Slower But Not Over by Paritosh Sontakke (Book Review: 4.5*/5) !!!

 

2^nd Book of 2024

 

This year has been like no other year in terms of my reading journey. We have entered 6^th month and I have just finished reading the 2^nd book of the year. It’s enough evident that I was going through some testing times and thankfully, the book I picked up has been a self-help book with lots of amazing insights and valuable guidance. Paritosh Sontakke’s “Slower But Not Over” is his first book which has been published in around 300 pages. While reading, you shall never be able to judge that he is a first-time author as his intent and clarity towards every topic that he talks about is very focused and on-point.

 

The book “Slower But Not Over” is very intelligently divided into 32 chapters where each of them is for around 10 pages which makes it easy for a reader to follow through the book even with multiple sittings. I completed this book with very slow pace in around a month and I was never confused regarding where did I leave it last. It has been executed very well ensuring that readers enjoy the book as and when they pick it up. This book is one of the perfect selections for your coffee table. One can even choose to read it in non-linear manner i.e. reading any chapter you want.

 

Author talks about very important elements that can help us make our lives happy, easy-going, positive, growth-oriented and spiritual. I liked how author started the book explaining about his background so that we can understand the mindset from which the book has been written. After giving a context on his middle-class upbringing and then his motivation towards doing something bigger and better in life, he followed certain books and advices which helped him achieve his goals. The whole book is then based upon the same where it includes author’s version on different self-help topics along with knowledge shared by other esteemed personalities.

 

The book consists of topics such as Rejection, Self-belief, aspirations, Leadership, Investment, Health, Integrity, Ego, Discipline, Courage, Focus etc. Author has nicely narrated many topics in terms of his own life experiences, his friend’s examples or by sharing a life incident of a popular figure. Apart from this, every chapter consists of a section named “Life Nuggets” which has multiple one-liners or quotes related to the topic which further stems the concept and its importance in the minds of the readers. To ensure that readers doesn’t end up reading and forgetting the principles, author has also added an exercise lesson in the end which consists of few questions and also spaces for us to write our answers which helps us in understanding how to apply those concepts in our life.

 

As I was currently going through a tough phase in my job, I was able to relate with the chapter in which author nicely describes the difference between a boss and leader with multiple illustrations and explanations. I was also able to learn so much through Pareto principle which author has gone ahead and explained the same with multiple examples of 20:80 rule.

 

Paritosh has provided very great and relevant tips on how to maintain good health where he has written everything that can be executed at the ground level. His narrative and seriousness while writing that chapter helps us understand the cruciality and importance of keeping good health. His perspective on how good health gives us hope which is the biggest thing for anyone to move ahead with life helped me understand that it’s not only about fitness but a mindset as well.

 

I have always been very clear and open about one of the major concerns of ego in my attitude towards relationships. Author has compiled such quotes on Ego on a chapter dedicated to this issue that each of them were extremely effective and moved me much; ending me taking screenshot of the same for referring it as a daily reminder and shredding it as soon as possible.

 

In another chapter “Encouragement”, author shares words spoken by one of his acquaintances, Darrel, which speaks about Passion. That one paragraph is enough for anyone to understand why self-motivation is necessary. As mentioned above, author shares real life stories of personalities like Abraham Lincoln, Rowan Atkinson, Colonel Sanders, Michael Jackson etc. reading which makes the book more interesting as we get to know about such inspirational accounts which excites us to augment our own life.

 

Overall, Paritosh Sontakke’s first book is a perfect go-back book whenever you need motivation in life. It has caliber to bring a lost person back on the track. It is also a book that you can blindly gift to anyone. It is for people of all ages and background. I recommend the book to everyone. I give it 4.5 stars out of 5.

PURCHASE THE BOOK HERE 

Thanks!

 

WRITING BUDDHA