"ப்ளீஸ் இந்த புத்தகத்தை வாங்காதீங்க" (Please Intha Puthakaththai Vangatheenga), a self-help book by Gopinath of "Neeya? Naana?" fame, serves as a refresher on various self-help topics. As the author puts it, "We know 1+1=2. But when numbers get bigger, we search for a calculator. That doesn't mean that you don't know Maths. Similarly, this book is like a calculator. It helps you understand what you already know, just faster."
This is my second time reading the book. I first read it almost 12-14 years ago when I was in school. The naive, optimistic version of myself from those school days would have undoubtedly loved this book. It brims with optimism, perhaps even too much for my current nihilistic self. As I revisit the book, I can't help but feel it could have been more concise. Some parts feel repetitive, and I have a minor complaint about the occasional improper use of quotation marks for famous quotes.
In the foreword, the author acknowledges, "There is nothing new told in the book. [...] But it might help you to identify yourself, your talents, and features." Perhaps it did indeed help someone, perhaps it did motivate my younger self. But now, perhaps not anymore.