The Accidental Billionaires

This book by Ben Mezrich left me confused about what to believe and what not to. It’s based on accounts from Mark Zuckerberg’s former colleagues, and Mark himself was not involved in its making. So how much can we trust the incidents and thoughts presented by the author?

After reading, I was left with the impression that Facebook is an outcome of betrayal. According to the book, the original idea behind Facebook came from someone else, and Mark betrayed them by developing it without their involvement. But it’s hard to fully believe this version.

Hats off to Mark for the hard work he put into building Facebook. He worked around the clock during its development. The author captures his passion and dedication well. It’s clear that Mark treats Facebook as his own baby.

The book is written in a way that makes the reader feel like they’re watching a drama unfold. (No wonder it inspired the movie The Social Network.) You feel as if all the incidents are happening right before your eyes. It’s very well written — though, at the same time, hard to fully believe the contents.

Lean In !!!!!

WHAT A BOOK!!!!! A must-buy, especially for working women. (No... After reading this, I will never say "working women" again — instead, I’ll call them women who love their career as much as they love their family.)

Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, touches every nook and corner of a woman’s life — the struggles they face while balancing work and family. I was somewhat aware of workplace gender discrimination, but some facts surprised me. In 1970, American women earned 59 cents for every dollar earned by men. By 2010, it improved to 77 cents. I don’t know the current status, but I hope the day isn’t far when we achieve true equality.

A 2011 McKinsey report noted that men are promoted based on potential, while women are promoted based on past achievements. Even though many know about this discrimination, most women stay quiet, because they’re comfortable. Many hesitate to step out of their comfort zones, held back by family responsibilities and, most of all, by Impostor Syndrome — capable people caught in self-doubt. When receiving recognition, we often think, Did I fool everyone? Am I really worth it? Studies show impostor syndrome affects women more than men.

An important point Sheryl makes is: when men judge themselves, they credit their innate skills and qualities, whereas women tend to attribute their success to external factors like luck or help from others. This rings very true for me. For all my achievements, I have always credited 99% to God’s grace and 1% split between luck and help — never my own hard work. But if I can’t appreciate myself, how can I expect others to?

An internal report at HP revealed women apply for jobs only if they meet 100% of the criteria, whereas men apply if they meet 60%. This is exactly me! Whenever I see a job opening, if I don’t match all requirements, I simply don’t apply.

The book shares Sheryl’s professional and personal journey — the hardships she faced and the lessons learned. It inspires courage to view our own lives positively, even when balancing work and family feels like a roller coaster.

One story that really stood out was the Heidi-Howard case study. It showed how success and likability are positively correlated for men, but negatively correlated for women. Heidi Roizen, a successful entrepreneur, was described as selfish and unlikeable by half the class when her name was "Heidi." When the same story was told with her name changed to "Howard," the man was seen as an appealing colleague. Same facts, different gender, completely opposite perceptions. How pathetic!

Research over the last 40 years shows that children with involved and loving fathers have higher psychological well-being and better cognitive abilities compared to those with less involved fathers. Men who devote themselves 100% to work should understand this and learn to balance their time.

Usually, we say, "Behind every successful man, there is a woman." But after reading this book, I realized that "Behind every successful woman, there is a man," too. Without the support of a partner, no one can balance work and family effectively.

Book by Ellen

I was expecting something more substantial — maybe a memoir or biography — but this book didn’t deliver. I’m a bit disappointed. It mostly feels like Ellen’s usual chit-chats, like she’s talking directly to us. Honestly, it comes across more like a comic book.

If you’re looking for a light, casual read to take your mind off daily stress, maybe this will work. But whether you enjoy it really depends on your sense of humor and what kind of jokes make you laugh.

I also read that the audio version is somewhat better, as the jokes don’t quite come through well in writing.

While reading some chapters, I felt like she was just trying to pad the book with unnecessary content — a bit of a waste of the reader’s time.

Even though I’m a fan of the Ellen DeGeneres Show, I’ll definitely think twice before buying any other book by her. :(

Opening The Door Of Your Heart

Finished reading Opening The Door Of Your Heart by Ajahn Brahm. It’s a wonderful book that provides answers to many questions readers may have been pondering for a long time. Ajahn Brahm, born Peter Betts in London, UK, on 7th August 1951, is a Buddhist monk and the Abbot of Bodhinyana Monastery in Western Australia. He spent nine years studying and training in forest meditation under Ajahn Chah.

The way Ajahn Brahm has written this book surprised me a lot. I always believed monks to be serious and solemn, handling everything with utmost perfection and gravity. But after reading this book, I realized how simple and humorous they can be. He shares stories with such humor that I often found myself laughing out loud. Yet, every page carries a meaningful message for the reader.

My favorite line from the book is, "The hardest part of anything in life is thinking about it." It’s so true. All of us have had several bitter experiences in life, and it’s human nature to dwell on them. This is the real problem—the more we think about those incidents, the more we hurt ourselves. We should all try our best to not dwell on such thoughts. It’s not an easy task, but with practice, we can train ourselves to do it.

The very first chapter offers a priceless message for today’s society. We live in a world where relationships are often undervalued. Most of us tend to focus on a person’s mistakes, knowingly or unknowingly turning blind to their positive qualities. Brahm illustrates this with the metaphor of a brick wall. Imagine building a wall with great care and effort, arranging the bricks as perfectly as possible. But once the wall is complete, you notice two bricks that protrude slightly. Instead of appreciating the other 98 bricks that are perfectly placed, you become disappointed and conclude that the entire wall is ruined because of those two bricks. The same applies to human relationships. We often break bonds over a single fault, ignoring the many good qualities the other person possesses.

Whether you’re on cloud nine or struggling through tough times, keep one simple truth in mind: “This too shall pass.” Holding onto this thought can help maintain balance and calm in your mind.

Ajahn Chah, the revered teacher of Ajahn Brahm, humorously illustrated the futility of blaming others with this story:

A man had an itch on his bum.
He scratched his head.
The itch never went away.

The lesson is clear—blaming others never solves your problems. When something goes wrong, instead of pointing fingers, focus your energy on finding a solution and handling the situation.

In one chapter, Ajahn Brahm poses three profound questions:

• When is the most important time?

• Who is the most important person?

• What is the most important thing to do?

The answers are beautifully simple:

• The most important time is NOW.

• The most important person is the one you are with.

• The most important thing to do is CARE.

These are just a few gems from the book that resonated deeply with me. It’s truly a book worth reading, and I’m planning to explore more works by Ajahn Brahm.