Moneycontrol.com Review

Words weave their tales
Two books that could keep you company, when your stuck in traffic.
2005-08-22 12:05
http://news.moneycontrol.com/leisure/news_detail.php?autono=177344

Books always give everyone chance. The readers get to live their experiences vicariously in the comfort of their homes while authors are given… well, a chance to write and if they are successful, then fame and pots of money as well.

Yet another book making news is ‘Mediocre but Arrogant’ written by a “Gomba”. Well, this is not a pseudonym but stands for “grossly overpaid MBA!” Anyway, this book is about love in the time of management.

It’s an interesting read, if you’re still nostalgic about your college days. And while it also packs in the humour, ‘Mediocre But Arrogant’ by Abhijit Bhaduri provides you with an intuitive, insightful and reminiscent account of your student days.

The book has it all - from the college wisecrack, to the guy who plays Bob Dylan on his guitar, to the class hottie that every guy is trying to woo, bad hostel food and the works. But just in case you thought the title reflected the caliber of MBA graduates, the author himself a human resources graduate from XLRI rushes to explain.

Abhijit Bhaduri says, “With a very mediocre understanding of human relationships, when you do a course in HR or management or any kind of higher degree course, there is a certain amount of arrogance that comes into people, which says I begin to understand people. One of the greatest myths is everybody believes they are great at communication and great at working with people.”

But the irreverent attitude doesn’t go down well with the professors at IIM. Director of the IIM-Bangalore, Prakash G Apte says, “Life on MBA campus, especially at an IIM campus is quite tough. There is not much time left for love, let me tell you. We keep them busy from morning to evening, we demand a tremendous amount of homework from them!”
So, if love was such a forbidden fruit, that should make this book that much more compelling.

To read extracts of Mediocre But Arrogant :
http://www.ndtv.com/ent/bookextracts.asp?id=313&bookname=Mediocre+But+Arrogant

Interview on Malaysian National TV with Will Kuah

The bookstores in Kuala Lumpur do not have the book yet. A first time writer has to do everything (and you thought all they had to do was write?) - including visiting bookstores only to be told that by one helpful lady at the counter of Kinokuniya Bookstore (http://www.kinokuniya.com/) at the Suria KLCC mall that “people rarely ask for mediocre books”. How can one stay CCC ( Cool, Calm and Collected”) when someone delivers a death blow to the ego? I showed her my copy of the book. She shrugged and said in her cute Manglish, “I agree, lah. But must try also can.”

Got an opportunity to appear on The Breakfast Show of Malaysia’s NTV7 with the fast talking Will Kuah who has a very MTV-ish personality and way of speaking. It was aired at 9:30am on 30th Aug 2005.
http://www.ntv7.com.my/Prog_MNN_Main.htm

Difficult to ask insightful questions if you have not read the book fully - and he really had not been given time enough. Given that he had not heard of XLRI or Jamshedpur, he did not ask me the second most popular press question - is Management Institute of Jamshedpur just another name for XLRI, Jamshedpur? So he HAD to ask the obvious question - you guessed it - “Is Abbey your alter ego?” At least slightly different variation of “Is Abbey you?”

And when he wanted me to show the viewers some of Abbey’s Classnotes, I kept flipping the pages desperately trying to locate one while trying to keep the conversation going and wondering why the lights had to be so bright that not only was I unable to locate any cartoons, all the pages seemed blank under the glare of a million spotlights. After what seemed like hours I located the one on Ayesha’s eyes (my fave) and then changed my mind in case I offended any conservative viewer. Then settled for the sketch on Strategic Planning Classnotes of Pari.

Will said that as soon as Mediocre But Arrogant becomes a film, he will feature it on his other show called MY ENTERTAINMENT (ENG) Mon to Fri, 12PM which is an exciting, slick daily show that gives you the latest in international and local entertainment news. Covering music, movies, fashion and beyond.

Maybe some day even that will happen. After all where there is a Will (Kuah) there’s a way.

View From Kuala Lumpur

Am in Malaysia. Always good to be back - having spent three and a half great years here. Had a good time attending the Malaysian ad awards party (thanks to my friends Drs Bishun and Anjali Lal) that brings in the best of creative work around Asia Pacific.

Mediocre But Arrogant is now up to the second spot in the NDTV’s list of best sellers http://www.ndtv.com/ent/booksnew.asp
The list reads like this
No 1 The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
No 2 Mediocre But Arrogant by Abhijit Bhaduri
No 3 The Hungry Tide by Amitav Ghosh
No 4 The Zahir by Paulo Coelho
No 5 The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Am in Hong Kong from 31st Aug till 1st. Will miss the Merdeka Day (Independence Day) celebrations in Kuala Lumpur. The Twin Towers still look gorgeous when they are lit up.

Daily News & Analysis, Mumbai

Daily News & Analysis, Mumbai
10th August 2005 Page 9

‘Mediocre But Arrogant‘ MBA
New Jersey-based human resource professional and first time writer Abhijit Bhaduri unveiled his semi-fictional novel ‘Mediocre But. Arrogant’, at Oxford Bookstore, Churchgate on Tuesday. Having completed his post graduation in HR, from Xavier Labour Relations Institute (XLRl), Jamshedpur, his book is poignant yet has a witty1ook at life in a B-school reflecting the exuberance, paradox and pain experienced by the protagonist.

“The book is not autobiographical. Set in 1982, but reflective of the life and time of the handful of business schools in that period, and is relevant even now,” says Abhijit It narrates the story of Abhijit, popularly called Abbey, at the Management Institute of Jamshedpur, with all his shortcomings and anxiety.

Talking about the trepidation be encountered while writing his first book, he said. “It’s very difficult to write humour. It’s like bungee jumping. You never know if the rope will survive the drop.”

Present at the launch was film director Shyam Benegal, who said, “lt could make a good film, but not by me by someone younger and fresh into the profession.”

The book has been published by Indialog Publications, and costs Rs 195/-.

Mediocre But Arrogant Hits Best Sellers List

Here is the Oxford Bookstore’s Bestseller list

1. The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
2. The Hungry Tide -Amitav Ghosh
3. Mediocre But Arrogant - Abhijit Bhaduri
4. The Zahir - Paulo Coelho
5. The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho

http://www.ndtv.com/ent/booksnew.asp

Read an excerpt from the NDTV.com site
http://www.ndtv.com/ent/bookextracts.asp?id=313&bookname=Mediocre+But+Arrogant

Next Page »