Online Book Discussion - Corporate Nirvana - A Fable of Urban Enlightenment

[Vidya Prabhakar CB]

Hi Writers,

We are back with our next book club activity. This time our reviewers are ready to discuss Sonali Masih-D'silva's debut book, Corporate Nirvana - A Fable of Urban Enlightenment.

Does the title sound intriguing? Is it a novel? Is it a self-help guide? Find your answers by checking out the author's interview here : Chillibreeze Interview with Sonali Masih-D’silva
and also by reading the reviews by Chillibreeze writers Yamini, Archana and Maitreyi here : Book Reviews

Let's join Yamini, Archana and Maitreyi as the discuss the book right here at the forums.

[Vidya Prabhakar CB]

Hi Archana, Yamini and Maitreyi,

Welcome to the forums. Your reviews of the book are very interesting and we'd like to hear more from you. To start with, what were your initial expectations from the book? Did the content come as a surprise to you?

[Archana]

Hi Vidya and dear readers,

When i picked up the book, the title 'Corporate Nirvana' struck me as one of a self-help motivational book. When i read 'A Fable of Urban Enlightenment' i changed my mind to think it was a novel. The introductory note was what made me shed expectations and questions, and just read the book for what it had to offer. Sonali connected well with me in saying this book was about all those common people with uncommon powers, whom we could learn so much from in everyday life. However, i did anticipate it to be her own story and not a character-based story. But even with the shift in gear, the protagonists life, issues and muddles were very relatable. The characters were well-woven, but I wondered if they would all unfold just as easily in our real life. I liked her message of 'wake up and see the signs' and 'living life everyday is much more difficult than watching TV'. They really struck at my core.

I'd like to hear which parts really connected with the other readers. Your thoughts?

[Yamini Vijendran]

Hello Everyone!

I agree with Archana about the title not giving away what exactly the book is about. To be frank it usually takes a lot of effort for me to pick up and complete a non-fiction, leave alone a self help guide. But Sonali had fiction lovers like me too hooked to the book by avoiding the preachy tone right from the outset and nicely interweaving fiction with the message that needs to be conveyed. Even when the tone gets somewhat preachy midway, the reader doesn't feel like putting the book down since the curiosity to know how the protagonist found what he is looking for, keeps the reader going.

However, as Archana mentioned, I too felt that the story moves in spurts. That the narrator is not Sonali and someone else, and that the narrator's kids are not small children but young adults are some of the revelations that the reader stumbles upon rather suddenly. Also, the way in which the narrator finds answers to his solutions seems quite easy. I wonder if solutions and enlightenment would be so easy to attain in real life.

The one phrase that struck me is "When the gates of courage open, fear walks out first". Beautiful, really beautiful. At first I felt I have already read this somewhere or heard it from someone, but couldn't actually place it. Maybe it is the mantra of my inner being that Sonali just put to words! Whatever be the source, I loved it!

[Shabnam Shaikh CB]

Interesting Discussion out here ladies Get going... awaiting more insights on this book.

[Archana]

Hi everyone!

Yamini and I certainly connected strongly to a few lines and parts of the book. I'd like to know from the other readers..which parts/ lines of the book really connected with you? Have you had similar experiences yourself?

[Yamini Vijendran]

Another interesting aspect of the book is the listing down of the major learnings of each chapter at the beginning and the end of the chapter. This along with the worksheets and questions given in the book make it stand apart from other self help guides. However, it also makes the book less of a fable and more of a guide book. Evidently Sonali's experience in training and people development has a major role to play is structuring the book this way. I am curious to know how others respond to this aspect of Corporate Nirvana.

[Sreelekha]

Hi Vidya,
I have read 'Corporate Nirvana'. Am I allowed to comment too?
Sreelekha

[Lakshmi Rajagopalan CB]

Hi Vidya,
I have read 'Corporate Nirvana'. Am I allowed to comment too?
Sreelekha

Hi Sreelekha,

Of course, you can join the discussion. The more, the merrier

Thanks.
Lakshmi Rajagopalan

[Sreelekha]

Hi Everybody,
I think I am addicted to these discussions on 'Book Reviews' and having read the book I just could not stay away from this forum.

Enjoyed reading all your reviews and to begin with agree with Yamini on a few counts -
i) that [I] the characters seem a bit surreal[/,
ii) and I also felt that I have read some of this, somewhere ..
and then I felt 'Corporate Nirvana' was echoing a bit of 'The Secret' .. about the universe being out there to help you.

But, resemblance or not, I must agree that 'Corporate Nirvana' is definitely worth a read. Sonali has managed to grip the attention of the reader cent-percent.

The phrase 'when the gates of courage open, fear walks out first' is going to remain with me for a long while, if not forever.
It is indeed a FACT that courage and fear cannot co-exist.