BOOKS OF THE WEEK

 You Can Have It All: Unlock the Secrets to a Great Life by Gaur Gopal Das | A Monk’s Guide to Balance, Purpose, Happiness and Inner Peace by Gaur Gopal Das

ABOUT THE BOOK

Gaur Gopal Das, India's most-followed monk with over 25 million followers and 2.5 billion
video views, brings you a book unlike anything he has ever written before.

Most of us spend our lives chasing our dreams - happiness, love, good health, financial freedom, security and more.

- But can we really have it all?

On a cool November morning, Gaur Gopal Das arrives in Jaisalmer to attend his friend Rakesh Arora's son's three-day-long wedding festivities where he meets the Arora clan and the soon-to-be bride's family. As the wedding day approaches and an unexpected visitor makes an appearance, he observes the storm that threatens to tear apart the two families.

In the course of his conversations with his hosts and their guests, through his unassuming presence, he unearths the secret fears and desires they guard fiercely in their hearts and offers them steadying counsel even as he reveals his own journey through life's vicissitudes.

You Can Have It All is Gaur Gopal Das's most personal and profound narrative yet, a captivating book that presents a transformative and radical path for those of us caught between ambition and fulfilment, between striving and being. Marked by his iconic humour, deep empathy and gentle wisdom, it urges us to understand how perspective shapes our reality, learn to recognize and overcome our blind spots, and develop the self-compassion we need to better navigate this beautiful, complicated thing we call life.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gaur Gopal Das studied Electrical Engineering at the College of Engineering, Pune. After a brief stint with Hewlett-Packard, he chose to dedicate his life to spirituality and service, joining an ashram in downtown Mumbai. For over three decades, he has lived there, immersing himself in the timeless wisdom of ancient philosophy while integrating insights from modern psychology. This journey has shaped him into one of the world's most respected life coaches and motivational speakers.

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Ratna's Nostalgic Bookstore Return

Ratna Manucha, a writer, poet, and educationist, expressed her honour and nostalgia at returning to The English Book Depot, where her family's five generations have shopped for books. She shared fond memories of the store's staff and her long-standing connection to the place, which inspired her to attend their first hybrid meet-and-greet event. Despite personal challenges, including her granddaughter Tara's illness caused by pollution, Ratna was eager to engage with the audience and discuss her journey as a writer and educator.

Embracing Personal Communication Over Texts

Ratna discussed her book "Unfiltered: The Little Things," which explores Indian quirkiness through short articles. She read an excerpt about her experience with emojis, highlighting her initial misunderstanding of their meanings. Ratna expressed her preference for personal communication over WhatsApp groups, criticising the trend of sending generic messages devoid of warmth or depth. She emphasised the importance of meaningful connections and the value of longer, more thoughtful messages.

Ratna's Humorous and Civic Insights

Ratna shared two humorous stories, the first about the bond between women friends and the second a spoof on "Confessions of a Shopaholic" that reflects on modern consumer culture. She expressed concern about Dehradun's transformation and the decline in civic consciousness, noting that she can only write effectively there. The discussion concluded with Ratna sharing her strategy of not sharing phone numbers with shops to avoid receiving promotional messages.

Body Positivity Through Storytelling

Ratna shared her experience of writing a story about alopecia for an anthology titled "Hug Yourself," which focuses on body positivity for young adults. She read excerpts from the story, which centres around a character named Ramona who struggles with hair loss during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ratna emphasised the importance of acceptance and self-validation, drawing on her experiences with height and thinness as a child. She highlighted the role of reading in shaping her aspirations and encouraged parents to cultivate reading habits in their children by modelling it themselves. The session concluded with participants agreeing with Ratna's views on the importance of reading and sharing personal experiences about books.

Ratna joined us for Brewing Knowledge Friday on 26th December 2025, at The English Book Depot.