Books and beyond book Club

I started reading from a very young age. My parents bought me books as I was a very curious mind. Always asking questions and seeking knowledge.

I read four to five books a month. I average a book a week. I read mostly in the evening as a way to wind down after a long day before bed. It's the calm after a long hectic day.

I belong to the books and beyond book Club. We have been meeting monthly for the last five years. One member picks a book for the month & leads the discussion during the meet-up. As part of our culture, we also try out different restaurants to create more excitement for the monthly meet-ups. We are 10 in the group.

We read a variety of books however the most recurrent are Biographies, Autobiographies, Business, Historical Fiction, Thriller/Mysteries, Literary fiction, and books by people of color.

We just finished reading Will by Will Smith. It is a book packed with many lessons. It says, “To go forward, you need to go back. Will expresses deep vulnerability in the book allowing the reader to connect with his humanity. 

The book portrays another side to Will Smith which explains a lot about the driving force behind his decisions leading to his success. Also, choose your friends wisely. Will’s friends played a big role in his success. A quote from the book “Deep down inside, I knew that my dreams would be made or broken by the people I chose to surround myself with. Confucius had it right: It’s nearly impossible for the quality of your life to be higher than the quality of your friends.”

Will’s life’s principles were discipline, education, and love. Will Smith has always been a dreamer- however, he emphasised the need for creativity to go hand in hand with execution to achieve results. A quote from the book "My imagination is my gift, and when it merges with my work ethic, I can make money rain from the heavens."