The power of words can never be underestimated. From an early age, we are encouraged to read and learn from the stories that resonate with us. Books have the ability to help us grow as people in ways that some other mediums can not. They can teach us about life, our minds, and what it means to live. They provide different perspectives, expand our horizons, and generally make us better versions of ourselves. Here are 10 books that you should definitely pick up if you want to grow as a person.

 

What’s in Your Life?

The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle

This book is meant to help you live in the present moment and understand your thoughts. It’s a must read for anyone who wants to learn how to live in the present.

 

A Book That Changed Your Life

One of my favorite books is “The Alchemist”. Written by Paulo Coelho, it follows the story of Santiago and his journey through life. It starts with him living in a small town where he has basically nothing going for him. However, he still manages to find happiness in his life. This is because the book shows that happiness is not found in material things. If you’re looking for something that will change your life, this might be the book for you!

 

The Power of Positive Thinking

The Power of Positive Thinking is a book by Norman Vincent Peale that has been credited with helping people make positive changes in their lives. The book is based around the idea that every person can achieve their dreams and happiness through a positive, confident mindset.

 

How to Win Friends and Influence People

The timeless classic How to Win Friends and Influence People is one of those books that you should read for your personal transformation. This book has helped many people get over the intimidation barrier and become more confident in their skills. It also helps people to build relationships, find success, and be happy.

This book has been a bestseller for decades because it gives a lot of practical advice on how to create connections with other people. If you want to live your life in a more positive way, this book will help you do so.

Another great option is The Game by Neil Strauss. This book talks about the art of seduction and the power of understanding somebody else’s wants and needs so that you can have an impact on them in the right way. It teaches men how to approach women in order to make them comfortable with your presence and what they have to offer instead of focusing on what they don’t have or don’t want.

 

Think and Grow Rich

Think and Grow Rich is a personal development and self-help book by Napoleon Hill. The book was published on October 17, 1937, and is the number one best-selling business book of all time. This book is a classic that has inspired many including Jack Canfield, Dale Carnegie, and Stephen Covey.

The idea behind this book is that the power of thoughts can affect our finances, career success, and overall happiness. To help readers change their lives for the better, Think and Grow Rich provides insights on how to think differently to achieve what they want. It also gives examples such as how Thomas Edison thought differently before he created his light bulb, which made it possible for him to invent it.

 

The Magic of Thinking Big

The Magic of Thinking Big is a book written by David Schwartz. It was originally published in 1959 and has since sold over 16 million copies. The book uses the example of Coca-Cola to teach readers how thinking big can help them achieve success. This classic self-help book encourages readers to visualize their goals, work hard, and dream without limits.

The Magic of Thinking Big was first published in 1959 by David Schwartz with Simon and Schuster. In just three years, it had already sold over 30 million copies worldwide.

 

The War of Art

The War of Art is a motivational book written by Steven Pressfield. In this book, Pressfield uses the example of the painter Atilla the Hun to illustrate that we cannot create towards our ambitions unless we are willing to face and overcome resistance. The book was originally published in 2002 and has since been translated into more than a dozen languages.

 

Final Thoughts

Books are a valuable resource for personal growth. Whether you decide to read fiction or non-fiction, there are books that can help you grow as a person. Some of these books may be more relevant to your life and some may not, but they all have something to offer. Books like these will help you develop empathy, think critically, and understand the world around you in ways that other mediums cannot. These 10 books can teach you about yourself or provide an entirely new perspective on life that will change the way you view it forever.

1.”The Moth” by Rebecca Solnit

2.”A Long Walk Home” by Richard Brautigan

3.”Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling

4.”The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho

5.”The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle

6.”Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind” by Shunryu Suzuki

7.”How To Win Friends And Influence People” by Dale Carnegie

8.”Daring Greatly” by Brene Brown

9.”Mere Christianity” by C.S. Lewis 10.”Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance” by Angela Duckworth

Reading is a staple of any human’s life. It’s a great way to escape the real world and immerse yourself in different cultures and genres. It also helps us gain knowledge and wisdom that we can use to better ourselves as people. The following seven books are some you should read in 2022, the year this post was written.

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

This novel is about Kathy, a young woman who goes to an English boarding school. She would rather be with her friends and family than be there, but she has to in order for the school’s money. In this universe, the children are raised by clones so that they can keep the human race going. The book follows Kathy throughout her life and how she changes through different memories.

The Book of Unwritten Tales 2 by Michael Ende

The Book of Unwritten Tales 2 is a fantasy novel that follows the adventures of a young boy and his friends as they try to save their land from a mysterious evil. This book does not have any specific genre, but it’s story-telling style is similar to that of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings series and C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia series.

The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle

This book discusses the power of living in the present and realizing that everything we think about, worry about, and strive for all happen just for the sake of our ego. It also explains how to find peace within yourself and release past negativity.

The Power of Now is a great book because it provides a fresh perspective on what’s important in life. It’s not often that you read a book that provides such valuable insight into your life.

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

This book was published in 1960 and has been on the New York Times best-seller list for over 50 years. It’s also a Pulitzer Prize winner. This is one of my personal favorite books that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys reading. The story is told through the eyes of Scout, an African-American girl whose father, Atticus Finch, defends a black man named Tom Robinson accused of raping a white woman in their small town.

Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez

Love in the Time of Cholera is a story about Florentino Ariza, a young man who falls in love with the teenage girl, Fermina Daza. He spends his whole life in pursuit of her and never gets to be with her. This book is a captivating and inspiring read.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ix by J.K. Rowling

This book is the ending of the series that began with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling in 1997. It was written in 2007 but won’t be released until July 19th, 2022. The seventh and final installment of this series follows Harry as he goes on a quest to find and destroy all the remaining Horcruxes (bites, pieces of Voldemort’s soul).

How to Stop Time by Matt Haig

This book is about a man who wakes up one day to realize that he has stopped aging. He becomes obsessed with understanding the nature of time and what it means for his life.

This is one of the most quoted financial literacy books in modern history. Written by Robert Kiyosaki and published in 1997; this is one of those books you will hear about in seminars and self-help conventions. It is quite the masterpiece. I personally really liked the book solely because of one purpose: It changed my perception of money as well as financial literacy.

In the book, the author talks about his two dads; one is the poor dad who is his biological father, and the other is the rich dad who is the father of his friend Mike. Robert’s father has a 9-5 job and is actually quite learned as he holds a Ph.D. degree. In Robert’s eyes, he sees his father as the perfect definition of the ‘Poor Dad’ since has a single source of income which he spends his entire life dependent on.

On the other hand, Mike’s father is a college dropout. However, he has multiple sources of income, he is always open to opportunities, and makes the money work for him and not the other way around. This makes Robert conclude that he is the ‘rich dad’.

It is vital to note that Kiyosaki does not dismiss the importance of college education and is in no way suggesting you drop out; the point he seeks to make is that formal education only teaches us how to make money but leaves us clueless on how to manage and grow it.

In simple terms, the Rich Dad Poor Dad book draws out from the financial wisdom that Robert received from his “Rich Dad” in comparison to his “Poor Dad”. That being said, let us have a look at 3 of the greatest lessons Robert Kiyosaki teaches us in this great book that have personally impacted me as an individual.

Money works for the rich; not the other way around

In this lesson, Rich dad explains to Robert how rich people recognize opportunities in life and hurriedly take them while the poor ignore them as they are too preoccupied running after little money for security and sustenance. The poor and middle-class always work under fear and greed since they are taught that risks are dangerous and they, therefore, prefer the comfort of salaried jobs. This allows the rich to have money working for them while the poor work all their lives for money.

Teach yourself financial literacy

The Rich Dad also emphasized on the importance of financial literacy because, without it, the rich as well could lose all their fortune. Bad financial decisions and poor financial habits often come from a place of not knowing. That is why the rich continue to get richer by investing in assets and keeping their liabilities to a bare minimum. On the other hand, the poor remain poor because they pile up their liabilities and do not purchase assets.

Mind your own business

A very key lesson in this book that Robert learns from Rich Dad is that you should not mind your employer’s business because it is not yours. If you ever want to be financially free, you should strive for ways to build your own business and become your own boss. When your employer gets a better replacement, they will often desert you without thinking twice. It is therefore very vital to spend time, effort, money, and emotions building your own business. Also, the author reminds us that instead of just focusing on a job from a temporary employer; build assets, for example, stocks, bonds, real estate, royalties, mutual funds, etc. Anything that generates a cash flow will give you the independence to quit your job and start your business.

Well, there you have it: if you ever want to achieve financial independence, start by reading this wonderful book.

There are just names that when you hear, you instantly start laughing. Their humour is witty, their jokes are relevant and timely and you connect with them at a personal level. Trevor Noah is one such individual. You can never go wrong with him. He will make you laugh, cry, and be emotionally-charged at the same time. And this is exactly what he brings in his 2016 novel, Born a Crime. More like an autobiographical novel, Born a Crime leaves you in apartheid South Africa living out the life of coloured Trevor Noah. His comical nature of handling hard truths is not left behind in this book. This indeed is one of the greatest books you will ever read.

Trevor grows from aboy into a restless young man struggling to find himself in a world where he was ‘forbidden’. This is the story of Trevor’s relationship with his strict and severely religious mother- a woman ready to give it all for him. Whether they were surviving on caterpillars as a meal during hard times or being thrown out of a moving car during as someone attempt to kidnap him, or even just the intricacies of high school dating, Trevor’s stories come together to form a hilariously engaging story of a boy trying to live in a damaged world at a bad time, with only his witty sense of humour and the unshakable love of a mother.

So, 3 reasons why Born a Crime will remain in your heart for a very long time.

It is super comical

If you have ever watched ‘The Daily Show’ then you just know how comical Trevor Noah is. You can be sure you will laugh through almost all the pages of this beautiful book. As you peruse through these pages you will be presented with such a funny view of almost everything you read.

It handles very serious life issues

Even to this day, Trevor Noah handles the most serious of issues in a very funny way. From all his projects including stand-up comedy and talk shows, he comically talks about race, discrimination, corruption, disease, and poverty. So, even as you laugh your heart out, he will plough into your conscious the most key things that will cause you to reexamine the trivial, but often overlooked aspects of your life.

It is raw and honest

Being that it is the life story of Trevor Noah as he wades through his life, born and raised in an apartheid environment, he simply says it as it is. The struggles, challenges, victories, and lessons that he learned together with his family are what makes this one of the rawest autobiographies you will ever read.

It immerses you in a new experience

When you start this book, you officially become a South African. There is no doubt about that. Trevor immerses you so much into his world, his experiences, his struggles, and everything he does so much it becomes almost impossible to fail to fit into his shoes. You know people say you get consumed into the author’s imagination when you are reading their book but this is more than that. When you read Born a crime you enter Trevor Noah’s life and live it through his words understanding all that he is going through as though you were right there with him.

If you have never believed in the beauty of autobiographies, then this is a good place to start. It is not only a witty and humorous story, but it is also a book that pulls you into a hopeful story in a messed up world.

‘The goal is to be rich, not to look rich.’ This was my ‘aha’ moment when I was reading this book. What a deep revelation this was! Very many of us have been consumed into the abyss of wanting to look rich, rather than being rich. This is the reason more and more Americans, and the world in general, is surviving on debts that will haunt them for the rest of their lives. This book, right here, debunks that myth and reminds us that the wealthiest people often do not necessarily look rich, but are financially free. On the other hand, the middle-class population is the biggest spenders on external traits that make people appear rich yet in actual sense they are enslaved financially! Here are 3 memorable lessons I learned from this beautiful book from Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko.

·        Live below your means

Anyone can decide to live from hand to mouth, but it takes a brave person to live below their means. It genuinely takes courage to not spend your money on fancy things like fashion and the latest phones because you are thinking about tomorrow. The truth, however, is that if you do not live below your means- especially when you are starting your wealth-building journey- you will probably never achieve the financial explorations you set out to do. This takes a lot of courage as it includes overcoming peer pressure in a world where peer pressure rules. 

·        Do not be overdependent- take risks

It is good to have parental support to kickstart your life, but research reveals that this support can at times be counterproductive to an individual who is seeking to kickstart his journey to wealth. Necessity is the mother of invention- therefore, not taking the first primary risk of fending for yourself will result in an overall low wealth accumulation track record. Also, this encourages people from getting out of their comfort zones and taking risks. The greater the risk, the greater the reward. The book emphasized that financial independence is the first step in a long journey of achieving wealth accumulation.

·        Use your time well

We all know just how vital time is and that we all have a limited allocated portion of it. This could not be emphasized enough in this book. In an average lifetime of a human being, spanning 70 years, or 80 if one is lucky, very few people achieve true financial independence or even accumulate wealth. Most people go through life not planning or strategizing for the future. Millionaire Mindset insists that you need to use your time well, especially for personal growth. The study, read books and take care of your body. Spend time with people that you love for even in wealth, human love is very core and the most vital aspect of human life. In simple terms, let go of anything that takes up your time and limits your wealth building and focus on what is important and helps build your financial independence.

There are tones of lessons learned in the pursuit of wealth accumulation from a typical American example as revealed in this book. The authors reveal the secrets that make the pursuit of wealth seem somewhat challenging but in real sense is quite simple. Employing strategies and disciplines such as the ones above, and a tone of other lessons from the book will leave you with financial independence and wealth-building mentality that will last you throughout your lifetime- and into several generations to come. I would say this is a conclusive synopsis of the book, but books such as this need individuals to read it for themselves, from the first page to last, to explore the intricacies of true wealth accumulation.

Becoming is a twenty-four chapter memoir of former US first lady Michelle Obama. It broke the record by selling more copies in 15 days than any other book in the US. The book is all about her deeply personal experience. She has described her life in the White House, her roots, how she found her voice, campaign moments and her role as a mum. The book is published by Crown which was released with more than twenty-four languages. The book is reported to have been published in November 2018.
When She was four years old Michelle Obama started learning her piano lessons with her aunt. The book captures her memories as a teenager with her friend Jesse. The best moments perhaps the book captures is with her alliance with her husband Barrack Obama. The relationship first does not seems to develop first since they are opposing forces. How the relationship started is something you can read again and again and smile to yourself. Michelle does think they fit and Obama is full of anxiety.
Their manners make the relationship develop and they now seem to match. Michelle now sees him as a unicorn and they have their first date. She described the moment of the events of their first date just like it was yesterday and how she dressed. During their courtship, Obama Writes letters While she insists on making phone calls. After getting married, Obama starts committing in politics which keeps him busy most of the time which makes her a bit more comfortable but she tries to adapt.
After a campaign, Obama wins and the power installs them as Potus and Flotus with their Secret Service code names Renegade and Renaissance. She does not like the heaviness the presidency comes with including heavy security, a limo equipped with many safety weapons and security measures which can help it withstand chemical attacks. Sometimes she ignores the protocol and gives the queen a hug when they meet for the first time, she does her dance moves, do some rapping with Jay Pharoah and have Karaoke with James Corden. She dint have direct power like Obama but she practiced soft powers. Unlike Hillary Clinton who didn’t stay at home, Michelle spent some more time in the garden and the house.
When you read the book you will feel how she treasures her young daughters and their presidential pet. Sometimes it turns emotional when you read about her father’s death from multiple sclerosis and sometimes it is fun when she describes how she is adapting to her new Washington home which creates a scene that makes you feel like you are there.

When I opened the first page of the book and start reading the book, you can feel the presence of the former first lady at the moment. When reading you can hear her voice back in your mind. You can reflect and get into her world through her mesmerizing storytelling technique. You walk with her from her childhood in the southern side of Chicago. You get to learn how she was trying to balance motherhood and her career. She narrates her disappointments and triumphs both in private and in public with kind honesty. She does tell her full life story without in the best interesting way I have never experienced.
She has done a couple of many interviews trying to explain how she came with the title becoming. On one interview with Oprah Winfrey, they discuss the book she explains why that, the word “becoming” summirizes, her evolving life. When you read the book from her young age to being the first lady and a mother you truly get to see how her life is evolving.

Many self-help books have been written in the modern and even ancient days but nothing quite stands out like Ryan Holiday’s Ego is the Enemy. Scholars and basic literates have likewise admonished self-help books as being basic cash crunches but many agree that Ego is the Enemy is indeed a masterpiece in calling out an age-old ‘disease’ inflicting every modern-day man called ‘EGO’.

Written by a man who had the first-hand experience in dealing with ego itself, the book was published in 2016 and still stands as one of the author’s greatest books to this day. After going through spirals of massive success and unforeseen failure, the author finally realized that the biggest issue he was facing was his ego. He even gives a story of how he had earlier on though he had conquered his ego only to realize later on, that at the pinnacle of his success, ego came back and almost took over his entire life. That’s when he realized that fighting the ego is an everyday battle that must be conquered at each passing moment.

Drawing inspirations from all spheres of life, the book is divided into three phases of each human’s probable life experiences and how to tackle the ego at each phase. During each of these phases, the author draws examples from different historical figures, fables, and personal experiences to depict exactly how ego is everyone’s enemy. This not only makes the book an interesting read in terms of self-help but also makes it an entirely exciting and relatable read as it draws experiences that every reader can personally relate to.

Phase 1: Aspiration                                                                              

As every man aspires, he is faced with a major challenge of a likewise aspiring ego. In his book, Ryan explains how ego is a very dangerous force and why it can turn your aspirations upside down and leave you never achieving what you had intended. This is a crucial stage to overcome ego as this will set a precept for handling ego even the consequent phases.

Phase 2: Success

Drawing quotes from different authors and philosophers, Ryan insurmountably reiterates the fact that it is very easy for success to explode your ego, despite having conquered it in the past. This phase of life often reveals someone’s character as they believe that they have nothing to lose. Ryan’s book guides you through the very murky waters of overcoming ego at such a dangerous stage of life as this.

Phase 3: Failure

Most of the time, this is the phase that passion and ego have a very thin line in someone’s understanding. Often, an individual insists on going on with a project bound to fail out of ego or in the need to ‘prove others wrong’. This is where most people call it passion, but Ryan calls it ego. This phase is often overlooked but it can lead to paralysis of an individual and retrogressive progress for a big chunk of their lives.

This is a very tiny, almost microscopic, look at this masterpiece of a book. The knowledge, insight, warnings, lessons, and experiences in this book are beyond comparison. If you want a quick and easy way to deal with ego, often a close cousin of pride, then this is a book for you. Whether you are a small business owner, a student, a CEO of a multi conglomerate, or even the President of your country, the ego will always want to creep into your life and take the steering wheel. You must be able to always conquer it for the ego is not your friend and it does not want what is best for you. Ego is your enemy!

A New York Times Bestseller, this book has proven to be a favorite of many people, some saying that the book has changed their lives forever. My journey through this book placed on me several facts that have reshaped my thinking in a very powerful way. Written by Stephen R. Covey and first published in 1989, this book could never be more relevant than it is with the advent of social media and get-rich-quick schemes. So, what were my takes from this book as I read it? It is vital to note that this review does not necessarily point out the exact seven habits stated in the book but is a general summary of what message the book is giving us.

Good character comes from within
Rather than being superficial, this book calls out for good character building that will eventually reflect in the most subtle of ways. With the advent of social media, the message being peddled is you can present a superficial image of yourself, you can build a ”character facade” but behind closed doors, you can be ”yourself”. This is what even propagates the lie of quick solutions or get-rich-quick schemes. If you do not trust the process then you will not enjoy the eventual success, because it will not be long-lasting.

Put the needs of others first
Another lie that has been peddled in recent times is the lie of me, myself and I. Stephen Covey reminds us through his book that it is vital to ‘Think win-win’. Always remember to consider the needs of others as you consider yours. Do not always think about how you will win at all times, you can find a way to win for both you and others. Also, you can sacrificially allow others to win at times at your expenses. This gives you social capital that can always come in handy at times.

Deal with problems/ situation beforehand
Another very crucial message that Stephen is telling us is the need to be proactive rather than reactive. Work on problems and situations beforehand rather than looking for solutions afterwards. It always gives someone an edge to deal with situations in advance compared to waiting for situations to blow up for its often harder to deal with something when its already taken off than in advance.

Do the right thing at the right time
Everything has its own time: from family time, work time, and even leisure time. Do not overlap one issue onto another. Always ensure you do whatever you need to do at every particular timeframe. Stephen calls it ‘prioritize the priorities’. If it is time for school, put all your mind and heart to it. If it is time for working, then dedicate yourself entirely to it. Once you are done with that phase, go to the next relevant phase and give it your everything.

Personal Growth
Also, grow yourself as an individual. Do not stagnate in life. Read books for they are a wellspring of knowledge. Get new skills whenever you can, they will come in handy while you navigate life and try to progress yourself as an individual. Stephen R. Covey calls it ‘sharpening your skills’ to make you and keep you relevant.

This is one of the best self-help books that any individual can read. It will reveal to you insights on exactly how your character and personal growth matters in helping you change both your life and that of others. Also, it shows you the value of human relations and how to ensure you live an impactful life. A worth-while read for anyone who wants to be an effective person.

Let’s be honest- we have all thought about it- how our phones are affecting us! This is one expose that will leave you dumbfounded and relating to just how much effect phones have on you. We subconsciously don’t know it but our smartphones affect us so much, our phones are changing the way we live. From the onset, Tony Reinke shows us how almost every aspect of our life has been affected by the invention of these powerful tools we now walk within our pockets. How life has changed in just two decades making us some of the most ‘lifeless’ creatures to roam the earth. Here are a few lessons I learned from this powerful book by renowned author Tony Reinke.

Every angel has a demon

It is true- every good thing has a bad side. This is exactly what technology has done to us. It is very convenient, efficient and fast. From one corner of the world, you can effectively communicate with someone else in another corner of the world, instantly. The world has been made a global village. With the advent of social media, interaction and communication have even been made a whole lot easier. Multiple people can work on a single project to completion without ever meeting. However, with all these positive vibes come some of the biggest problems man has ever faced: personal dissatisfaction and emotional and mental instability. So in the power that comes with the smartphone, a lot of problems have been dragged along with it.

Your Phone is Changing You

Let us not live in denial, our phones are changing us. Research as revealed by Tony and other scholars and scientists he has quoted reveals that smartphones have changed us in several ways that we do not even realize. 

For starters, we have become addicted to distraction and novelty. We want something new way too often, almost more often than there is something new to experience. This new thing as well has to be very mentally engaging as our concentration span slowly shrinks. On top of all that we crave immediate approval, have lost touch with what is in our environment such as family, we fear missing out and end up losing proper literacy. Smartphones have made us ‘technological zombies’ that have subconsciously given up what matters for temporary pleasures and cravings. We become shells of ourselves.

You need to fight back

Like any addiction, you need to fight back. Kenny Rogers famously said in one of his hits ‘What matters most you can count on one hand’. This phrase hit me hard as I was going through this book. We need to realize that these powerful gadgets we wield in our hands have enslaved us but we can turn, fight back and use our phones to help us achieve even greater times in our lives. Live in the moment and enjoy what is physically near you: family, nature, and experiences. Do not be too consumed in the fear of missing out and ensure you do not text and drive- because this is the ultimate showcase of jeopardizing yourself and the people near you because of life-changing technology.

In this powerful book, Timothy Reinke draws his conclusion not only from his research but also from a world of knowledge from other sources such as research, philosophical thinkers and published materials. This has allowed him to give us an in-depth look at this very dicey subject that in the end gives us a solution to handling smartphone addiction without having to throw away our phones in the trash can. We can eventually strike a balance to effectively use our smartphones.

Where the Wild Things Are has been touted as one of the most famous children books of all time. With its appealing nature and quite nicely written story, this book proves itself as being among the league of one of the greatest books of all time. First published in 1963 and written by Maurice Sendak, this book has become a favorite to very many people, across generations, both young and old. It is a book I personally regard as a timeless masterpiece of imagination and one that will outlive many of its peers. I mean, it is already more than 50 years old and it still has the same impact it did on readers then as it has now. These are the 3 elements about this book that makes it stand out so much:

• A beautiful story

Max is a cunning young boy who always causes trouble in the house. If he is not wearing costumes like wolf skins and chasing around the home dog with a fork, he is wearing crowns and having mischievous grins. When his mother feels like she has had enough with the child, she punishes him by sending him to sleep without dinner for that night. Itis on this night and in this room that his magical journey starts when his world turns into a utopia and he is made king to rule over all the wild creatures under his rulership. The joy and quench for his love for power and control is however shortlived as he quickly starts missing home and having dinner with his mother.

• A very imaginative premise

This book not only tells you a story written in words, the book has an array of pictures that accompany it to make it more immersive. When you start reading this story, both as a child and as an adult, you will find yourself deeply immersed in every single page of this 40-page children’s book.

• Beautiful lessons for both parents and children

As the book immerses you in the story, it leaves you with very engraved lessons in your mind that you might remember them for the rest of your life. Being that the book starts out being typical and relatable with the mischief of Max and the punishment that he receives from his parents, then it spirals into a world of imagination and ultimate satisfaction for Mac, or so he thinks. As it comes to an end, the book brings home the fact that ultimate satisfaction does not come from achieving your fantasies but rather spending time with those you love. This is a lesson that can be drawn from the book by both the parents and the children.

Criticism

The book has drawn criticism for being a bit extreme. For starters, a few readers say that the behavior of the kid is a bit extreme and defiant. He is a bit too much even in his explorative nature of a young boy. Also, the parent is a bit too extreme in meting out her punishment. This has drawn criticism from a section of the book readers. Also, some readers feel as though the book rewards Max by not allowing him to live through the punishment given but rather quickly taking him to a world where his fantasies are ultimately met.

This story, all in all, is quite fantastic. It is an experience every child and adult should go through. Because of just how well received the book was, Warner Brothers made it into a film released in 2009. This can attest to the impact that the film has had on many generations. This is just an experience every individual must have.