Review by zainherb -- Underdog Thinking by Atul Vir

[zainherb]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Underdog Thinking" by Atul Vir.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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After the company where he worked in Nigeria went bankrupt during the civil war in the nineties, Atul Vir decided to get a fresh start in America. He could be with his family, get a new job, and live the American dream, or so he thought. After getting dozens of rejection letters from potential employers, Atul decided to start his own business without a concrete business idea, or any capital.Despite the challenges of not having any capital for his business at first, he was able to start small. He came up with the idea of a more effective washing machine while watching his wife go through the drudgery of doing laundry. He built his business into a success within a decade. Then there was a downturn in the economy, and then he faced betrayal from business partners and subsequently, his lawyer. His business was ruined, his reputation was in tatters and the bank and money lenders were at his door. We see how he refused to give in and fought to get back up despite the odds.

At first, I thought Underdog Thinking was going to be another book about how to do business (yes, they are always beneficial), but it is way more than that. We can appreciate exactly what someone who’s a real entrepreneur goes through. The demands of building a business as well as dealing with the lack of integrity of business partners are issues an entrepreneur has to face. We see that contrary to what Atul thought, success wasn’t to be had by simply working hard. Success was going to take much more than work and it could be threatened by something other than laziness, such as the greed of some of those working with him.

When he started suffering loss after loss, and he couldn’t seem to catch a break, I was wondering to myself why he hadn’t yet suffered a heart attack or at least a panic attack- as there is no way anyone could go through all that he went through without having his mental health compromised in some way. So when he described the period of depression he experienced as a result, I thought “okay, there it is”.

I loved how the book showed his pain and struggles. We were able to appreciate how the setbacks he faced affected him and this made him much more relatable. Each time he experienced another betrayal yet again, I felt for him a little more. Yet, where a lot of others might have thrown in the towel, he fought till he won.What I loved most was how there was technical knowledge about entrepreneurship and starting a business even as the book took us through Atul’s journey in his business. It all flowed beautifully. I couldn’t find anything I truly disliked.

The one thing that bothered me a bit was how the book mentioned that the business of Atul’s boss suffered in the hands of corrupt employees in Ivory Coast. I know this is what happened in real life, but I couldn’t help but feel like this somehow further perpetuates the stereotype that Africans are corrupt individuals. Again, I know it is simply a narration of what happened but, it touched on a sensitive point for me as I am from Africa, and it probably will affect one or two other Africans the same way. However, this wasn’t something I disliked in particular, as it didn’t bother me enough to affect my rating.

All in all, I enjoyed the book thoroughly, and while I wanted to know what happened in the end, I still didn’t want the book to end. It was edited well and quite easy to read. Anyone who enjoys non-fiction books will love it. For anyone who is starting a business or who wants to become an entrepreneur, this book is a must. Those who do not enjoy non-fiction books or books about business may not enjoy it. I rate this book four stars out of four as it is truly amazing.

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Underdog Thinking
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[Kenesha Latoya Fowler]

Sounds like an interesting read. I think you're right that books about how to do business are always beneficial, especially for those just starting out. I admit that I only occasionally read non-fiction books, but I wouldn't be averse to checking this out out. Nice review. Thank you.

[Noelle770]

Seems like an informative read about the business world. I don't read much non-fiction but I feel as though this book would be good for those that do.

[Mtibza eM]

Thank you for the review. But I think I'll pass on this book.

[zainherb]

Sounds like an interesting read. I think you're right that books about how to do business are always beneficial, especially for those just starting out. I admit that I only occasionally read non-fiction books, but I wouldn't be averse to checking this out out. Nice review. Thank you.

I hope you do check it out. I am positive you won't regret it. Thank you so much for your reply.

[zainherb]

Seems like an informative read about the business world. I don't read much non-fiction but I feel as though this book would be good for those that do.

Yes, indeed.
Thank you for your reply.

[zainherb]

Thank you for the review. But I think I'll pass on this book.

That's fine.
Thank you for your reply.

[Uzo_Reviews]

Reading the review and getting to second to the last paragraph gave me chills. In order not to misunderstand the intentions of the writer, I'll pass.

[zainherb]

Reading the review and getting to second to the last paragraph gave me chills. In order not to misunderstand the intentions of the writer, I'll pass.

I understand your sentiment very well.
Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.