The Aakowa Parables

Vol. I - Life Studies: For A Happy Heart

Non-Fiction - Self Help
537 Pages
Reviewed on 01/28/2015
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Author Biography

Sid Aakowa, full name Sidney Asafo-Akowuah, was born in Kumasi, Ghana (West Africa). His parents moved him and his older siblings to North America when he was a child, based on a scholarship his father was given by the Ghanaian government to study overseas.

Sid Aakowa has spent over a decade honing his craft as an author, singer-songwriter, producer and playwright. The Aakowa Parables is a combination of his gifts into one defined vision. Ultimately, that vision is to inspire and lift others to fulfill their own potential in life.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Gisela Dixon for Readers' Favorite

The Aakowa Parables Vol. I - Life Studies: For A Happy Heart by Sid Aakowa is a really interesting concept of mixing wonderful story telling with self-help questionnaires and tips. This book is really quite unique in my experience, and combines elements of both fiction and non-fiction writing. The stories in this volume are a collection of 25 parables on various life topics such as love, family relationships, friendship, religion, politics, and societal norms, among others. Each story is followed by a few questions, including a few multiple choice ones, that are meant to make one pause and think, get some insight, and gain a better understanding of themselves. Each parable is a wonderful story in itself, and together they certainly provide food for thought. At the end of the book, the reader can tally up the points from all of their answers and find out where they stand in terms of self-awareness. Ultimately, this book teaches us that, in the end, each person’s happiness is in their own hands, and being self-aware is the key towards finding out what exactly it is that makes one happy.

Sid Aakowa has written a well-thought out and engaging book that is different from most of the other self-help books on the market. The Aakowa Parables Vol. I - Life Studies: For A Happy Heart reads like a story book, and is a unique blend of short stories and psychologically oriented self-help exercises. Sid’s writing style is clear and straightforward, and the stories themselves are of the kind that anyone can easily connect to and identify with. All in all, a cute collection of stories with some great tips and practical advice on life and happiness.

Suzanne Cowles

The Aakowa Parables Vol. I - Life Studies: For A Happy Heart by Sid Aakowa is a collection of inspiring short stories that touch on complex life subjects that everyone faces at one time or another. In the form of parables, these matters of love, family and friendship offer moral insight to different perspectives about life. There are also entertaining stories concerning social issues, politics and religion. At the end of each story, questions are used to analyze the reading material and, if you are honest, the fun test offers insight into knowing yourself. Stand up for what you believe in or change your mind, either way there are no losers. Along with Aakowa’s own sage advice, discover if you are self-aware, confident, decisive or open-minded.

Though the multiple-choice test is only a spiritual guide towards personal reflection, it is interesting to know that points of view differ so much. I considered the other possibilities and wondered while reading how many people actually go back and change their answers. What is clear is that there are no black and white answers to complicated issues, which is why there is probably so much strife in the world. The key seems to be a balance between personal views and being receptive to other ideas. If you are up for a mental challenge then read The Aakowa Parables Vol. I - Life Studies: For A Happy Heart by Sid Aakowa. It’s a fresh look at age-old dilemmas mixed with exercises for the soul.

Mamta Madhavan

The Aakowa Parables Vol. I - Life Studies: For A Happy Heart by Sid Aakowa is a book that will help you gauge yourself, your shortcomings and your positives when it comes to relationships, love, friendship, family, politics, spirituality and religion. It is a book of self-discovery that will help to reveal a lot of truth about ourselves. The parables categorized under matters of love, social issues, family dynamics, friendships, spirituality and religion, politics and power structures are insightful and the author makes it more effective and interactive with questions, exercises and his personal observations and thoughts that follow after each chapter.

I found the book uplifting and motivational in many ways and the author's way of connecting with readers and helping them find answers through exercises and questions is excellent. The book will make readers reflect on and analyze their own behavior and how it influences the people around them. The point system will help each one of us know where we stand when it comes to matters of a happy heart. Each story has its own message to convey with the author's thoughts that will prompt readers to rethink their views on the topic.

The writing style is simple and easy to understand. The author's parables are relatable and readers can identify with the characters and the situations easily. The topics covered are not new, but what makes the book unique and a winner is the manner in which the author interacts and connects with readers.