Born Again on the Mountain | Arunima Sinha | Book Review

SUBJECT: 4.5/5
CANDIDNESS: 3.5/5
WRITING STYLE: 3.5/5
INSPIRATIONAL QUOTIENT: 4.5/5
ENTERTAINMENT QUOTIENT: 4/5

An inspirational story

It’s not every day that you came across an inspirational story; one which seems so incredible it almost feels like fiction.

I had the pleasure of reading a book about one such true story and I am glad that I can share it with you guys.

Who is Arunima and what is her story?

“Born Again on the Mountain” is the true story of Arunima Sinha, a girl who beats all odds to become the world’s first female amputee and India’s first amputee to climb Mount Everest.

Arunima was a poor girl on her way for a job interview in CISF when her entire life changed drastically on that fateful day in April 2011.

Aboard the Padmavati Express to Delhi, she was thrown out of the train by a group of petty thieves who wanted to grab her handbag and gold chain.

She was injured gravely when one of her legs was crushed by an oncoming train.

She thought she would die but life had other plans for her. After lying in a near-death situation for several hours without any help, she was spotted by some local villagers in the morning who rushed her to the hospital.

Because of such grave injuries, she lost her leg and was amputated to prevent infection and gangrene.

A brave soul

Any other person in her position would have thought that life was over but not Arunima.

While still being treated in AIIMS, New Delhi, she took a resolve to climb Mount Everest. Everything that followed after that was a step taken towards that goal.

“Born Again on the Mountain” tells us the story of this brave young girl who proved her mettle to the entire world; who survived and thrived despite all odds being against her.

This 200+ page book published by Penguin India tells us Arunima’s tale in her own words.

Breezy writing style

The book is written in an easy language with the focus on content rather than language.

To state that the book is one of the best inspirational reads I have read this year will surely be true. That the book is a boon for anyone looking for that sliver of hope is again an understatement.

“Born Again on the Mountain” gives you not only the courage to stand back again but to fight for everything that is worth fighting for.

Informative and inspiring

There is a little introduction about Arunima’s background but a majority of the book covers her story after the accident.

There are pages which will make you cry and there are pages which will make you sit back and marvel at this young woman’s courage.

Through Arunima’s eyes, the reader learns a lot. For example, the various aspects and challenges of a mountaineer’s life are discussed in detail in the latter half of the book. This provides for an informed and insightful read.

Arunima talks about India’s first woman to climb the Everest, Bachendri Pal and talks about her in high regard.

Through Arunima’s eyes, the reader also gets to know a lot about this passionate mountaineer and the efforts which she and the Tata Steel Adventure Foundation are putting to encourage mountaineering in India.

A simple read from a humble soul

In her book, Arunima also thanks a lot of people who came to her help in her journey and whom she credits duly.

Reading about such selfless people and their little acts of kindness makes the reader realize that there is still some good left in the world.

There are moments when Arunima gets candid and lets the reader inside her mind.

One thing that is noteworthy is that even after so many achievements, her voice is ever humble and polite. She doesn’t let success get to her head and states that even after everything she is still the small-town girl from Ambedkar Nagar.

Final Verdict

The simple language and non-fussy writing will appeal to one and all. It will also open the book to a wide range of readers.

“Born Again on the Mountain” is a must-read for anybody who is feeling low and is in need of motivation.

Can’t wait to read it? Buy your copy from the link below: