything solid we would have accomplished? (except to earn offcourse, which we have promptly spent anyway!).

I enjoyed her writing – it was insightful and sharp tongued – I enjoy the direct approach with the humorous twist – The author, Naomi Datta has a keen eye for detail and the ability to call it like it is!

She has me thinking that avoiding the spotlight may actually be the best path to surviving with some peace and some moments for the self! Especially, moments such as these where I can just relax and read and laugh at the re-telling of the modern life : )

The Title itself is interesting – it definitely intrigued me and I spent a delightful Sunday reading this book. She spins the word ‘bigot’ on its head and introduced an interesting perspective on the words and what it means.

Read this for a light touch on the pandemic of today’s life – find the validation that we all sail (sink!) in the same boat, and de-stress for a while, while the new work week awaits us!

I definitely recommend this book – especially if you relish a well written book by an Indian author.

Extra Bonus : The sprinkling of comic style images, diagrams if you will – which teach and encapsulate the ‘how to’ perfectly! These too shall bring a smile to your face 🙂

Happy Reading!
I