Review by Shrabastee -- And Then I Met Margaret by Rob White

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Shrabastee Chakraborty
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Review by Shrabastee -- And Then I Met Margaret by Rob White

Post by Shrabastee Chakraborty »

[Following is a volunteer review of "And Then I Met Margaret" by Rob White.]
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4 out of 4 stars
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"Inspirational dissatisfaction" - this is the phrase Rob White uses to describe the drive in his life which changed his destiny. For a small-town boy whose only ambition in life should have been to be recruited in one of the two local factories, he broke all local customs and barriers when he went to college, and subsequently secured a teaching position. Seventeen years later, he left the apparent security of his job to become an entrepreneur in real estate; not stopping there, he then delved into the restaurant business and succeeded there as well. Keeping this saga as background, his book And Then I Met Margaret tells many inspirational stories from his eventful life.

After reading a few self-help books on ‘positive thinking’ and similar such themes, I admit being a little skeptical before starting to read this one. I expected to read this book in little snippets on a daily basis - sort of like the way we take regular doses of medicine - so that I do not get confused by an excess of inspirational jargons, as often happens to me while reading such books. I was astonished to find myself happily flying through all twenty-one chapters without a need to slow down in order to grasp an important message. The whole experience was educational and yet strangely refreshing.

The reasons for this, in my opinion, are many. First of all, the noticeable absence of heavy and professional-sounding words and phrases commonly used in self-help books that often make the reader spend more time pondering their meaning than applying them in his/her life certainly helps. The book is written in a simple, engaging and often humorous way. Secondly, such books are often written by doctors or professional psychologists who have experience with a lot of patients or people seeking help; whereas this book tells the author’s own story. After experiencing difficult situations firsthand, his thoughts about them are very real, as a result, the solutions he offers are often more practical. Last but not the least, his lessons are taken from people we meet every day- an affectionate aunt, a strict but kind professor, a cheery co-passenger, a jovial peanut-seller - to mention a few. An innocent question from a sweet kid, a heart-wrenching yet bravely performed ritual by a Masai mother - gave him unique insights on our inner values and outward actions. These are the people he mentions as "Gurus in Our Midst" - they often stay unnoticed, but once we take the time to ponder over some of their wise words or kind actions- they teach us valuable lessons.

Apart from those mentioned above, there are several more aspects which make me like the book. One of them is that the author is very honest while sharing his experiences. He openly describes his fears - be it a fear of poverty or a fear of flying, as well as his doubts while leaving a secure job in order to launch a career in real estate. He never once denies feeling inferior, even feeling out-of-place in college for being a small-town boy, rather recognizes this sense of inferiority as an obstacle in the way of achieving success. He is equally truthful about those instances in life where he has acted a little too over-confident or too self-centered and immediately has been reprimanded for it. He not only describes a few embarrassing moments of his life unabashedly but also shares the realizations and lessons he has gained from those. The way he admits his follies and judges and corrects himself constantly, ever aware of the saying ‘practice what you preach’ - is something we should all learn from.

The few glimpses of the life in a small town we get from the book are quite mesmerizing. Among the many interesting rituals and traditions rigorously followed during one’s growing up, the one where the boys acquire their fathers’ gait, thus literally following in their fathers’ footsteps is particularly amusing. A few of the traditions, such as letting the boy order the menu or pay the bill are definitely helpful in inculcating a sense of responsibility in the youngsters.

A special feature of this book is that the author starts each chapter describing a myth he used to believe. After telling the story, he concludes the chapter again with that myth, followed by the new insight or lesson he gained through that particular experience. This technique, in my opinion, has both a positive and a negative effect. On one hand, this sums up the entire lesson from that chapter as well as showing us the contrast between his previous belief and newfound wisdom; but on the other hand, it makes the stories sound more like moral lessons (maybe the author intended to do exactly that), and in some chapters I find it a bit hard to associate the morals with the life-experience he shares, and only in those places the book seems too preachy. However, this probably will not be a problem with other readers; rather it might be quite helpful if the reader is looking for a quick summary.

I give this book a rating of 4 out of 4 stars because it deserves nothing less. The reading experience was far too great to ramble on about a few missing commas. I would recommend this book to everyone. All of us feel down from time to time, it will be good to let this book inspire you at those times. For those who are already doing well, no harm in taking it up for a refreshing read - by rectifying some of their actions or by re-judging some of their morals, they might make their life even grander.

******
And Then I Met Margaret
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Post by alisonedgee »

great review, i’ve just read this and mine was a little different, but interesting to read your take on the book
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Post by Laura Ungureanu »

I loved your review and it is honestly one of the best I've read on And then I met Margaret. I also reviewed it and I have a different view on it, but I also enjoyed it.
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Shrabastee Chakraborty
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Post by Shrabastee Chakraborty »

Laura Ungureanu wrote: 05 Jun 2018, 15:20 I loved your review and it is honestly one of the best I've read on And then I met Margaret. I also reviewed it and I have a different view on it, but I also enjoyed it.
Thank you so much. I did not think I would like the book very much, but ended up loving it. I intend to check out your review to know the different views you might be holding.
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Shrabastee Chakraborty
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Post by Shrabastee Chakraborty »

alisonedgee wrote: 05 Jun 2018, 11:46 great review, i’ve just read this and mine was a little different, but interesting to read your take on the book
Thank you so much for taking the time out to read this review. I am looking forward to read yours to know your views. The book was a great read and I intend to find out how different people interpret it differently.
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Post by Philip Chepsingil »

I have read your review and found that you hold the same opinion about the author as I do. White is very sincere in describing his experiences with people.
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Shrabastee Chakraborty
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Post by Shrabastee Chakraborty »

Philip Chepsingil wrote: 13 Oct 2018, 05:54 I have read your review and found that you hold the same opinion about the author as I do. White is very sincere in describing his experiences with people.
Thank you for your comment, Philip! I absolutely agree with that. The fact that he remembered all those people from his life and the lessons they (unintentionally or intentionally) taught him suggests his sincerity.
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Post by Philip Chepsingil »

Shrabastee wrote: 29 Nov 2018, 09:40
Philip Chepsingil wrote: 13 Oct 2018, 05:54 I have read your review and found that you hold the same opinion about the author as I do. White is very sincere in describing his experiences with people.
Thank you for your comment, Philip! I absolutely agree with that. The fact that he remembered all those people from his life and the lessons they (unintentionally or intentionally) taught him suggests his sincerity.
True Shrabastee! He is a sincere person.
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Post by Vickie Noel »

Most times, when I hear nuggets of wisdom from unexpected sources, my mind always reverts to this book, even though I haven't yet read it. I believe it has tons to offer, and I'm so keen on discovering them, thanks to your lovely review.
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Post by Connie Otwani »

Though its good to know that the book does not have heavy and professional sounding terms, the title makes it sound like a romance novel. Guess we shouldnt judge a book by the cover!
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Post by Alice Heritage »

I have a copy of this that I haven't finished - thanks for the reminder! I found it uplifting and liked the idea of debunking the myths - it's interesting that you note that that aspect also has a downside. Great review!
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Post by LV2R »

I liked that the author told his own stories and the lessons that he learned from the people he met in his life. I, too, found it refreshing and easy to read. It was amazing to me that he had "unique insights on inner values and outward actions" from so many different kinds of people, all through his life.
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Post by Nerea »

I like that
The whole experience was educational and yet strangely refreshing.
Considering the book will be refreshing. Thank you for your honest review.
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Shrabastee Chakraborty
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Post by Shrabastee Chakraborty »

Nerea wrote: 06 Jan 2019, 11:07 I like that
The whole experience was educational and yet strangely refreshing.
Considering the book will be refreshing. Thank you for your honest review.
Yes, it is very different from other self-help books. I believe you will enjoy reading it. Thanks for your comment, Nerea!
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Shrabastee Chakraborty
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Post by Shrabastee Chakraborty »

Cotwani wrote: 02 Jan 2019, 23:58 Though its good to know that the book does not have heavy and professional sounding terms, the title makes it sound like a romance novel. Guess we shouldnt judge a book by the cover!
Happened to me! I ignored it for a long time thinking it was a romance novel! It is only when I paid attention to the subtitle that I realized my mistake. Thanks for the comment, Connie!
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