Having briefly met Shailendra Singh when he was just starting out
as a businessman, I was intrigued by the title of his book “F?@K KNOWS”
and was keen on reviewing it. However, despite being familiar with profanity, I
doubt I’ll be comfortable going into a bookshop and asking for a book with such
a name; after all, we all know that F?@K is not the most parliamentary of
words. But there are many unparliamentary words that are part of our lexicon
and even elements of our every day speech so once you overcome
the embarrassment of asking for Shailendra Singh’s maiden book, you can actually
sit down to enjoy it.

There comes a stage in
everyone’s life when you actually wonder who you are, where you are and if you
are truly happy. After a successful career at India’s first and only
entertainment, media and communications conglomerate which he helped
establish and flourish, Shailendra’s eureka moment came at the lowest point of
his life when he was coping with the triple blow of facing the death of his
beloved father, fighting a pesky court case in a Middle Eastern country and
suffering a near fatal heart attack. 

As the author himself mentions, this book was not written with the
intention of preaching and teaching but is a genuine effort to reveal a
different mindset to the younger generation with the sole aim of helping them
attain true happiness. Once again, Shailendra wields his magic and the genius
who has helped market several brands and celebrities, has some up with yet
another self
help book  proving the old adage that nothing succeeds like
success. 

So prepare to face life with a few easy tips from the newest  life guru on the block who makes you ask the
basic question that plagues all of us,  “Am
I truly happy?”  Drawing largely on his
experiences and zipping through a brief bio, Shailendra teaches us how to find
oneself. But unlike most life gurus, Shailendra’s  cheeky take on life actually makes you wonder
why you take yourself so seriously. In a breezy, contemporary and slightly irreverent
style, “F?@K KNOWS” uncovers the perils and pitfalls of pursuing success in contemporary
urban life. How many of us HAVE to do something rather than WANT to do it? How
many of us actually spend time appreciating things that we have? The
discoveries of Shailendra’s mid
life crisis  resonate with
all of us from a certain generation and though the book is addressed largely to
the males in the Universe, this book may perhaps help you to avoid the personal
crisis life in the fast lane can lead to, or at best help you to recognize the
warning signs and know when to press the brakes. Or won’t it? As Shailendra
Singh himself says “F?@K KNOWS!”

While some may cringe at the distinctly crass bits, I enjoyed this
unpretentious tome with its amusing and interesting anecdotes, (mostly original
and one distinctly not), earthy wisdom and personal insights which make for an
interesting and at times, thought provoking read.