Recommended : 15 Must-Read Books For CAT Preparation 2019
I want you to know and convince yourself that you aren't the only one struggling and that people like you have made it, year after year. How do I say that? I met quite a few of them during my GDPI prep (most of whom got into IIMs and other top B-schools) and like a lot of vain people you may come across in B-school, I judged them and underestimated them for it. They not just did great at academics, they were street smart enough to get noticed as far as competitions or job interviews went. They had the conviction that they would do whatever it took to get where they wanted, because they believed they were good enough. They went through a phase of growth which included public embarrassment, incredible persistence and books to guide them and help them make sense of their chaotic world.
The following books are a collection of some stories that found me during my MBA journey and when they arrived, they left my life with more meaning. Some of the following are typical recommendations that one receives before embarking on their MBA journey because of the managerial themes around which they are centred, but most of them are reasonably short, in terms of length. The collection has a good blend of various disciplines and is intended to make the reader have an open mind in the face of adversity. I want to reiterate the fact that this collection is meant to get you reading, and then exploring different genres and themes, not just because you want to score better in the VA/RC section, but because it is going to help your communication in the long term and that is the ultimate aim. I have marked the reading level as "Easy, Medium and High" based on the vocabulary and ease of reading to help you understand which to start out with if you are still developing the habit.
Also read : 25 Must-Read Books For MBA Professionals | Recommended By MBA Students & Alumni
- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak: (Reading level: Medium)
I would go so far to say that if there is just one book a person ever reads in their lifetime, it would be The Book Thief. It is a very strong statement to make, but there is no other book that so hauntingly captures what it means to read a book and the capacity to do so as well as this one. Zusaks’ language is poetic, gripping and simple. You’ll find yourself picturing Liesels’ world and rooting for this timeless tale. From the same period, you’ll find “The Diary of a Young Girl” by Anne Frank if you ever need a reminder of how fortunate you are to be young, free and alive in the most heartbreakingly happy-go-lucky narrative.
2. David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants by Malcolm Gladwell: (Reading level: Medium)
This is a book which most accurately summarised my predicament in my initial days at B-School. The book talks about one of the biggest misconceptions we have: that what we conventionally see as an advantage may not necessarily be so. The chapter that particularly spoke to me, and I believe will speak to many others is that of Caroline Sacks, which talks about the “small fish in a large pond” concept that a handful of us find hard to adjust to, once we get into B-School. Yes, the analogies make you start connecting dots after a while, but it is a one time read that I did not regret. Gladwells’ most popular work, however, remains “The Tipping Point” which touches upon simple ideas that make a difference.
3. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keys: (Reading level: Medium)
At its core, Flowers for Algernon is about how an experimental surgery to increase the IQ (Intelligence Quotient) to unprecedented levels on a man named Charlie leaves him at an imbalance with his EQ (Emotional Quotient). It is a humbling story of how fragile the human mind is, and even more so, the human heart. This book found me when I was at the threshold of being a graduate from an IIM, had a decent campus placement and had a great set of family and friends. Naturally, I oscillated between thinking that I had it all and yearning for all the other things I still wanted. This book taught me to be considerate of human sentiments and feelings at a time when I forgot what they were worth.
4. The Complete Novels of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: (Reading level: Easy)
These short stories of detective Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson may just be what you need at the end of a long day, when you want to read something before going to sleep, but it is fast paced enough to start your reading habit. (Or, you could strart with The Alchemist like the rest of the world and then get to this one). If you've watched the TV adaptation, I would say it's no reason not to read the original since you're familiar with the characters and themes. The good thing is, you don't necessarily have to read them in a particular order, since they're all individual cases.
5. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee (Reading level: Medium)
This one is a timeless classic of Lawyer Atticus Finch educating his children Jem and Scout on the difference between right and wrong. It was one of the books I re-read at a time when ethics were bound to be questioned (Placement season). Another hard hitting message was the importance of finishing tasks that were commenced, irrespective of their ultimate outcomes. For some reason, complacency creeps in at the tail end of the MBA journey and this one answered questions I had on the same. Since it’s a classic, it starts out slow, but if you stick with it, it does leave a lasting impact.
6. The Krishna Key by Ashwin Sanghi: (Reading level: Medium)
If you're inclined towards themes around Indian Mythology and would like them to be compact, you may want to check out the Krishna Key. Now, Ashwin Sanghi has been referred to the Indian Dan Brown, and I believe he lives up to that compliment. The book sensationalises certain themes (presumably for better reader experience) and explores them from modern eyes to make it a well-rounded adventure ride. What stayed with me are some quite interesting facts about well-known monuments and written concisely enough that you don't leave it unfinished.
For another dose of mythology in a truer form, The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Bannerjee Divyakaruni is a must read. It narrates the epic, The Mahabharata from Draupadi’s perspective and re-iterates the need to have an open mind, given how relatable her thought process is, to this day.
7. The Goal by Eliyahu M Goldratt (Reading level: Medium)
The story of Alex Rogo, the manager of a production plant is one that draws parallels between efficiency in professional life and personal life through realistic events. Yes, it's a book that people who are inclined towards operations and supply chain management would definitely enjoy since it talks about how bottlenecks in production are identified and removed through a series of conversations. But I think even if you're not operations inclined, it'll give you an interesting insight on what all the calculation and formula that you do in the classroom is supposed to be aiming at.
8. Romancing the Balance Sheet by Anil Lamba (Reading level: Medium)
This was given to me by a finance enthusiast knowing how much I resented Finance and Accounting, back in B-School. Admittedly, the narrative is simplistic and does not require you to have any prior knowledge of Finance or Accounting. It starts from scratch, right from Double entry system and will eventually help you read annual reports. Obviously, people with Finance and Accounting backgrounds might want to move to “Fault Lines”, “Breakout Nations” and “The Rise and Fall of Nations” which are often recommended as reference material at B-schools.
9. Malgudi Days by R.K Narayan (Reading level: Easy)
Set in the fictional town of Malgudi, South India, Malgudi Days might be the most familiar of the lot from our childhood days of watching the series on TV. It might be just the sort of feel good, pick me up story that you need to kickstart your reading habit. The language is the easiest of this collection, given the author’s writing style. The characters are probably people you could come across anywhere but won't remember, and sometimes they could help you realise that stories come from the strangest places.
Holding that train of thought, you could pick up any other books that you’ve seen movies of, like “Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search For Everything” by Elizabeth Gilbert if you're feeling lost and don't want anything too preachy.
10. A Biography (Reading level: High)
Apart from all this, I would say that you pick up one biography of any business icon you admire (even from a distance) before you get into B-School. Most of my peers chose “Elon Musk: How the Billionaire CEO of SpaceX and Tesla is Shaping Our Future”, “Steve Jobs”, “Zero to One”, “Connect the Dots”,“Alibaba: The House that Jack Ma Built” or even Indian legacies like the Tatas and Ambanis. It's the greatest feeling in the world, to know that life is so full of possibilities and that tycoons as we know them today, once came from humble beginnings.
I had a friend who was a batchmate of mine at IIMT (and you will find this category in all B-Schools), who was extremely insecure to talk in front of crowds, or even write emails without having another set of eyes go through them. He had the habit of using a lot of fillers such as “um”, “like” and “what to say” between his sentences. He had the courage to acknowledge that he couldn't keep dodging or delegating what he had to say, so he would force himself to speak once in every class and every presentation, knowing that he did not have the full attention of the class. But that didn't stop him, and he would choose a book for himself every month to read, no matter what his schedule and keep googling words that he wasn't familiar with. It was a thing of beauty to watch how his reading speed picked up and his confidence grew. If it matters to some of you, he graduated in the top 30 percentile of the batch, was the secretary of a club on campus, and currently works with an MNC. So you see, had he stopped focussing on getting better at reading and speaking after clearing CAT and entering B-School, we would be having a very different example today.
In B-School and especially beyond that, communication is a large part of your day. So, believe that you have it in you and wield words to take you closer to your destiny.
“The words were on their way, and when they arrived, she would hold them in her hands like the clouds and she would wring them out like the rain.” Markus Zusak
Complement this guide with Reading: A Road Not Taken | Four Must-Read Books For CAT Aspirants, Books You Can Read While Preparing For CAT (And Later Too), 5 Must-Read Books About Life That Are Inspiring And Enlightening, 5 Books A Budding Manager Should Definitely Read, and 6 Must-Read Books Before MBA.
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