Review: My Journey – Transforming Dreams
into Actions by Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
By Rajani
Arya on sepetember 16, 2013
Author: Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
Publisher: Rupa Publications
Year: 2013
ISBN: 9788129124913
About the Book:
‘Missile Man’, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, in his latest book ‘My
Journey’ reveals some of untold and heart-touching tales of his grand life. In
twelve different yet connected chapters he narrates his life from a shy village
boy to ‘Legend Missile Man’ to ‘President of India’.
This book works as a tribute to those who had a great impact
on Kalam Sir’s life. He tells about his father, a deeply spiritual man whose
mere presence calmed the people who came to share their worries with him. Kalam
Sir shared a strong, emotional bond with his mother; a gentle, pious woman with
love, care and security.
At age of 82 Kalam Sir Still remembers Rice, Sambhar,
Pickles and Coconut chutney his mother prepared. One can still feel that the
unique taste of food is still alive with him. The chapter where he shares the
story of chapattis, he kept eating being unaware that his mother had given him
her share of food too, touches the heart deeply. It shows the immense love of a
mother and a kind heart of Kalam Sir who was not able to look into his mother’s
eye for few days after the incident.
He still feels gratitude for his sister Zohra who gave her
gold jewellary to moneylender to get 600 rupees for Kalam Sir’s admission in
MIT. He tells about the Jalalluddin, his first mentor and his one of the very
first ideal who shaped the thought and mind of those around him and of Sir Kalam.
It was Jalalluddin who persuaded him to do his high school outside his village
and later was a key reason for him to join MIT in Chennai.
In his own words Kalam Sir learnt honesty, self-discipline,
faith and kindness from his parents and from his closest friend Jalalluddin –
he learnt to recognize the fact that every human carries something special
within himself.
He shares with us many incidents when failure and dejection almost
overtook him but he prevailed over those obstacles by drawing strength from
book and spirituality.
Review:
Through this book Dr. Kalam convey the pious massage of
harmony and unity to everyone of this country or beyond. We see a glimpse of true, soulful India, once
existed. The simplicity of the common men with high morals, uniqueness of the
different religions happily living together, the very spirituality of this
country.
This book has capability to
give you hope in dejection and inspires to a highest degree and in the long way.
This book helps us to understand how an extraordinary man like him is created and
that is - overcoming extraordinarily events with extraordinarily courage.
This book helps us to know a
legend who has seen a large life not in term of his achievement but in term of
his struggle, preservance and determination. A person who is a unique combination
of intelligence and enlightment. A person who has a sharp brain to create SLV’s
and has a beautiful, pure heart to notice that food on her mother’s plate is
becoming lesser day by day.
Kalam Sir says – ‘we seem to
get stuck with external forms of politics and mistaking them to be
nation-building. It is sacrifices, toil and valour that truly make a nation’.
My Journey is the book as
rich and pious as the story teller himself and big lessons can be learnt from
this. For few, like me, this book could be Geeta or Bible to read to earn the
inner power and strength in hard times. In simple and honest language Kalam Sir
wishes to inspire and illuminate the nation’s youth.
Verdict:
This book is a must read for
everyone of this country who can read. Doesn’t matter you read books or not,
this one you definitely should.
Book Source: Review copy
from Rupa Publications
Publisher: Rupa Publications
Publisher: Rupa Publications
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