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Book Review: WHAT AM I?: An Existential Conundrum by Anusha Krishnaswamy

Is our own existence in the universe a puzzle? May be! Well, not many think about finding roots that alter or modify our existence in the world. People give a thought and forget it the next moment. It takes courage and a lot of research to dig deeper about ‘identity lineage’.


What Am I? : An Existential Conundrum is a riveting philosophy book. The author has penned it down owing to her own thought process and the deep research she carried out about male and female energy and much more.

A close look reveals that the book is segmented into some important topics that directly or indirectly affect the identity search process of any human being. Let’s not disclose each topic, but there are some poignant ones like Yin Yang theory, insights on dualism, parenting and children grooming, God, demons, Gate of Destruction, conscience and much more.

Initially as the book opens, the author talks about perceived identity. It means the things and aspects we see in others and based on that we form impression and judgment. It could be caste and creed, religion, looks, opinions, face – it is all exterior. It forms a semblance of many things. But it’s a clutter of perceived identity. The author has also focused brilliantly as we leverage the power of ego through ‘I’ and form a triangle of heart, mind, and body to gauge things in the world.

As the book progresses, Anusha gets to the point of how the world is managed by energy. The significant topic is Yin Yan – male and female energy combination. The world can be a good place if there is a perfect combination of male and female energy. Even the success and happiness of a person depends on this dualism. Male energy is analytic and female energy is intuitive. Even the expressions of a person are decided by the energy he/she holds.

In all senses, the book was successful in clearing the difference between perceived and actual identity; and the need of holistic thinking over judgment.

In total, there are 22 short chapters. One can easily read and make notes for research. If one has to distinguish this book from other thick and banal books, it will be done on its readability factor. Its content never bores anyone. You will keep reading and cogitating. In the guise of identity search, the author touches many aspects of human lives that often go unnoticed. The book is not a direct take on identity search; rather it connects all dots one by one by taking into account various topics.

The writing style of the author is lucid, causing no trouble for readers to understand the concepts and the topics. Overall, a coherent book on identity search. The message of the book is clear: if you can think of sorting the identity mess, you can make this world a healthy and livable place.

Buy the book from Amazon.

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