Two random events conspired to make me buy the book. It was highly recommended by a colleague who mentioned how ‘awesome’ the book was at least twice every day. And I fell ill bang in the middle of a month when I had imposed a ‘no fiction unless interspaced by non-fiction’ ban on myself. If the book did speak about Pratham and Akshay Patra, two non-profits that I know do very good work, how bad could it be?
The book went with me to hospital, and by the time I finished the Preface, I knew that the only thing that would make me put the book down was sleep. What I liked most about the book was the undercurrent of cautious optimism. While most commentators tend to go overboard in either their praise or their censure, he admitted our shortcomings, and somehow managed to convert them into opportunities.
After reading the book, I found myself sliding back into the solutions mode that I thought I had left behind many years back. Yes, there is a lot wrong with and in India, but not all of it defies solutions. I know that I too am going to spend a lot of time ‘Imagining India’ in the next few weeks.
2 comments:
This sounds like a looking forward, moving forward book. While it’s certainly key and essential to learn lessons from past errors, if those lessons aren’t applied to future circumstances, then the lessons have been learned in vain. So, if we’re talking constructive solutions to nettlesome problems, this is a good thing.
Hope all is better with you and yours.
Best Regards, Galen
Imagineering Fiction Blog
Yes, Galen. It is a looking forward, moving forward kind of book which forces you to think of ways to work around reality to get ahead.
Wiping the slate clean and starting afresh is always easiest to plan, but impossible to implement - that is something the book doesn't even get into.
And yes, I am well - trying to regain the rest I could not take last week. The better thing is that the kid is much better, and has almost forgotten about those harrowing two days in hospital.
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