Review of The Paradox of Humanity

[Love Ukaegbu]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Paradox of Humanity" by Jawaid C Bhatty.]

---

4 out of 5 stars

---

Share This Review

---

This book, The Paradox of Humanity, is a memoir by Jawaid C. Bhatty. It tells the author's story from birth to adulthood. It includes his family, siblings, beliefs, relationships, love life, loss, betrayal, and everything else to help you understand the author's story. Humans are born with different capabilities, such as the capacity to do good and evil and progress and destroy; the author draws his inspiration from historical texts, religious texts like the Bible, and personal experiences.

The author was born in Pakistan in 1950 to amazing parents: a father who worked in the Pakistan Air Force and a mother who taught in a convent school. Although they lived in a country dominated by Muslims, they were Christians by religion. But he wasn't an only child; he had three brothers and two sisters. While in school, he fell in love with a girl; at the time, he thought she was the best thing in his life, but things were not as easy as she did things that cost him a lot, including the opportunity to study overseas.

Orpha stood out the most among his siblings; she was the author's direct younger sister. She was selfish, manipulative, and self-preserving, and so didn't have a very good relationship with the author. As if things weren't bad enough, it became worse after the passing of his parents; now, he has to deal with sibling rivalry. So many things happened in his life that he eventually got married to his school love. But this is not a fairy tale story, as things started to change after they had their first child. More children came, and things kept going from bad to worse. More family losses occur, and sibling betrayal due to inheritance becomes even harder to deal with.

One of the major advantages of this book is the details. The book is well-written and detail-oriented, and it covers the author's birth, the birth of each of his siblings, education, marriages, career paths, and everything else. The author's story is written with an emotional depth that helped me relate to his story. I could feel his pain and frustration when he wouldn't breastfeed his first child; it makes me wonder what mother wouldn't prioritize the health of their child. I also like that the author includes passages from the Bible that show the depth of his spiritual life.

The only thing I would say the I didn't like in this book is the large number of characters, which is a bit difficult to follow. I also think that the topic of betrayal was over-emphasized throughout the book, especially on Orpha's part. This is a well-written book, and it opened my mind to the complexity and how much people can change. In the end, the only constant thing in this world is change. I rate this book four out of five stars. I am only deducting a star due to the dislikes I mentioned earlier. The book's editing was flawless, and I did not spot any errors while reading. I recommend this book to lovers of memoirs and deep thinkers.

******
The Paradox of Humanity
View: on Bookshelves

[Shaniz Tobiaz]

Despite the book having many characters i am glad you enjoyed it. This a must read for me.

[George Bastem]

Sounds like an emotional and deeply personal journey filled with family struggles, love, and betrayal. The level of detail makes it immersive, though the heavy focus on betrayal might feel a bit much at times.

[Mark Lazarus]

This memoir seems deeply personal and emotionally charged, which makes for an engaging read. The themes of family, love, loss, and betrayal are universally relatable, and I appreciate that the author includes spiritual reflections to give deeper insight into his perspective. However, a large number of characters and a heavy focus on betrayal could make the reading experience feel repetitive at times. Still, the level of detail and emotional depth make it sound like a compelling story, especially for those who enjoy introspective and thought-provoking memoirs. I might consider reading it if I were in the mood for something deeply reflective.