Writer Jetley has created and collected a fascinating variety of thought-inciting statements about relationships, morality, love, business, and more after many years spent garnering the insights that his aphorisms exude. Born in India, he resided in the US in his late teens during a critical era—1967-68. That experience sparked his search for accomplishment and meaning, reflected here in this large, brightly illustrated volume. He begins with the general observation that lifelong contentment will be seen equally in one’s successes and failures. He advises readers to resist examining “anything you really admire” if not prepared to discover imperfections. He notes that after achieving wealth and prominence, one will then “long for anonymity to enjoy the same.” A profound statement regarding serious addiction names it as “the ultimate love-hate relationship.” About child-rearing, he offers the warning that youngsters readily adopt a parent’s weaknesses. Regarding religion, he states that it is “not an essential part of spirituality” while noting that acts of charity heal the one who acts.

Jetley attained notable success in his fifty-year-long career trajectory, from selling cigarettes on the street to trading major companies and becoming the youngest-ever CEO of Air India. His 249 comments, purposely set forth in no particular subject grouping, are simply presented numerically, with some being linked to colorful illustrations. One example that stands out is a picture of racehorses rushing out to compete while one remains trapped behind its gate, illustrating Jetley’s proposition that “Failure is often competence denied an opportunity.” In his Introduction, he insists that any wisdom found in the collection is unintentional. That notion, like the collection’s title, may be regarded as an indicator of Jetley’s wry humor. In fact, his well-conceived sayings, spiced with piquant humor, demonstrate subtlety and sincerity, rich fodder for conversation and contemplation among a wide, open-eyed, and open-minded readership.

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