BOOK REVIEW: BELIEF AND BEYOND BY MUKUNDA RAO

TITLE: BELIEF AND BEYOND 
AUTHOR: MUKUNDA RAO
PUBLISHERS: @harpercollinsin
GENRE: PHILOSOPHICAL NON FICTION 

Synopsis: Belief and Beyond delves into the realm of the mystic - Adi Sankara, Allama Prabhu, Kabir, Nagarjuna, Gaudapada, Akka Mahadevi, Lalleshwari, Anandamayi Ma, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Sri Aurobindo, Ramana Maharshi, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Jiddu Krishnamurti, U.G. Krishnamurti, and the Buddha - bringing to life their spiritual quests and the philosophical messages they left behind for humanity. The book explores the search for the non-dual state of being - sahaja sthithi or the natural state - which is not in the realm of experience at all, but a state of being where the borders and boundaries of the divided self have been transcended. The author also weaves in narratives from many difficult-to-access texts, including the Upanishads, the Ashtavakra Gita and the Avadhuta Gita. Written with depth and simplicity, this book is for the seeker and the curious alike.


OVERVIEW/ MY OPINION : 



Belief and beyond by Mukunda Rao is a nonfiction book. It fits moreover into the nonfiction- philosophical genre a very small part of this book caters to the field of self help.

This book is divided into various chapters and subcategories to help a reader filter out information based on his liking and curiosity more effectively.

The writing style of the author is pretty impressive, it is simple and yet keeps one engaged with it.

The language is simple and unsophisticated.  It was amazing to learn how such deep topics were presented with such simplicity that it doesn't overburden the reader , yet it covers all the major aspects of the chapter.

The cover and the title are pretty innovative and appropriately chosen.

The book is divided into various parts such as the upanishads, songs in dualism and non dualism ,beyond gender etc, my personal favourites are the word and birth of self and coming of the buddha.

Speaking about the pace, it's a pretty slow paced read.

The only part wherein this book disappointed me was when it became too slow and some chapters seemed over stretched.

Overall, I had a fairly good time reading this book. It was a pretty informative and an insightful read. Definitely recommend if you're looking for a unique non fiction read.


MY RATING : 4/5 

Purchase link : HERE


Special thanks to harpercollins publishers for sending over a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.