Safal Niveshak Book Review Contest 2016

It’s said whenever you read a good book, somewhere in the world a door opens to allow in more light. I don’t know about you but for me there have certainly been instances when a book changed the course of my life completely, for the good.

But there are hundreds and thousands of books out there. And if you don’t read the best books first, you may not have a chance to read them at all. So it’s vitally important that you pick up the best books first.

Now how do you find the best books? Here’s a clue – to get something, you have to learn to give first.

Drawing the analogy, to receive the best recommendation about books, you need to first offer a good recommendation about your favourite book. Isn’t it?

If you aren’t convinced yet, here’s another reason. According to Charlie Munger, the best thing a human being can do is to help another human being know more. And what could be a better way to help someone know more than by recommending a good book? Not just a book that you’ve heard about, but a book that you have read and found insightful. That would be a remarkable gift from one person to a another fellow human being.

So here’s your chance to extend that gift to the Safal Niveshak tribe, by participating in our first ever book review contest.

There’s another hidden advantage for you here. When you start writing about what you have learned from a book, you would realize (it has happened for me with every book) that although you thought you understood everything in the book, in reality you didn’t. Writing about that book will crystallize your thinking and help you build a deeper understanding of the book. Moreover, you can consider this opportunity as an excuse to re-read your favourite book.

So what are you waiting for? Pick up that book and start writing the review for Safal Niveshak’s Book Review Contest 2016.

Contest Rules

• Write a 1,500 to 2,000 words review on any book from any of these themes only – stock market, investing, personal finance, behavioural finance, multidisciplinary thinking.
• You may submit more than one review, but will be eligible for only one prize.
• Email your report in a Word file to vishal[at]safalniveshak[dot]com with the subject line as – “Book Review Contest 2016 – Name of Book”
• The reviews you submit must be your own original work and must not be published anywhere else. The review would be exclusive to Safal Niveshak. But you can post an abstract at other places and link to the full review on Safal Niveshak. Please do NOT submit reviews that appear on Amazon or other websites.
• All reviews entered in the contest may be published on our website – safalniveshak.com.
• The last day to send your entries is July 10th, 2016.

Tips on Writing Good Reviews

• Think of a book (from the broader themes mentioned above) that you loved and you want to share with others. Maybe it’s a book that inspired you, or one that you just couldn’t put down. Write a review of this book that inspires others to read it.
• Write about the thesis – or main argument – of the book. If the author wanted you to get one idea from the book, what would it be? How does it compare or contrast to the world you know? What has the book accomplished?
• Discuss what you particularly liked about the book, and your biggest learning from the same. You may also mention anything you disliked about the book, but please review the book in front of you, not the book you wish the author had written.
• Close your review with a direct comment on the book, and tie together issues raised in the review. Briefly restate your main points and your key learning.
• It might help to pretend you are talking to a friend. You’ve read a wonderful book, and now you want your friend to enjoy the same experience. How would you recommend this book to your friend? Write in that tone.
• Feel free to make the review personal, to include something of yourself and your investing life – or life in general – that relates to what you read in the book you are reviewing.

Evaluation & Rewards

Anshul and I will evaluate each submitted entry ONLY on the depth and simplicity of the review, though good presentation and proper language is more than welcome (would save us editing time).

There are five prizes to be won (delivery in India only) –

• 1st Prize – Books of choice, worth Rs 3,000/-
• 2nd Prize – Books of choice, worth Rs 2,500/-
• 3rd Prize – Books of choice, worth Rs 2,000/-
• 4th Prize – Books of choice, worth Rs 1,500/-
• 5th Prize – Books of choice, worth Rs 1,000/-

This contest is now open. Remember, the deadline for submission is 10th July 2016.