Something is soothing to the eyes yet stimulating to the mind about a book’s cover and title. These are the very elements that invite a reader to pick it up. It is the title that first captivates the imagination, prompting one to read the back-cover blurb or flip through its pages.
A few days ago, the striking cover of a book instantly caught my attention. It was the second book by Nighat Hafiz, former Professor of Psychology, columnist, and author. ‘Strings of Pearls: A Book of Quotations and Points to Ponder’, published by Notion Press, is a beautifully produced volume with an eye-catching design that immediately draws the reader in.
Through her first book, “Kashmir to Karachi”, published in 2018, she established herself as an author and one of Kashmir’s polished prose writers. Besides teaching psychology for over thirty-five years in various colleges of the State, she also earned distinction as a broadcaster, short story writer, and playwright. Her earlier book attracted rave reviews, was warmly received, and continues to be widely read.
In her new book, perhaps realising that in the age of social media, readers have developed shorter attention spans and increasingly shy away from long articles, she turns to quotations and brief reflections that acquire special relevance in contemporary times. Departing from long essays and elaborate prose marked by mellifluousness and cadence, she adopts pithy sentences steeped in wit, humour, and wisdom. Each sentence, because of the thought and insight it carries, becomes a small essay on life, with all its dynamism, contradictions, and challenges.
The one hundred and seventy pages are spread across thirty-eight chapters, each casting pearls of experience, wisdom, and thought before the reader in one, two, or a few lines. In chapters like Emotions and Sentiments, Character and Personality, Narcissism and Ego, and Sleep and Dreams, the psychologist in the author becomes quite evident. The author’s tryst with spirituality is equally manifest in chapters such as God and the Believer and Religion and Faith.
The astute columnist and commentator in her also comes through in many chapters, prompting readers to reflect upon the fault lines embedded in our political narratives and leadership discourse. In just a few lines, she often conveys what may otherwise require a thousand-word column.
For instance, in the chapter ‘Democracy and Dictatorship’, she offers several thought-provoking observations: “Nothing grows under anarchic violence; society needs a peaceful order for democracy to grow in the right direction.” “In a dictatorship, self-esteem, a sense of independence, and care for human life become irrelevant.” “The greed of politicians ruins the essence of democracy.” “Two-faced democracy is dangerous; forgiving criminals while hanging innocents.”
The chapter ‘Leaders and Followers’ is at times caustic in tone, yet rich with insight into the leader-follower dynamic. A few striking lines deserve special mention: “One authoritarian leader in a dynasty is enough to produce a trail of absurd leaders.” “Break the vicious circle of the leader-follower myth when it does not yield results.” “Crowd-pulling is not leadership but merely reflects herd instinct.” “A leader does not need to be a genius. A true leader requires wisdom, character, and social and spiritual intelligence more than a high IQ.”
From birth to death, from history and culture to family affairs and the environment, from injustice to justice, there is hardly any subject on which the author does not offer an insight or a word of introspection.
The hardbound book, priced at Rs 399 and printed on quality paper, is a worthwhile possession. It is like a dependable friend upon whom one can rely for words of thoughtful and perceptive exploration on matters ranging from mundane routine concerns to psychological, social, and political issues.
To sum up, this is a work of wisdom and wit - a book for all times that deserves a permanent place on one’s desk or bedside table, ready to be turned to whenever one seeks thoughts that can calm a restless mind.
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