Reading books is a passion. After coming to the Nirma Institute of Management, this passion found a creative output when I became the co-ordinator of the newly founded book club. We juggled with quite a few names for the club; Nitishastra and Papyrus to name a couple. However, we finally decided to call it 'Sumantra', since we felt that there were very few individuals from the Indian corporate world who were as passionate about learning as the late Sumantra Ghoshal.
Sumantra - The book club, I am extremely pleased to say, has almost completed a dignified one year. We've had 11 book reviews and a couple of book-related quizzes. The books that have been reviewed have been of very high class too. We've been able to find a good match between the fictional works (Fountainhead, Alchemist, Catch-22) and the non-fictional works (Blink, Freaknomics).
What has also been interesting is the development of industrial acceptance for a gathering such as a book club. 'Sumantra' has now had two outings to the Zydus Research Centre where two very different books have been reviewed - 'Who Moved My Cheese' and 'The Life of Mahatma Gandhi'.
The approaching academic year is filled with even more excitement. 'Sumantra' will be looking at a greater number of book reviews, a more interactive library website where a link to 'Sumantra' has already been provided, more quizzes and perhaps a few good guest lectures. We shall also be looking forward to conducting events in collaboration with other book clubs in and around Ahmedabad.
However, all this remains work where it is my duty to help provide a platform for sharing of information and knowledge that one receives from an activity as enriching as reading books. On a personal front, however, I just love reading books and encouraging others to read what I felt was particularly nice. It is with this in mind that I'd set up another blog titled 'My reviews'.
I felt, hoewever, that there would be many more friends who would perhaps be interested in expressing their views. I discussed this with a good friend of mine while we waited for a third friend to graciously arrive and give us her birthday treat. We explored a couple of options of whether the reviews should be in a blog format or whether we should start a new Yahoo! or Google group. Ultimately, it was the blog format that prevailed.
:)
Dear reader, I have much pleasure in letting you know about our new blog 'A Melting Pot'. We currently have 3 people on the team; myself, a thinner version of myself who prefers calling himself trash_u online and a mad, mad girl who's highly spirited and goes by the name of Ani. We're also eagerly awaiting a sweet friend to join us, who typically shies away from making a Powerpoint format book review and who, I'm sure, will be perfectly at ease when it comes down to simply 'writing' one.
The blog is just an outlet for us to express our thoughts about any good book that we've read. Of course, I wouldn't want to put any creative limits to our voice of expression; the team members are free to post a review of a music album, a movie or a concert that they greatly enjoyed.
This endeavor shall enrich us and we are also hopeful that you, the reader, will also have fun in the process.
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update at 2:51 AM: The expected fourth member has just joined the 'Melting Pot' blog. :)
Sumantra - The book club, I am extremely pleased to say, has almost completed a dignified one year. We've had 11 book reviews and a couple of book-related quizzes. The books that have been reviewed have been of very high class too. We've been able to find a good match between the fictional works (Fountainhead, Alchemist, Catch-22) and the non-fictional works (Blink, Freaknomics).
What has also been interesting is the development of industrial acceptance for a gathering such as a book club. 'Sumantra' has now had two outings to the Zydus Research Centre where two very different books have been reviewed - 'Who Moved My Cheese' and 'The Life of Mahatma Gandhi'.
The approaching academic year is filled with even more excitement. 'Sumantra' will be looking at a greater number of book reviews, a more interactive library website where a link to 'Sumantra' has already been provided, more quizzes and perhaps a few good guest lectures. We shall also be looking forward to conducting events in collaboration with other book clubs in and around Ahmedabad.
However, all this remains work where it is my duty to help provide a platform for sharing of information and knowledge that one receives from an activity as enriching as reading books. On a personal front, however, I just love reading books and encouraging others to read what I felt was particularly nice. It is with this in mind that I'd set up another blog titled 'My reviews'.
I felt, hoewever, that there would be many more friends who would perhaps be interested in expressing their views. I discussed this with a good friend of mine while we waited for a third friend to graciously arrive and give us her birthday treat. We explored a couple of options of whether the reviews should be in a blog format or whether we should start a new Yahoo! or Google group. Ultimately, it was the blog format that prevailed.
:)
Dear reader, I have much pleasure in letting you know about our new blog 'A Melting Pot'. We currently have 3 people on the team; myself, a thinner version of myself who prefers calling himself trash_u online and a mad, mad girl who's highly spirited and goes by the name of Ani. We're also eagerly awaiting a sweet friend to join us, who typically shies away from making a Powerpoint format book review and who, I'm sure, will be perfectly at ease when it comes down to simply 'writing' one.
The blog is just an outlet for us to express our thoughts about any good book that we've read. Of course, I wouldn't want to put any creative limits to our voice of expression; the team members are free to post a review of a music album, a movie or a concert that they greatly enjoyed.
This endeavor shall enrich us and we are also hopeful that you, the reader, will also have fun in the process.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
update at 2:51 AM: The expected fourth member has just joined the 'Melting Pot' blog. :)
7 comments:
hey even i wld like to join u guyz ...but after xams ...really luv reading ...nd writting wld be fun ....wat say ...
although mine wld be ...more of literary stuff ....i plan to read lots after xams ...abhi toh under my gr8 book s of english hons ..
all the best wtih it ...
wow wonderful idea!!!!
anna: Hey, you're always welcome. :) It would be nice to have you on board too. Like you said, we'd have an added 'literary' touch to our blog.
coffee: Thanks. :)
great work shekhar.. its really been nice attending the reviews.. and like i said.. wht follows the reviews.. the discussion is what i love the most..
to be very honest.. i think besides creating a healthy exchange of ideas. it is also develops u.. in the sense. of how to go about expressing urself.. reason with ppl..cause there are always differences..
keep up the good work.. looking forward to it next yr as well..
cheers..
i shud've read thru this post earlier i guess!! luv my description!!!!!!!! :-D
anant: Thanks dude. It has certainly been enjoyable just to sit and listen to all the discussion that happens at the end of the book review; reminds me of Cal where I was part of a youth wing of an NGO and we used to have similar discussion groups. Nice to know that we all benefited and simultaneously enjoyed the Book Club experience.
ani: Arre thoda description to great hona hi tha.. :D
This is very interesting site... » » »
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