‘My Experiments With Truth’ by M.K Gandhi is a book I have been wanting to read for a long time. As an Indian myself, Gandhi’s story holds a very special place in my heart. More so, I aspire to be a lawyer when I’m older and his story goes to show that foundation in law can carry a person to very far places, literally and emotionally. Mahatma Gandhi has revolutionised the way in which humans interact with each other. His strong hold of Ahimsa (non violence) in all he did, showed that the most powerful person need not be the most violent, just the most determined and clear. This paved the pathway for modern day diplomacy, where countries talk and engage rather than destroy.
I have read around 60 pages of the book and so far I have loved the style of his writing. You can see the strong foundation of English (thanks to his work in law). Each emotion and atmosphere is described with precision, giving me an accurate insight into his thinking and experiences. The pace of his writing is very balanced. There are some moments which he dwells on a lot, key points to the story, but he moves quickly through the transitional points which keeps the reader clued in but not bored by what is not important. The book is not split into paragraphs but more so learnings and experiences. This structure helps me see the connection between each part of his life and recognise what the learning in each section is.
The concept of truth runs very deeply in the book. A lot of authors may keep their theme quite subdued, making subtle references to it and leaving the reader to piece the rest together. Gandhi points out each instance where the truth plays a role in his life and writes critically the importance of it in regards to that particular instance. I love how all the stories are so tightly linked by what he learns about the Truth because I find it very applicable to reflect on similar events in my life and how the truth has played a role in that. Each story told finds a way tow eave the truth into it, and it is not always about lying, it even looks at truth in regards to how we present ourselves and our identity, concepts we are studying right now.
Gandhi brings light to a lot of problems in his life. He reflects a lot on his child marriage, which occured when he was only 13. He sheds light upon issues of lust and toxic masculinity, which most men would never have the guts to admit. His behaviour towards his wife, one filled with jealousy and control, is something he repents greatly. This represents a bigger problem that occurs in India. He even links it to the way in which the law does not even protect wives and their wellbeing. Gandhi blends all aspects of his life: law, travel, relationships and truth, into one book. I think it shows how many layers there can be to a person and how hard it is to separate things in your life.
As of now, these are merely my first impressions of what I have read.
