If Truth were to be Told

by Saket Suryesh

The book is a compilation of essays, analyzing the individual, his ecosystem and how he does and should interact with it, to be able to live a happy and fulfilling life.

78 pages, Paperback

First published February 20, 2010

About the author

A prolific blogger and Self-confessed Twitter lover, Saket is an Engineer with Masters in International Business. Based out of Delhi, he works with an IT major and writes, well, because he can't go without writing. After a book of essays, two earlier collections of poem, has just published, Rescued Poems and is working on his first fictional novel.

Reviews

[Lubna · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book of short essays, the author comes across as a very sensitive writer, who is attuned to his own feelings and who through his book hopes that readers will learn how to be attuned to their own feelings and will understand and accept themselves for what they are and what they stand for.
Too much planning dictates our life, yet we fail to understand that, 'the best laid plans of mice and men can often go awry’. In this context, in the very first essay, 'Going with the flow' the author tells us, not to over-plan but to be flexible and open. Pick a destination and pick a direction, but do not lay down each and every microscopic step, is the lesson in this essay. What matters is being open to deviations that may occur, to take obstacles in our stride and to reach the destination. The danger of over-planning is that one may give up on the journey itself.
In yet another essay, 'Being Unique' the author discusses how it is essential to love the man in the mirror - to celebrate our own uniqueness. Or in the essay, 'Facing your Demons' the author emphasizes that nothing can be achieved without trying, we need to get over our fear and embrace our passion. The book is sprinkled with a wide array of quotes, each chapter begins with a quote ranging from that of Rumi to Voltaire. Perhaps the author by writing this book has faced his own demons and come to terms with the complexities of life. Celebrate yourself, celebrate your individuality. Other issues dealt with in the book related to Love and Virtue; and interpersonal relationships (the essay titled: Standing with one another). I wish the book had an index, even if it is a slim book, having an index would help me quickly re-read the essays that I enjoyed the most. If you have been pondering over the complexities of life, read this book, I am sure you will relate to it. Going with the flow was my favourite chapter, as I tend to be obsessed with details and know that I must learn to go with the flow.
A more detailed review is available on my blog: http://booksonmyshelves.blogspot.com

[Eldtho]

“In the age of too much information and little knowledge,
where interpersonal skills are judged by the
number of social networking sites you use, where
grief is shared on twitter, hand‐holding has lost
relevance, relationships are taken as a direct
derivative of usefulness”, the “attempts to rekindle
the fire which Prometheus once brought to
the Earth, the light which separates human beings
from the other species” is commendable.

I liked reading the introduction (though it could have been more condensed). I have not yet finished reading it. The beauty of smoothly flowing words demands an immediate appreciation to its creator. Reading this piece renders a feeling like lying on a canoe and gliding through a calm river in a full moon night, watching the stars, drifting aimlessly, yet reaching many destinations.

I see a gem emerging from osbscurity.