My Journey: Transforming Dreams into Actions | A. P. J. Abdul Kalam | Book Review

My Journey by APJ Abdul Kalam

SUBJECT: 3/5
RELEVANCE: 2.5/5
WRITING STYLE: 2.5/5
ENTERTAINMENT QUOTIENT: 2/5

“A country is not made of bricks and stones, but of its people.”

India is a superpower today, and it is because of its people; people who have dreamed of a developed India and who have toiled towards achieving that dream.

Be it science or technology or education or sports or economics, we’ve never had a dearth of talent. One such dreamer India is lucky to have had is A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.

He has played a vital role in India’s missile program, has had key partaking in the second Pokhran tests, and he is the best President India has had till now.

I respect the man and hold him in very high regard for what he has done for the country. What is more inspiring is that he comes from a modest background.

I’ve read all of Kalam’s previous books – ‘Ignited Minds’, ‘Wings of Fire’, ‘India 2020’, etc. and one element is conjoint in all these books – his vision for India.

Another theme that is common to all these books is his narration of what his childhood was like and his days at Rameshwaram. The same theme is continued in his latest book My Journey as well.

My Journey is a reminiscence of a person who has seen a lot in life and has contributed immensely to his profession and to the country.

Mr. Kalam talks about his childhood, and how various relatives in his family have been influential in his life. A majority of his book is about his professional experiences, and of the influence Vikram Sarabhai and Satish Dhawan have had on him.

My Journey also relates to the reader the personal trauma that he faced when he lost both his parents inside a year, and that too while working on an important project. He uses these personal experiences to motivate his readers about facing problems and achieving their dreams without losing hope.

Abdul Kalam is perhaps one of the most influential personalities that any youngster can look up to. But he certainly isn’t a great writer.

A majority of the book is repetitive and the themes have already been covered extensively in his previous books.

If you have read any of his previous books, then you need not pick this one up as you would only end up being disappointed about not finding anything new.

If not, then this is a perfect example of what you can expect from Mr. Kalam’s books and how motivating he can be.

Compared to the memoirs of Khushwant Singh and Natwar Singh, which are very interesting and entertaining, this is more of a serious read.

The language is simple and easy to understand, making it easier for the reader to relate to his experiences.

On the whole, if it is your first Kalam book, you must definitely read it

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