To kick off SYAFIQUESHUIB.COM’S RAMADAN JOTTINGS… below is an excerpt from one of my favorite book Life is an Open Secret – Ramadan Special by Sister Zabrina A. Bakar. The book was published last year, and since Ramadan has begun, this is a relevant book for all of us to read.

In her blog, Sis Zabrina, as she is affectionately known, writes:  

A gift from me for everyone on the eve of Ramadan. Please pass and share this around, send them to all your friends and family! I pray that this story will make its way around the globe, ameen….

This is one of the stories from 25 stories in Life is an Open Secret-Ramadan Special. Ramadan Special carries 25 motivational and inspirational stories specifically tailored for the month of Ramadan when Muslims worldwide are required to observe the act of fasting from dawn until sunset for a period of one month. This special month brings along with it many benefits and blessings that are sometimes forgotten. Thus, the stories in this book serve as a reminder as to what Ramadan is truly about. All stories are written in a simple, chatty, humorous and witty way that promises to touch your heart, tease your mind, soothe your soul and make you reflect along the way.

Life is an Open Secret- Ramadan Special- Reciting the Noble Quran

The Happiness Project started out as a blog and is now a #1 New York Times Bestseller. Author Gretchen Rubin writes, “The Happiness Project is a memoir of the year I spent test-driving the wisdom of the ages, the current scientific studies, and the lessons from popular culture about how to be happy–from Aristotle to Martin Seligman to Thoreau to Oprah.”

I have been a regular reader of the blog for quite some time. Sure it was enlightening and very Oprah-ish but I was skeptical about the book. Saw it for quite some time on the shelves of Kinokuniya KLCC, but I only bought it today. The first question that came to mind, “How will the book differs from the blog??”

The book is well-organized with 12 chapters, one chapter for each month. Each month has its own theme:

1. January: Energy Boost / Vitality
2. February: Remember Love / Marriage
3. March: Aim Higher / Work
4. April: Lighten Up / Parenthood
5. May: Be Serious About Play / Leisure
6. June: Make Time for Friends / Friendship
7. July: Buy Some Happiness / Money
8. August: Contemplate the Heavens / Eternity
9. September: Pursue a Passion / Books
10. October: Pay Attention / Mindfulness
11. November: Keep a Contended Heart / Attitude
12. December: Boot Camp Perfect / Happiness

The good think about this book is that you don’t have to read in chronological order. Instead, I flipped through the chapters that I could relate to such as Marriage, Work, Friendship, Money, Leisure and Happiness. What I like about this book is that the focus is not on the studies or research (some explanations are just condensed to a few sentences!) but the spotlight was on her personal experiences and to make it engaging to the readers, she constantly questions her readers.  Although Rubin might preach the same thing by any self-help gurus, it is actually her stories and honesty that makes reading this book fun.

This is a book that I actually read from page to page. I just bought the book this afternoon and I am already half way though it and since I am so excited about this book, I just have to blog about it immediately (Thus this blog entry!). I do feel happier (cliche, I know) after reading this book and just like the blog, this book manages to change how I view certain aspects of my life.

I feel like starting my own Happiness Project Now (On my TO-DO list: http://www.gratitudelog.com/syaf) and I hope you will start your own Happiness Project no matter what the project will be.

Stay HAPPY, folks!

***

Further Reading:

www.happiness-project.com

From Amazon.com:

“Based on three years of research and reporting as well as 850 interviews with sources, many of whom have never before spoken for publication, Oprah is the first comprehensive biography of one of the most influential, powerful, and admired public figures of our time, by the most widely read biographer of our era. Anyone who is a fan of Oprah Winfrey or who has followed her extraordinary life and career will be fascinated and newly informed by the closely observed, detailed, and well-rounded portrait of her provided by Kitty Kelley’s exhaustively researched book. Readers will come away with a greater appreciation of who Oprah really is beyond her public persona and a fuller understanding of her important place in American cultural history.”

A tell-all book

I have not seen this book in Kinokuniya as yet (released in the US on April 13) but I guess I know what this book is all about. The author interviews various people (850 to be exact) and try to provide the little secrets that many of us might not know and perhaps, some of us, want to know.

So much for being a busy-body, eh? Is Oprah really poor? Who did she dated? Is she gay? Is it true that her mother doesn’t have her phone number?

Here’s an excerpt:

“Where Oprah got that nonsense about growing up in filth and roaches I have no idea,” her cousin Katherine Carr Esters said in the book. “I’ve confronted her and asked, ‘Why do you tell such lies?’ Oprah told me, ‘That’s what people want to hear. The truth is boring.’”

Truth?

Even though the author claims to have interviewed various people close to Lady O’s circle, sometimes I wonder if these people are actually telling the truth or are they coming out with statements to make a name for themselves?

“…I hear that 850 people were interviewed for it. I don’t know 850 people! My circle is tight, tight, tight. If there are 850 people talking about you, it can’t all be good,” says Oprah in the tenth anniversary issue of O, The Oprah Magazine.

Hail Lady O

I have so much respect and admiration for Oprah that I no longer care about her dirty little secrets. She is a media icon known all over the world. Her TV show might be ending soon, but she will launch her TV channel, OWN, next year. Her magazine, O, is already in its tenth year. She has a satellite radio channel, Oprah Radio. She produces TV series and films, including the recent Academy Award-winning Precious. Let’s not even forger her philanthropic initiatives via her Angel Network. Her major accomplishment is her Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa.

MYOB

Even if Oprah has some ‘secrets’, I just think all of us should mind our own business. Furthermore, she has been so honest about so many issues regarding herself (weight issues, her views on marriage, etc.) that some critics think that we have enough of O. Do we need more juicy information?

Will I buy this book?

It might be a good read for both Oprah’s lovers and haters, but I don’t think I will buy this book. Many media icons  such as Larry King, David Letterman, and Barbara Walters are refusing to interview Kitty Kelley on their respective shows. Since this is just another juicy tell-all book, why support it?

FIVE REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD GET THIS BOOK FROM AUTHOR/PUBLISHER ZABRINA BAKAR

#5: IT’S RM 24.50 ONLY

While most motivational books cost RM 30 and above, this is one of the best motivational book around. It is not too preachy compare to other motivational books from today’s so-called Spiritual Gurus.

#4: THIS IS THE ISLAMIC VERSION TO THE CHICKEN SOUP SERIES

First there was Think About It, then You, Me and We, and now Ramadan Special. Need I say more. I have all of her books and I enjoy it. Each has their own strengths and is an ever-green read! Although her first book was published a few years ago, it is still applicable and relevant. I wonder what her next book will be. It will her fourth!

#3: SIS ZABRINA IS A GREAT WRITER

I like her chatty and down-to-earth style of writing. I love her stories. She really is THE Life Storyteller as she claims to be. Her stories may be simple, but it is very informative and a lot of lessons are embedded within the stories. Plus, she is published not only locally but also worldwide.

#2: THERE ARE 25 STORIES ON RAMADAN

Most think Ramadan as just another month for all of us to fast from morning till evening. In actual fact, it is more than that. It is really important for us to understand the true meaning of the Holy Month of Ramadan. The 25 stories are here to explain.

#1: I AM PERSONALLY ENDORSING THIS BOOK FOR THE ‘WHAT PEOPLE SAY’ PAGE

She did post a shout-out on Facebook seeking people to review this book before it goes to print. At the same time, I got a personal invitation from her asking me to read a few chapters and write a review. Since I was personally contacted, how can I refuse the offer? But really, this is a fantastic book by one of Malaysia’s finest!

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The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari started out as a self-published book around a decade ago, and today, it is already a worldwide phenomena turning successful lawyer Robin Sharma into today’s most sought after motivational speaker/guru. If you are part of the anti-self help movement, hopefully this book will still inspire you to lead a more fulfilling life. Forget the “10 Steps To A Better Life,” “3 Success Secrets Everyone Should Know” or any other promised made by self-help experts. This is a different book.

This back cover of the book reads, “Here is the story of Julian Mantle, a superstar lawyer whose out-of-balance lifestyle leads him to a near-fateal heart attack in a packed courtroom…He embarks upon an extraordinary odyssey to an ancient culture, where he discovers a powerful system to release the potential of his mind.”

The first six chapters act as introductory stories between the narrator John and Julian Mantle. I decided to just skip chapter 3 onwards and focus on the most important part of the book, which is chapter 7 onwards. Life lessons and advice are told in a conversational manner between the two. Sometimes, it feels like reading an interview transcript with John acting as the interviewer and Julian providing the advice.

There are 7 Timeless Virtues of Enlightened Living as outlined in the book:

Master Your Mind

Follow Your Purpose

Practice Kaizen

Live With Discipline

Respect Your Time

Selflessly Serve Others

Embrace The Present

You can find various life lessons throughout the book. My favourite quote is from page 48, which reads, “I was a winner at the game of law. Yet I know realize I was losing in the game of life. I was so busy chasing the big pleasures of life that I missed out on all the little ones.”

Overall, I enjoyed the book. Some of the advice are already familiar and I’ve heard the message over and over again (thank to Oprah and other gurus). Nevertheless, a great book for self-reflection and to focus on what is important in our life.

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