Pixar, Haruki Murakami & the brighter side of mental health: The definitive books Meesho Book Club members are reading & discussing this month
After a bit of a hiatus, the Book Club sessions at Meesho are back on track! And our first edition of the 2020 Meesho Book Club met to discuss not only books but also how we can make our monthly meetings bigger, and better. Over chilli cheese toast and juice (can a book club meet up ever be complete without food and refreshments?), members discussed titles on everything from mental health to creativity and productivity to classic horror, via their recommended reads.
The rules of the Meesho Book Club are very simple. Once a month, the book club meets to discuss books that have inspired its members. While a typical format involves members reading the same book and then discussing it, at our book club, all members get to speak about a book or books that they have been reading and have liked or would pass over.
And the rules: Don’t reveal too much of the plot if it is fiction and discuss why you liked the book and read parts out of it, if it is a non- fiction work.
Here are some of the Meesho Book Club recommendations for 2020!
Creativity, Inc: Overcoming the Unseen Forces that come in the way of True Inspiration
Recommended by: Mayank Gupta, Senior Product Manager
Synopsis: Written by Amy Wallace and Edwin Catmull (former President of Pixar and Disney Animation), Creativity Inc, published in 2014, traces Edwin’s childhood and his dream of always being a Disney animator to his journey towards becoming a computer scientist, and ultimately coming full circle by plunging into the world computer generator animation and innovation. The book deals with foundations to creativity, barriers to being your true creative self, and building a robust creative culture. Toy Story obviously plays a big part (Pixar’s first collaboration with Disney), Catmull’s stint as CEO at Pixar and Pixar’s initial hiccups in creating an identity, which led Catmull towards understanding that to run a successful creative company, it is important to build a lasting creative culture.
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
Recommended by: Aditee Kale, Key Account Manager O/R
Author Gail Honeyman touches upon mental health in the most endearing, moving and sometimes funny way in her debut novel Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. A bestseller loved by critics as well as the masses, the book traces the life of the protagonist Eleanor, who is an odd-one out — someone who leads a very routine life and can easily seem nondescript and blending into her surrounding. But Eleanor’s life is turned inside out when she and a colleague from work save an elderly neighbour’s life.
IT
Recommended by: Mangala Dilip, Senior Content Writer and Editor
This masterpiece from the literal “King of Horror” is a must-read, especially if you are dipping your toes into this genre. If you are a fan already, we are assuming that you have already read it. The book narrates the story of a town, haunted by a centennial being called It, and five kids who live there, happen to be the only five people to have ever encountered the IT and lived to talk about it. IT will have you hooked form the first page itself, and with each turning of the page, the mystery only intensifies. One gets familiar with a feeling — a mixture of fear, disgust, and hope. Creepy is a state of being in all Stephen King novels and IT is no different. So please, don’t let the movie dissuade you, because IT is totally worth your time.
Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
Recommended by: Siddharth Bulia, SDE — II (Backend) — Tech
Life coach and management consultant David Allen (also author of Getting Things Done) is a believer in the premise: ‘our productivity is directly proportional to our ability to relax.’ In order to unleash our creative potential, and achieve productivity, we need to structure our thoughts and keep our mind clear and stress free. How to plan, stay focused and achieve goals, where to park those feelings of anxiety or confusion you might be feeling while working towards your goal, and most importantly feeling ok with what you are not doing/ or not being able to do currently, and several other tips and tricks to be the best version of yourself is covered in this book.
Norwegian Wood
Recommended by: Riti Singhvee, Key Account Manager, O/R
Named after the iconic Beatles song, “Norwegian Wood” is also the favourite song of a character in this classic Haruki Murakami novel. The Beatles song is a recurring theme throughout the narrative, set against a 1960s Tokyo. The tale is narrated in a first-person perspective of protagonist Toru Watanabe of his college days in Tokyo. A story of loss and coming of age, in true Murakami style, the narrative often has a dreamlike quality to it and leaves the climax completely open-ended — you will find no resolution in this tale.
Some of the other books that were also discussed include: The Hard Things About Hard Things, The Art Of Saying NO: How To Stand Your Ground, Reclaim Your Time And Energy, And Refuse To Be Taken For Granted (Without Feeling Guilty!) and Dhirubhai Ambani: Against All Odds: A Story of Courage, Perseverance and Hope.
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