Book Review: Aspire to Inspire by Nasreen Variyawa

ASPIRE TO INSPIRE
by
NASREEN VARIYAWA

BLURB

Aspire to Inspire: Poems that elevate your speech is a book full of poems that defy all norms and rules for poetry writing. The authors work is packed with words that rhyme and when read with rhythm, are delightful to the tongue and ears alike. Right from the acknowledgments and dedications at the beginning of the book till the concluding statements at the back of the book, the author has aspired to be lyrical throughout. Written between 2017 and 2018 in Antalya, Turkey, all the poems in the book are simultaneously independent but connected to each other by way of the subject of leadership. Nasreen has always held that Leaders don’t need titles and aren’t necessarily from the corporate world. All people are leaders in whatever they do and so she has written a diverse range of poems that are aimed at inspiring massive action in whatever people want to do or accomplish in their lives.

In Aspire to Inspire: Poems that will elevate your speech, motivational speakers, teachers, trainers, and coaches can look forward to 100 poems that can be used at the beginning, middle and concluding parts of presentations. The author has written short but powerful poems on love, leadership, spirituality, strength, abuse, authenticity, financial management, communication, listening, heartbreak and family to name but a few. Whatever the subject, the poems embody the aspect of leading oneself in different aspects of life and living. They teach simple but powerful lessons and reach the point of the subject very quickly. Speakers using them can begin the objective of a speech quickly, make valid points during a speech by breaking the monotony and conclude just as powerfully at the end of a talk.

In an industry overflowing with advice in the form of quotes that are either overused or recycled, Aspire to Inspire: Poems that will elevate your speech is a fresh, innovative and entertaining way to influence an audience, persuade a client or simply lead passionately. The book is a must have for your coffee tables, library shelves, office desks and makes for a thoughtful gift.

My Review:

It has been a long time since I have read or reviewed a book of poems.

I must say I have mixed reactions to this collection of poems.

There are two parts to the book. The first part is pure advice. These are poems that could be used in an attitude training session. They are more of the “Don’t Quit” kind of poems.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is aspire-to-inspire-3.jpg Since the poems are written as advice, they appear to come from the head and not the heart. They are purely academic and not emotional.

But as her aim is Aspire to Inspire, they do their job pretty well.

There are a few of the poems which strike a chord like the one , “Get out of your own way.” It is so true that sometimes we get in the way of our own success.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is aspire-to-inspire-4.jpg But there are a lot of places where the verses do not make sense. It is just a hodgepodge of words with forced rhymes.

The second part of the book has poems more from the heart and these are bolder. They have a few lines that make you want to copy down and keep as a reminder while you go through life.

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About the author

“Nasreen Variyawa was born and raised in South Africa where she completed her Post-Graduate Diploma in Education Leadership and Management from Regent Business School. Most followers would know her as a trainer, coach and mentor. Having worked at some of South Africa’s biggest education and training brands, Nasreen has touched thousands of lives through her work.

After spending 10 years in the corporate trenches, she swapped life in suits and stilettos for the classroom and chalkboard, wander-lusting through Turkey where she now resides and teaches English as a Second Language.

Nasreen is also a graduate from Ledge International where she pursued a Mastermind Programme in the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C Maxwell.

She is the author of 4 books and hit the #No. 1 best sellers list on Amazon recently for Ignite the Champion Within and Inspire Others to Begin and Ignition: Answering your call which she coauthored with Dr. Farookh Sensei.

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