WinterMoon

Isn’t Ikigai such a magical word? Even its sound feels as magical as its meaning! Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life is a soothing book that reflects the Japanese idea of “ikigai” — your reason for being, the very thing that makes you look forward to each day. I find this concept so fascinating! I’ve already read the book twice, and I know I’ll pick it up again. One quote that deeply resonates with me is: “Concentrate on what gives meaning to your days and let go of what drains your spirit.” The authors, Héctor García and Francesc Miralles, take us to Okinawa, Japan—a place known for its cheerful and long-living people—and share their simple secrets to living a fulfilling life. The book beautifully explains how true happiness comes from balance: doing what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what can sustain you. Through stories and research, it highlights small but powerful habits like eating in moderation, an active lifestyle , finding flow and ...

I first came across this book in 2018, when my painting class friends gifted it to me. The most special part was that each of them signed it and left a lovely message inside. That’s how this book was introduced to me. To Kill a Mockingbird is a story about childhood, kindness, and the unfairness that exists in society. This book is set in a small American town during the 1930s, it is told through the eyes of a little girl, Scout Finch. (It reminded me of The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank) Through Scout’s lenses, we experience both the light of childhood joys and the dark reality of racism that still prevails. The core of the story is the trial of Tom Robinson, a Black man wrongly accused of a crime. Atticus Finch, Scout’s father, stands up for him, showing us what courage, fairness, and integrity truly mean. What makes this book unforgettable is how effortlessly it shows deep truths. The playful acts of Scout and her brother Jem bring warmth, while the trial reveals the harshness...

Oh my God!—this is the first thing that comes to my mind whenever I think of this book. It feels like one of those comforting songs on your playlist that—you keep going back to again and again. I’m in love with this book in the same way I adore Elif Shafak’s “Forty Rules of Love”. I have already read it a couple of times and I know I’ll keep rereading it. Kamla K. Kapur retells Rumi’s wisdom through stories that are warm, engaging, and so easy to connect with. She doesn’t present Rumi in a heavy way—instead, she makes his lessons so easy to connect with-through simple tales that feel close to our own lives. One story is about a parrot longing to be free from its cage—not just a bird’s story, but a reminder of our own hidden cages and the yearning we all carry for freedom. Another story talks about a humble water carrier, whose sincerity and love shine brighter than power or wealth, teaching us that true value lies in the heart. There is also one story of a rich man who only realises th...

“Marriages, I concluded, are not made in heaven; they are made on earth by earthlings for earthly reasons.”  One of the most thought provoking lines from the book. I bought this book almost 6 years ago and, unlike most of the books I own that keep waiting for their turn, I read and finished this one right away! It was quick, and to my surprise, this also turned out to be the first—and so far the only—book I have read by Khushwant Singh. And I must say, it was worth it. The Company of Women is one of his most famous and also most debated works. (How some of the most amazing personalities and writers have controversial lives or works—Amrita Pritam comes to my mind here.) The book tells the story of Mohan Kumar, a rich businessman who, after an unhappy marriage, decides to live life purely for pleasure. He surrounds himself with women from different backgrounds, and each woman brings something new into his world. The book dives into themes of love, desire, loneliness, and human weakn...