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- Genre: Philosophical
- Source: Review Copy
- Format: Kindle
- Pages: 140
- Publisher: Notion Press
- Publication Date: 13 June 2019
- My Rating: 4 stars
Ranjan is in a coma after surgery for lung cancer. The plot revolves around his family as they wait for him to wake up. Tara, Ranjan’s wife is a very hard-working mother of two kids and a restaurant owner. While Ranjan is in a coma, he has encounters with God and several characters from the Mahabharata. The characters tell him their perspective on their decisions and actions.
The book starts by discussing the purpose of human life. The preface by Swaran Singh IAS (Retd) discusses the evolution of human beings throughout time, from living in caves to living in multi-story buildings. He addresses one of the most important questions of life— Are we happy, peaceful and healthy? Is our society harmonious? The book delves deeper into these topics.
Ranjan’s encounters with God, while he’s in a coma, constitute the majority of the book. I loved how everything was questioned about how we think God is. It made me think that we should all question things more too instead of blindly following. Portraying an entity like God in work a of fiction is tricky, and I think the author did a very good job.
I was very confused about the structure and concept of this book in the beginning. The plot could have taken a bigger part in the book. I would’ve liked to read about Ranjan’s family more.
This is more of a spiritual book filled with wisdom than a fictional story. I loved how many emotions and qualities such as pride and unconditional love were explained. It gave me a lot to think about.
This book opens your eyes to some things in life and most of all, questions human actions. I especially liked how the author addressed friendship, karma, and selflessness. I will be revisiting the many passages I have highlighted in this book. If one truly understands the concepts of being an honest and integral human being from this book, they could make their lives better.
Ranjan and his Many Lives by Prakash Balasubramanian is a well-written, quick read that is jam-packed with knowledge. The gripping narrative makes it the perfect book to read in one sitting. I would recommend everyone to read this book.
