I just finished reading the book LADY YOU’RE NOT A MAN by APURVA PUROHIT and I must admit it turned out to be a fun and delightful read.
The book deals with some very poignant issues related to a woman’s work-life balance. While it addresses many problems that a woman faces daily, it does so without making her sound pitiable. On the contrary, the book manages to deliver some empowering nuggets of wisdom for all women.
You may ask how the book differs from women-centric motivational books. I’d say in more ways than one.
- The book remains aligned with the cause of handing out some great advice to working women and refrains from male bashing. It will help you look up without looking down on anyone. And that I feel is significant. Oftentimes we read articles that pit the two sexes against each other and in the bargain, one of the two is sure to lose. Not in this one. The author has given both genders their due credit and has considered them as equals and in the process managed to come up with several reminders for working women that should work in their favor.
At this point, I will have to admit that I picked up the book because the title was very intriguing. In my head I expected some truth bombs being dropped (regarding a working woman’s life making her almost invincible making much stronger than her male counterpart). The book proved to me otherwise. I am glad it is so.
The book doesn’t support any extremist ideology. It’s rather balanced.
- All the examples and incidents stated seem very real and relatable. There aren’t any high-flying sermons being preached in there. It’s all very real world. Inside you will find many situations that you may have confronted and several difficult choices like the ones thrown at you. But what makes it different is the solution that the author has provided. The fact that the author comes from a been there, done that.. kind of space, none of the issues or advice offered to seem over the top or preachy.
- One chapter in the book talks about hard work. It is titled NOBODY’S YET FOUND A SUBSTITUTE FOR HARD WORK. In my opinion, the expressions and examples provided were superlative in this chapter. There is a line and I quote “The single most important driver of success in life is perseverance. And women who have succeeded have done so only because they simply didn’t give up, just like the ant who keeps trying, again and again, to take that piece of grain up the mound.” I think the author has done a brilliant job here in particular. After all, hard work is the defining factor in being successful at work negating every other bias that we think works in the favor of successful people.
- Considering the book deals with sensitive issues like women standing at the crossroads of motherhood and career or adjustments post-marriage or gender bias at work or size zero or being single, the book delivers everything in an extremely charmingly succinct manner. The language used is simple yet on point. The anecdotes are outright hilarious. The author’s style of writing is extremely witty and engaging. If you have a funny bone in you, this book will surely crack you up at one point or another.
Overall, I think ‘LADY YOU’RE NOT A MAN!’ by APURVA PUROHIT is an extremely well-written, thought-provoking and engaging read. The choice of words, and the language is simple and on point. The anecdotes make you laugh. The pointers are blunt but brutally true. The book doesn’t bore you at any point. It’s short, sweet, and to the point.
I will not rate the book because this is not a review.
This is my opinion of the book and I am recommending it because I am certain it is a good read.
Good reads must always be shared after all!