Kaivalya Khisti

Most of us have a feeling of fear of failure. We are afraid of taking up new projects because we think we will fail. Our life decisions are heavily influenced by the perceived outcomes of our choices. In his book An Interview with Failure author Sam Yankelevitch argues that failure is nothing but a word. The meaning of the word varies and if we look at the other interpretations of the word, we wouldn’t be so scared of it.

There is nothing unique about the content of this book. The uniqueness is in the way the content is presented. The author has a fictional character interviewing a person who personifies failure. The ideas are presented in a way that feels like failure clearing the air of apprehension around its name.

The author traces the etymology of the word and discusses the reasons why one must not be afraid of failure. He encourages readers to look at failure as a renewed opportunity. The book is short and easy to read. As noted earlier, the readers will mostly not learn anything new but will get a chance to look at failure with a fresh perspective. Although I was not highly impressed with the book, there was nothing that I particularly disliked. This was a cheerful, light read, that kept me entertained. So, I would rate the book 5 out of 5 stars. There is no reason to rate it any lower.

The book is professionally edited. There were no grammatical complaints. The pace of narration was perfect.

I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy quick, light reads. This is not necessarily a motivational book but it has the potential to inspire readers to quit worrying about failure. The way the author has studied the etymology of the word ‘failure’, readers can study other words that have negative connotations and change their perspectives. By replacing negative thoughts about words with their positive interpretations, readers can redesign their mindset for success.