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Choosing Light: When an Earthquake Buried Me and My Family for 5 Days, I Learned to Fully Live
Trapped, his family missing – how can ancient wisdom tell him how to survive? This powerful, true-life drama shows us how to triumph over every darkness. Home in India on holiday, Viral Dalal is vacationing with his family when a 7.7 magnitude earthquake—one of the most ferocious in history—collapses the high-rise building where, just the night before, he had celebrated being together with his family. Now, buried under tons of rubble, in total darkness, without food, water, light, or the ability to even move—and with the ceiling hanging precariously just inches above his head—all Viral wants is to find his family. The cement box he is trapped in, however, will not yield – and hours crawl by. Then a full day, and another, and another… Is anyone even looking for him? Or is he buried alive? Forgotten? What would you do, trapped in such a predicament? What is going to help him now? This bold, challenging, breathtaking tale of courage reveals the source of willpower that drove a man who would not give up. What he learned, we can all learn - about ourselves, and about life. In every life, there is a source of strength. Do you know yours? What Viral learned by going to his sources of inner strength can change your perspective on living. It can empower you to face anything… once you, too, know how to choose light. A shining, inspirational story you will not be able to put down… or ever forget.
338 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 23, 2017
37 people are currently reading
3129 people want to read
About the author
Viral Dalal
1 book66 followersAlso known as Miracle Boy, Viral Dalal(pronounced “Veeral” “D-lal”), an information technology specialist, an ardent photographer, and a car enthusiast, loves to chase the winds on his motorcycle on a beautiful day.
Although he is known for his wit and ability to inspire others, his favorite activities at the moment happen to be bringing out shouts of laughter from his children and playing hide-and-seek with them.
“I wish people could see life from my perspective, once,” he often says.
Viral earned his Master’s degree in Computer Science, and works in the field of information and technology.
He is an active American Red Cross volunteer and lives with his wife and children in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region.
Although he is known for his wit and ability to inspire others, his favorite activities at the moment happen to be bringing out shouts of laughter from his children and playing hide-and-seek with them.
“I wish people could see life from my perspective, once,” he often says.
Viral earned his Master’s degree in Computer Science, and works in the field of information and technology.
He is an active American Red Cross volunteer and lives with his wife and children in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
December 20, 2018
I like the writing in this, it’s quite good for the most part. I figured it was going to be a difficult read at times, but I had no idea what I was in for, really. When Viral goes home to India after 15 months of study in the US, he is so happy to have time with his family again. He’s feeling surrounded by their love again when there is a sudden earthquake that and he finds himself trapped. He doesn’t know if his family was trapped too or not, as he was sleeping late. He figures with his savvy father in charge, he would have gotten the rest of the family out in time.
It was fraught with tension as Viral struggles yet uses his incredible determination to survive. There are parts of the book that become beyond painful. I had to stop reading a couple of times to let my feelings settle, I felt such empathy for what the writer was going through. I don’t want to give everything away, just suggest those who know they are very emotional about upsetting things think before choosing this one. With that said, it’s also an incredibly inspiring book to read. It shows how Viral endures, fights through his ordeal and after a while figures out his own way forward. This was a Goodreads Giveaway win. My thanks to the author and publisher and Goodreads. I’m under no obligation to post a review.
Also on my BookZone blog:
https://wordpress.com/post/bookblog20...
It was fraught with tension as Viral struggles yet uses his incredible determination to survive. There are parts of the book that become beyond painful. I had to stop reading a couple of times to let my feelings settle, I felt such empathy for what the writer was going through. I don’t want to give everything away, just suggest those who know they are very emotional about upsetting things think before choosing this one. With that said, it’s also an incredibly inspiring book to read. It shows how Viral endures, fights through his ordeal and after a while figures out his own way forward. This was a Goodreads Giveaway win. My thanks to the author and publisher and Goodreads. I’m under no obligation to post a review.
Also on my BookZone blog:
https://wordpress.com/post/bookblog20...
September 4, 2017
This is another of the books I have been recently approved to read by Netgalley, so thank you to them and Smith publishing for this opportunity.
Survival stories make up a reasonable percent of my read books, even though I've had people ask me why. Why do I want to read books that are sad, that make me cry or to read about people dying? For me it is like a spiritual cleanse, a reminder that in an instant your life can change. For Viral and his family, everything did.
The first thing you feel in this book is love. Viral describes his family perfectly, you feel as if you know them. It is clear he adores them, lives for them even. It is his love that keeps the book going, and you almost desperately want the good news he waits for about his family, both when he is trapped and when he is rescued.
The writing is upfront and personal, we aren't spared the nitty gritty details about anything. We are left shaken by the Earthquake, and yet can never imagine the pain of those who lost their family and friends.
I did knock down a star because the Kindle edition has strange pages that only have one word on each line, and the writing suffers for it. Other than that, the book flows well and I was glad to see the almost epilogue of how Viral has built his life back up since the tragedy.
*Fair Warning, have some tissues nearby so you aren't left mopping your tears up with your sleeve*
A truly courageous work, well done to Viral for sharing his story and I definitely recommend it!
Survival stories make up a reasonable percent of my read books, even though I've had people ask me why. Why do I want to read books that are sad, that make me cry or to read about people dying? For me it is like a spiritual cleanse, a reminder that in an instant your life can change. For Viral and his family, everything did.
The first thing you feel in this book is love. Viral describes his family perfectly, you feel as if you know them. It is clear he adores them, lives for them even. It is his love that keeps the book going, and you almost desperately want the good news he waits for about his family, both when he is trapped and when he is rescued.
The writing is upfront and personal, we aren't spared the nitty gritty details about anything. We are left shaken by the Earthquake, and yet can never imagine the pain of those who lost their family and friends.
I did knock down a star because the Kindle edition has strange pages that only have one word on each line, and the writing suffers for it. Other than that, the book flows well and I was glad to see the almost epilogue of how Viral has built his life back up since the tragedy.
*Fair Warning, have some tissues nearby so you aren't left mopping your tears up with your sleeve*
A truly courageous work, well done to Viral for sharing his story and I definitely recommend it!
September 15, 2025
The Author Viral Dalal tells the story of a fateful trip home to visit family in India in 2000. He was living in the United States and going to school. He boarded the airplane to fly home with such happy dreams of a wonderful visit....gifts for everyone, stories about his education and living in America, just the joy of seeing his parents and family again... But he didn't realize that a 7.7 magnitude earthquake would hit and bury his family in the rubble of a concrete high rise.
Wow. This book is emotional and scary. The author tells the story in detail, adding in memories of his family and their strong bonds with each other. He tells about how he tried for days to dig himself out of the rubble and how the event and its aftermath changed his life.
I had a hard time reading some parts of this book. I had to step away a few times when it got too emotional for me. I can't even imagine going through an event like Viral Dalal survived. Not only did it require physical strength to survive and go on...but extreme mental and spiritual strength, too!
Lovely and very emotional story! I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway. I'm glad I read it. The story made me appreciate my family and friends SO MUCH. I made sure to message my kids and those close to me to tell them that I appreciate them.
**I won a free copy of this book in a Goodreads.com giveaway. My review is voluntary and the free book had no bearing on my opinions. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
Wow. This book is emotional and scary. The author tells the story in detail, adding in memories of his family and their strong bonds with each other. He tells about how he tried for days to dig himself out of the rubble and how the event and its aftermath changed his life.
I had a hard time reading some parts of this book. I had to step away a few times when it got too emotional for me. I can't even imagine going through an event like Viral Dalal survived. Not only did it require physical strength to survive and go on...but extreme mental and spiritual strength, too!
Lovely and very emotional story! I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway. I'm glad I read it. The story made me appreciate my family and friends SO MUCH. I made sure to message my kids and those close to me to tell them that I appreciate them.
**I won a free copy of this book in a Goodreads.com giveaway. My review is voluntary and the free book had no bearing on my opinions. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
April 3, 2018
I received a copy of Choosing Light:When an Earthquake Buried Me and My Family for 5 Days, I Learned to Fully Live by Viral Dalal in a Goodreads give away in exchange for an honest review. To be honest, I let this book sit on my shelf for quite a while before I picked it up and began to read it. Once I began reading Viral's incredible story, though, I couldn't put it down. Thank goodness I am on spring break vacation this week because I stayed up very late reading. I was obsessed in finding out how Viral's horrific experience ended for him.
Viral's story began when he returned to India in December 2000 from the United States where he had been attending graduate school at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey to see his family and to celebrate his brother, Roshan's 30th birthday. Family was so important to Viral. His father planned a very special trip for this celebration. On January 26,2001, Viral's father transported the entire family, Viral's mom, his brother Roshan, his sister-in-law, Jaishree and their two year old son, Shalin and Viral to Bhuj where his father had rented an apartment in a new eight story building. It was the tallest of all the buildings in Bhuj and their apartment was on the second floor. It was located near the Mandvi Beach, where they planned to spend a day before going on to Ahmedabad where they would celebrate Roshan's 30th birthday. Although, all the plans had been thought out, they never came to be. Shortly after 8:30 their first morning in the apartment,while Viral was stealing a little extra sleep before having to get up to get ready to go to the beach, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit and brought the eight foot structure crashing down to form an enormous pile of rubble, stone and cement. Buried under all this Viral somehow survived for 5 long days while the rest of his family perished.
Viral's story was inspiring, sad and tragic. I admired his determination and sympathized with him over his profound losses. I was so glad he decided to write and share his remarkable story. This is a book that I highly recommend.
Viral's story began when he returned to India in December 2000 from the United States where he had been attending graduate school at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey to see his family and to celebrate his brother, Roshan's 30th birthday. Family was so important to Viral. His father planned a very special trip for this celebration. On January 26,2001, Viral's father transported the entire family, Viral's mom, his brother Roshan, his sister-in-law, Jaishree and their two year old son, Shalin and Viral to Bhuj where his father had rented an apartment in a new eight story building. It was the tallest of all the buildings in Bhuj and their apartment was on the second floor. It was located near the Mandvi Beach, where they planned to spend a day before going on to Ahmedabad where they would celebrate Roshan's 30th birthday. Although, all the plans had been thought out, they never came to be. Shortly after 8:30 their first morning in the apartment,while Viral was stealing a little extra sleep before having to get up to get ready to go to the beach, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit and brought the eight foot structure crashing down to form an enormous pile of rubble, stone and cement. Buried under all this Viral somehow survived for 5 long days while the rest of his family perished.
Viral's story was inspiring, sad and tragic. I admired his determination and sympathized with him over his profound losses. I was so glad he decided to write and share his remarkable story. This is a book that I highly recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2018
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. Overall I really enjoyed the book. Viral's story is incredible, and I am glad that he was willing to share it. The story itself is fascinating, but I appreciated other aspects of it. For instance, I learned more about Indian culture. I also learned what life is like for those impacted by an earthquake both immediately following it and in the days and weeks that follow, especially as it relates to rescue efforts and having daily needs met. The title is very appropriate, and Viral shares words of wisdom from what he learned through the entire experience. And I thought it was great that he had pages of acknowledgements and thanks for those who have helped him in his journey.
Since I won this book from a giveaway, I am expected to give a genuine review. Therefore, I do think that some things could be done to make this an even better book. For one thing, I found quite a few proofreading errors: spelling mistakes, missing words, etc. I also thought the writing was a little too choppy, or matter-of-fact for me: more like a newspaper article than a novel. And, of course, this book is neither. However, I do think that a different writing style would have made me feel and appreciate things more deeply. Viral does use great metaphors and descriptions, but I guess I would like a smoother writing style.
A good book!
Since I won this book from a giveaway, I am expected to give a genuine review. Therefore, I do think that some things could be done to make this an even better book. For one thing, I found quite a few proofreading errors: spelling mistakes, missing words, etc. I also thought the writing was a little too choppy, or matter-of-fact for me: more like a newspaper article than a novel. And, of course, this book is neither. However, I do think that a different writing style would have made me feel and appreciate things more deeply. Viral does use great metaphors and descriptions, but I guess I would like a smoother writing style.
A good book!
April 8, 2019
What an inspirational story and I thank the author for sharing it with me as a Goodreads giveaway. I admire the strength of control he had over his physical and mental experiences while confined in the small space of the building’s rubble. Then upon escape having to deal with the deaths of his family. The book is very well written with a happy ending. God has some plans for this author and he made sure he is alive to achieve them, what ever they are.
January 22, 2022
On vacation with his family in the coastal town of Bhuj, Viral Dalal is buried under the rubble of an eight-storey building as an earthquake hits the town. And there he must wait, for five long days, never knowing if his family is safe or he himself will survive.
An important thing to know going into this review is that I am severely claustrophobic. I cannot imagine staying calm in the space that Dalal was trapped in for more than five minutes, let alone five days. But there's worse working against him than that small space - for there is no food, no water, and he can barely move at all.
The author does a good job of leading us through the tale, starting from when he returned to India through the earthquake, the rescue, and the aftermath, which helps us really absorb the stakes and identify with his hopes and fears. The writing is vivid, and I liked that we are told about the different ways he coped with being trapped and what he thought about during that time.
I did think that sometimes parts got a little repetitive, especially toward the beginning, but that straightens out as the book goes on.
Overall, a compelling read that will appeal to those who enjoy survival stories, as well as those who want to learn more about India and Hindu beliefs.
Disclaimer: This book was won in a Goodreads giveaway. This is my honest and voluntary review.
An important thing to know going into this review is that I am severely claustrophobic. I cannot imagine staying calm in the space that Dalal was trapped in for more than five minutes, let alone five days. But there's worse working against him than that small space - for there is no food, no water, and he can barely move at all.
The author does a good job of leading us through the tale, starting from when he returned to India through the earthquake, the rescue, and the aftermath, which helps us really absorb the stakes and identify with his hopes and fears. The writing is vivid, and I liked that we are told about the different ways he coped with being trapped and what he thought about during that time.
I did think that sometimes parts got a little repetitive, especially toward the beginning, but that straightens out as the book goes on.
Overall, a compelling read that will appeal to those who enjoy survival stories, as well as those who want to learn more about India and Hindu beliefs.
Disclaimer: This book was won in a Goodreads giveaway. This is my honest and voluntary review.
June 12, 2019
I won Choosing Light: When an Earthquake Buried Me and my Family for 5 Days, I learned to Fully Live through a Goodreads Giveaway.
I learned so much from this book. Everything about the Indian culture, the events leading up to the tragic earthquake, the events during the earthquake along with the effects of the aftershocks, and the events following the earthquake. I learned about how a victim behaves, and how they learn to cope in any way they can just to ensure they survive. I learned about the extent a person will go just to find out the truth about the fate of a family member during a natural disaster.
This book....was traumatizing. In a weirdly good way. It was an upsetting read, and I felt deeply sorry for what the author had to suffer through. I felt his emotions, his highs, and his lows throughout this tragic event. I could feel the love he felt for his family, and my heart was broken by the tragedy that had befallen them. Yet despite the negative emotions that came alongside reading a story such as this, in a way it was almost cleansing. As if by bringing to light what happened helped me to come to terms with situations in my own life, and allowed for me to reflect and gain wisdom from the Hindu scriptures often mentioned.
Choosing Light is definitely an incredible read, and I highly recommend it to anyone. It's one of those books that is almost impossible to put down once you begin but also helps to teach you important lessons about the most serious topics in life.
I learned so much from this book. Everything about the Indian culture, the events leading up to the tragic earthquake, the events during the earthquake along with the effects of the aftershocks, and the events following the earthquake. I learned about how a victim behaves, and how they learn to cope in any way they can just to ensure they survive. I learned about the extent a person will go just to find out the truth about the fate of a family member during a natural disaster.
This book....was traumatizing. In a weirdly good way. It was an upsetting read, and I felt deeply sorry for what the author had to suffer through. I felt his emotions, his highs, and his lows throughout this tragic event. I could feel the love he felt for his family, and my heart was broken by the tragedy that had befallen them. Yet despite the negative emotions that came alongside reading a story such as this, in a way it was almost cleansing. As if by bringing to light what happened helped me to come to terms with situations in my own life, and allowed for me to reflect and gain wisdom from the Hindu scriptures often mentioned.
Choosing Light is definitely an incredible read, and I highly recommend it to anyone. It's one of those books that is almost impossible to put down once you begin but also helps to teach you important lessons about the most serious topics in life.
February 16, 2018
This is a Goodreads win review. This is based on a true story. The author went home to India to see his family and he had a wonderful celebration with them. Then they went back to where the family lived in a high rise building and a 7.7 earthquake happened. I am from Calif. so I have been in some large earthquakes myself. The building he was in collasped into rubble and it was total darkness, there was no food, no water, light and he could not move. He managed to get out but not everyone in his family did. He felt guilt, why take them away and he was reminded in his thoughts that he had been taught to be strong and not lifeless. He thought what could he do that make his parents proud of him, what would make them happy and he went back to the US to finish his degree. And then he started on a journey to come fully back to life and he did activities that brought him joy. This was an inspiring book for me. I lost my parents close together and I struggled to find my way in life again. It takes some time to get your head back on right and seek out the light and not the darkness and live with joy and happiness.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2018
What a heartbreaking story, I mean it broke my heart or shattered is more like it.
The book starts with explaining Viral's education and his awesome story of growing up with such a loving, caring family. His dad is a little standofish but you can see his love and compassion that he holds in. Viral returns to India to visit with family from New Jersey and for his brother's birthday party.
Not long after the family arrived at an apartment to stay in before the celebration, a earthquake strikes and a big one 7.7 shakes the town. Viral finds himself buried by the rubble and very little room to move around. He spends several days awaiting rescue, has bad thoughts, drinks his own urine and overall just tries to survive. He blames God and almost looses his faith. I myself don't know how I could survive if I lost my whole family but he didn't know that at the time.
This is an incredible story of survival and determination to stay alive and to keep going in life when all is taken away.
I recommend this book. It may however, leave you in tears.
Thank you Good Reads Team for this book to review.
Cherie'
The book starts with explaining Viral's education and his awesome story of growing up with such a loving, caring family. His dad is a little standofish but you can see his love and compassion that he holds in. Viral returns to India to visit with family from New Jersey and for his brother's birthday party.
Not long after the family arrived at an apartment to stay in before the celebration, a earthquake strikes and a big one 7.7 shakes the town. Viral finds himself buried by the rubble and very little room to move around. He spends several days awaiting rescue, has bad thoughts, drinks his own urine and overall just tries to survive. He blames God and almost looses his faith. I myself don't know how I could survive if I lost my whole family but he didn't know that at the time.
This is an incredible story of survival and determination to stay alive and to keep going in life when all is taken away.
I recommend this book. It may however, leave you in tears.
Thank you Good Reads Team for this book to review.
Cherie'
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2018
While visiting his family in India on break from university in the United States, Viral Dalal could not be happier. He loves his family and is excited to spend time with them since he has been away at school for over a year. Everything is going fantastic in his world, they are about to go on holiday and this morning his father is letting him sleep in. Everything is great until the unthinkable happens, a massive earthquake hits his town violently shaking him from his bed just as the high rise building his parents live in collapses. He is amazingly not injured as a tomb of concrete surrounds him. He spends days trapped beneath the ruble not knowing what happened to his family or if he will ever be rescued. This is a powerful true story of hope in the face of adversity and the amazing lengths one man took to choose light and happiness after tragedy struck.
January 24, 2019
This is an amazing and inspirational book. Viral's description of the earthquake and his entrapment for 5 days is riveting and chilling. It made me wonder if I could survive in the same situation. When you read of earthquakes (and other natural disasters) or see them on TV, you really have no idea of the extent of the damage, destruction, and rescue efforts involved. In this book, you are there, minute by minute, through all of the destruction, sadness, and loss. You experience the darkness in his soul afterward, with him. Finally, he takes you on his journey toward light and life, inspiring you to appreciate everyone and everything in your life even more. The quotes he used to start each chapter were wonderful. I did win this book on a Goodreads giveaway, and I am so glad I did. This book will continue to be an influence on my thoughts.
May 15, 2019
I won this book and started reading it with the expectation of skimming through it, and found out I liked the straight forward writing style of the author and the connection it gave me to India and its people. I liked that fact that the book was written just like he would talk and you could truly feel the love and joy he had for his family, his anticipation of getting home, and visiting with them. In the telling of his story, he also shares and explains some of the customs of India, along with phrases and the way of referencing family. The first part of the book had some wonderful moments of humor in it also, that made me smile and chuckle. I quite enjoyed the book and am glad I took the time to read it.
June 11, 2018
I stopped and started this book too many times to remember. Since I had won it I felt I should push through. The story itself is heartbreaking and the author’s descriptions are painstakingly drawn. Unfortunately the book could benefit from more editing. In the first 60% I felt that at least a fourth of it could have been omitted and still expressed the author’s feelings. Many people have disagreed with me so read for yourselves. You may love it.
April 7, 2023
I feel bad saying I didn't like this one. I feel like people who survive this kind of thing are supposed to be lauded. I definitely recognize and commend Viral Dalal for what he's been through, but I found this book preachy and hard to get behind.
While I personally don't have any of Dalal's quiet strength, and have never experienced a natural disaster to this scale (or at all), and therefore couldn't relate to most of the experiences in this book, I have a hard time believing that someone could be that calm and unselfish in the face of something like this. It's easy for me to say I think I would have just died if it had been me. For Dalal, however, I can't help thinking that this book has a little bit of a "hindsight is 20/20" feel. Considering Dalal wrote first and foremost for himself to process what happened, and only published the first iteration of this or showed it to professionals 13+ years after the earthquake, and it wasn't officially published publicly until three years after that, I feel like a lot of it has been embellished at least somewhat. This is what makes the book feel preachy to me. Dalal has to know that most readers couldn't hope to be as mentally organized as him, so the way he states everything so matter-of-factly bothers me.
I probably shouldn't have read this one so soon after Life As We Knew It. That one completely managed to put me there, to the point that I woke up one morning and said, "it's okay that I didn't get everything done. The world is ending; everyone is in this situation" and then remembered that it was fiction and not my life. I definitely didn't feel that way with Choosing Light. Mostly I was a lot more apathetic toward Dalal's situation. I feel bad saying that since he is a real person who went through real experiences and Life As We Knew It is fiction, but I felt so removed from the hardships Dalal went through.
I will say the one thing I enjoyed most about this one was the depiction of the Indian family. I feel like most of the books I read that center around Indians and families specifically have to do with high familial expectations that main characters feel they can never live up to. In contrast, I enjoyed seeing the family interactions in this one. I especially liked how everyone in the extended family came together after the earthquake because that's the importance of family relations. I liked seeing all the buildup, and I'm glad there were no hints leading up to any knowledge about the family's fate in the earthquake, and that the reader can find everything out on their own.
If I hadn't gotten Choosing Light from a Goodreads giveaway a few years ago when I was entering every single giveaway I could get my hands on, I don't think it would have ever caught my eye. I guess I'm glad I got a chance to read it, even though it turned out to be pretty mediocre.
While I personally don't have any of Dalal's quiet strength, and have never experienced a natural disaster to this scale (or at all), and therefore couldn't relate to most of the experiences in this book, I have a hard time believing that someone could be that calm and unselfish in the face of something like this. It's easy for me to say I think I would have just died if it had been me. For Dalal, however, I can't help thinking that this book has a little bit of a "hindsight is 20/20" feel. Considering Dalal wrote first and foremost for himself to process what happened, and only published the first iteration of this or showed it to professionals 13+ years after the earthquake, and it wasn't officially published publicly until three years after that, I feel like a lot of it has been embellished at least somewhat. This is what makes the book feel preachy to me. Dalal has to know that most readers couldn't hope to be as mentally organized as him, so the way he states everything so matter-of-factly bothers me.
I probably shouldn't have read this one so soon after Life As We Knew It. That one completely managed to put me there, to the point that I woke up one morning and said, "it's okay that I didn't get everything done. The world is ending; everyone is in this situation" and then remembered that it was fiction and not my life. I definitely didn't feel that way with Choosing Light. Mostly I was a lot more apathetic toward Dalal's situation. I feel bad saying that since he is a real person who went through real experiences and Life As We Knew It is fiction, but I felt so removed from the hardships Dalal went through.
I will say the one thing I enjoyed most about this one was the depiction of the Indian family. I feel like most of the books I read that center around Indians and families specifically have to do with high familial expectations that main characters feel they can never live up to. In contrast, I enjoyed seeing the family interactions in this one. I especially liked how everyone in the extended family came together after the earthquake because that's the importance of family relations. I liked seeing all the buildup, and I'm glad there were no hints leading up to any knowledge about the family's fate in the earthquake, and that the reader can find everything out on their own.
If I hadn't gotten Choosing Light from a Goodreads giveaway a few years ago when I was entering every single giveaway I could get my hands on, I don't think it would have ever caught my eye. I guess I'm glad I got a chance to read it, even though it turned out to be pretty mediocre.
June 28, 2021
"There's many a slip twixt the cup and the lip."
This book is a chilling reminder of how unpredictable life is and that it might just take seconds for a person's whole world to turn upside down. Reading this book shook me to the core. It is a riveting account of a young man who finds himself in unimaginably challenging circumstances in the face of a disastrous earthquake. Trapped in rubble, in what the protaganist calls a "Cement coffin " with no food, no water, no guarantee of being rescued, and absolutely no knowledge of the whereabouts of his family, the young man manages to hold on to hope and doesn't let the grimness of the situation to get the better of him. His experience tells us that no matter how hopeless things appear in life, one can always find the light at the end of the tunnel. It is engrossing, inspiring, motivating, but at the same time extremely heart wrenching. It would stay with you long after you have finished reading it.
Would highly recommend.
This book is a chilling reminder of how unpredictable life is and that it might just take seconds for a person's whole world to turn upside down. Reading this book shook me to the core. It is a riveting account of a young man who finds himself in unimaginably challenging circumstances in the face of a disastrous earthquake. Trapped in rubble, in what the protaganist calls a "Cement coffin " with no food, no water, no guarantee of being rescued, and absolutely no knowledge of the whereabouts of his family, the young man manages to hold on to hope and doesn't let the grimness of the situation to get the better of him. His experience tells us that no matter how hopeless things appear in life, one can always find the light at the end of the tunnel. It is engrossing, inspiring, motivating, but at the same time extremely heart wrenching. It would stay with you long after you have finished reading it.
Would highly recommend.
October 19, 2021
It is not everyday that I write a review for a book.
This book was in one of my lists for the 'To be read' for some time now. Yesterday, I began reading this book and though I complete reading a book in a week, This one was completed in one night only.
The author Viral Dalal has captured his emotions while in the rubble of his home buried in the earthquake for 5 long days in a captivated manner. One can only imagine his emotions during those five days and the aftermath when he realizes that he is the only surviving member of his family. All snatched away from him in a second one fine morning,
This book was in one of my lists for the 'To be read' for some time now. Yesterday, I began reading this book and though I complete reading a book in a week, This one was completed in one night only.
The author Viral Dalal has captured his emotions while in the rubble of his home buried in the earthquake for 5 long days in a captivated manner. One can only imagine his emotions during those five days and the aftermath when he realizes that he is the only surviving member of his family. All snatched away from him in a second one fine morning,
July 7, 2018
A Goodreads Giveaway Kindle gift that opened my eyes into life in India. Viral is an American college student who comes home to visit his family. He is caught up in a horrendous earthquake. It was amazing how close Viral came to death but his strong spirit, his prayers to his god and his love for his relatives sustain him. This story was heart wrenching and somewhat repetitious but it made you think how lucky you are to have food, water and the luxuries of life.
March 19, 2023
This was a powerful book about a young man survival under the tons of concrete from an earthquake. The author goes into depth on how his mind, words, and always reaching for the light helped him to survive. It is a wonderful story, and I was lucky enough to have him sign a book for me, and he wrote over darkness choose light always.
September 2, 2019
I didn't finish this. I couldn't.
I read through the first 2 or 3 chapters and I had to give up. All he did was gloat about his family nonstop for that time. Often repeating himself over and over. It got really annoying. This was a red flag for me and decided against finishing the book. When I start skimming a book because of how uninteresting or annoying it becomes or because I can predict what he's going to say because of the amount of repetition. That's a sign I probably won't enjoy the rest of the book. So for me 1 star.
Disclaimer: I got this book for free in a goodreads contest.
I read through the first 2 or 3 chapters and I had to give up. All he did was gloat about his family nonstop for that time. Often repeating himself over and over. It got really annoying. This was a red flag for me and decided against finishing the book. When I start skimming a book because of how uninteresting or annoying it becomes or because I can predict what he's going to say because of the amount of repetition. That's a sign I probably won't enjoy the rest of the book. So for me 1 star.
Disclaimer: I got this book for free in a goodreads contest.
February 17, 2019
What an amazing story of how the author had to go through so much but because of his faith and determination, came out of that dark period and was able to share his story with the world.
The book starts off with Viral on a plane on his way back home to India to spend time with his family and go on vacation. While on the plane he thinks back to when he was younger and how his parents took care of him and he was so happy that he was able to bring many gifts home for his family. It was on this vacation that Viral and his family was hit by a huge earthquake. This earthquake was so big that it collapsed the 8 story apartment building that Viral and his family were in and before Viral had time to react, he became buried under lots of rubble and this is where Viral stayed, in complete darkness. After awhile, Viral tried getting out but to no avail, he tried shouting telling people where he was but there was nothing, he was stuck between concrete slabs and would stay there until someone found him. He finally started to think about where his family was, he was for sure that they all got out of the building before it collapsed and is probably in the street frantically looking for him. He began to shout as loud as he could, he shouted to his father, mother, brother and his brothers wife so they could find him or at least know that he was okay and alive. Over and over he shouted the loudest he could but no one could hear him. As he laid on the cement floor, he remembered that before the earthquake, he was wearing his watch that had a lighted display. He used the light from the watch to look around at his surroundings to see if there was a way to get out. He soon realized that there was no extra room for him to try anything, he barely had enough room to just lay where he was. His thoughts went back to his family and soon begin to pray for his family. While lying there, he started moving his feet and hands around trying to find something that could help him get out of this situation. Soon, hunger and thirst started to kick in and because he was unable to move he tried to eat something that was nearby, cement. After awhile of chewing the cement he knew it wasn't going to help so he spit the cement out. Somehow, in his mind, he had told himself that he wasn't hungry and that the noises that were coming from his stomach was exactly that, noise.
Finally, after 5 days of being underneath all the rubble, someone had finally found him and Viral was rescued. While waiting to get out of the rubble he kept asking his uncle about his family and every time his uncle told him to worry about getting him out first. Finally, Viral was out and on his way to the hospital but on the way to the hospital, he seen other uncles and other relatives that lived far away. He started to question why they were there and where was his family. After getting cleared at the makeshift hospital, Viral went out and started looking for his family. What followed was many more days of searching the rubble to find Viral's family. Soon, the bodies of Viral's family were being found. First, it was his brother, next, his sister in law and little nephew, then it was his father and finally, Viral's mother was found. Viral was now the only one in his family to survive this earthquake.
After weeks and weeks of sadness, something inside came to him and made him realize that how he was living his life now would not be the way his family would want him to live his life. So from that time on, he took care of himself and started living again little by little.
Throughout the book, he tells of memories that he had when he was little about him and his family as well as other little stories that he remembered.
This book was a tear jerker for me, I can't imagine being in Viral's shoes and going through what he went through and survive.
The book starts off with Viral on a plane on his way back home to India to spend time with his family and go on vacation. While on the plane he thinks back to when he was younger and how his parents took care of him and he was so happy that he was able to bring many gifts home for his family. It was on this vacation that Viral and his family was hit by a huge earthquake. This earthquake was so big that it collapsed the 8 story apartment building that Viral and his family were in and before Viral had time to react, he became buried under lots of rubble and this is where Viral stayed, in complete darkness. After awhile, Viral tried getting out but to no avail, he tried shouting telling people where he was but there was nothing, he was stuck between concrete slabs and would stay there until someone found him. He finally started to think about where his family was, he was for sure that they all got out of the building before it collapsed and is probably in the street frantically looking for him. He began to shout as loud as he could, he shouted to his father, mother, brother and his brothers wife so they could find him or at least know that he was okay and alive. Over and over he shouted the loudest he could but no one could hear him. As he laid on the cement floor, he remembered that before the earthquake, he was wearing his watch that had a lighted display. He used the light from the watch to look around at his surroundings to see if there was a way to get out. He soon realized that there was no extra room for him to try anything, he barely had enough room to just lay where he was. His thoughts went back to his family and soon begin to pray for his family. While lying there, he started moving his feet and hands around trying to find something that could help him get out of this situation. Soon, hunger and thirst started to kick in and because he was unable to move he tried to eat something that was nearby, cement. After awhile of chewing the cement he knew it wasn't going to help so he spit the cement out. Somehow, in his mind, he had told himself that he wasn't hungry and that the noises that were coming from his stomach was exactly that, noise.
Finally, after 5 days of being underneath all the rubble, someone had finally found him and Viral was rescued. While waiting to get out of the rubble he kept asking his uncle about his family and every time his uncle told him to worry about getting him out first. Finally, Viral was out and on his way to the hospital but on the way to the hospital, he seen other uncles and other relatives that lived far away. He started to question why they were there and where was his family. After getting cleared at the makeshift hospital, Viral went out and started looking for his family. What followed was many more days of searching the rubble to find Viral's family. Soon, the bodies of Viral's family were being found. First, it was his brother, next, his sister in law and little nephew, then it was his father and finally, Viral's mother was found. Viral was now the only one in his family to survive this earthquake.
After weeks and weeks of sadness, something inside came to him and made him realize that how he was living his life now would not be the way his family would want him to live his life. So from that time on, he took care of himself and started living again little by little.
Throughout the book, he tells of memories that he had when he was little about him and his family as well as other little stories that he remembered.
This book was a tear jerker for me, I can't imagine being in Viral's shoes and going through what he went through and survive.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 24, 2017
Such a true life read you will be as afraid as the Author was.
April 7, 2018
I have never in my 36 years of life heard a story such as this one. This story is so powerful, emotional, difficult to comprehend and mentally challenging. If I felt all of these things I cannot even begin to imagine how Viral felt while experiencing what he did.
I found myself having to stop reading the story pretty often. I would get overwhelmed by thoughts of Viral trapped and unable to move. Unable to have any food or drink and wondering when someone would find him. The thought of being trapped in such a confined space is a nightmare of epic proportions for me, as someone who suffers claustrophobia. While Viral prayed for rescue and for calmness in his mind I likely would have prayed for the end to come quickly.
How Viral ever stayed so strong only he and God know. I simply cannot imagine losing as much as he did! My mind literally cannot comprehend that.
The depression after his rescue consumed him but the fact that he found a way out speaks a lot for the strength of his mind and spirit. I don't know if I could ever overcome something this life altering.
All in all this story is epic-ally awesome! I learned from it that with a strong frame of mind, even under the most horrifying conditions, one can survive. A person can overcome losses of epic proportions and can go on to live a full and happy life. It was nice to see that Viral found comfort in spiritual healing. It was nice to see that those that remained alive and loved him were there even when he didn't want them to be.
I would recommend this book to anyone who asks me about it and probably to those that don't ask me about it!
I found myself having to stop reading the story pretty often. I would get overwhelmed by thoughts of Viral trapped and unable to move. Unable to have any food or drink and wondering when someone would find him. The thought of being trapped in such a confined space is a nightmare of epic proportions for me, as someone who suffers claustrophobia. While Viral prayed for rescue and for calmness in his mind I likely would have prayed for the end to come quickly.
How Viral ever stayed so strong only he and God know. I simply cannot imagine losing as much as he did! My mind literally cannot comprehend that.
The depression after his rescue consumed him but the fact that he found a way out speaks a lot for the strength of his mind and spirit. I don't know if I could ever overcome something this life altering.
All in all this story is epic-ally awesome! I learned from it that with a strong frame of mind, even under the most horrifying conditions, one can survive. A person can overcome losses of epic proportions and can go on to live a full and happy life. It was nice to see that Viral found comfort in spiritual healing. It was nice to see that those that remained alive and loved him were there even when he didn't want them to be.
I would recommend this book to anyone who asks me about it and probably to those that don't ask me about it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2019
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway, for which I'd like to thank the publisher and author.
I rate this book 4.5 stars.
It tells an extraordinary story of survival, faith, hope, and life. I found his story to be moving - from being a college student, returning home, being embraced by his family upon his arrival, the horrors of a building falling down around you and surviving that, and then dealing with the aftermath of not only your survival but the fact that your life has changed in ways you hadn't expected. It's a heartbreaking book but also one that gives you hope. I was pleased to read the author's last two chapters of the book - what he learned and the epilogue.
The author writes as if telling his tale to a friend - just the two of you, over coffee in a cafe. While I found that style a good choice, I can understand why others wish for editing of the tale.
I rate this book 4.5 stars.
It tells an extraordinary story of survival, faith, hope, and life. I found his story to be moving - from being a college student, returning home, being embraced by his family upon his arrival, the horrors of a building falling down around you and surviving that, and then dealing with the aftermath of not only your survival but the fact that your life has changed in ways you hadn't expected. It's a heartbreaking book but also one that gives you hope. I was pleased to read the author's last two chapters of the book - what he learned and the epilogue.
The author writes as if telling his tale to a friend - just the two of you, over coffee in a cafe. While I found that style a good choice, I can understand why others wish for editing of the tale.
May 29, 2018
This memoir recounts the author's story of being trapped in a building and losing family members after an earthquake. Those are major tragic events! Unfortunately, the way this book is written, it did not give me much of an emotional connection to the story other than during the search for loved ones. In that segment I could feel the anxiety, urgency, grief, etc. When he was in the rubble it read like, "Yeah, I was buried under an entire building. Just another day!" I get that he tried to keep himself calm in the situation, but that calm translated to boring for me. Add in too much repetition ("if only I knew" a million times) and many errors missed in proofreading and I really struggled to finish this.
May 22, 2018
An amazing book
I received a copy of the book through GoodReads First Reads for my honest review. What the author lived through and suffered was extraordinary. The idea of him needing to get out so he could find his family members was such a pull, that he lived that long without food, water, even being unable to move freely just amazed me. The upbringing he had was his strength; That, and the strong ties with his family. I know his family is proud of the way he finished university and worked and has a great family with his wife and children. An amazing and uplifting story. I am humbled to have had a chance to read this book, and I will never forget it.
I received a copy of the book through GoodReads First Reads for my honest review. What the author lived through and suffered was extraordinary. The idea of him needing to get out so he could find his family members was such a pull, that he lived that long without food, water, even being unable to move freely just amazed me. The upbringing he had was his strength; That, and the strong ties with his family. I know his family is proud of the way he finished university and worked and has a great family with his wife and children. An amazing and uplifting story. I am humbled to have had a chance to read this book, and I will never forget it.
April 23, 2018
An amazing story of being buried alive for days during the 7.7 magnitude October 2015 Hindu Kush earthquake and surviving and recovering: physically, psychologically, and spiritually. The claustrophobic detail of the immurement juxtaposes the frantic and tragic search for family members amidst the regional ruin. Chapters feature epigraphs: a quotation to highlight the chapter. Isn't it a bit vain for the author to feature himself several times as the epigraph author, too?
July 31, 2019
Wow. I was not expecting much from this book but to say I was pleasantly surprised would be an understatement. I cannot imagine what the author had to experience; well technically I did because I read his book, but I know I could not live a life so positive like he did after his survival. This is a must read. There were just some parts that were quite repetitive but maybe you have to keep having the same thoughts over and over again to survive what he did.
August 20, 2019
I received this book from Goodreads in exchange for a review.
I. Loved. This. Book.
Viral makes it feel like the reader is right there with him, which I find rare in a non-fiction book. This book helps the reader to truly appreciate life as it is and to stop worrying over insignificant problems. The love Viral has for his family is so strong that the reader feels it as well. He also added pictures into the book which were very helpful in gaining more perspective. Overall, a great read.
I. Loved. This. Book.
Viral makes it feel like the reader is right there with him, which I find rare in a non-fiction book. This book helps the reader to truly appreciate life as it is and to stop worrying over insignificant problems. The love Viral has for his family is so strong that the reader feels it as well. He also added pictures into the book which were very helpful in gaining more perspective. Overall, a great read.
April 9, 2021
I usually do not give spoilers, but to do this review justice, I must. I enjoyed this book enough that I must tell the highlights of "why". The story centers around Viral Dalal, who was studying in the US, and decides to visit his family in India in 2000. He boards the plane with lavish gifts, and high anticipation of great times. His family was extremely happy to see him. But a day or so later, his life was to be turned upside down. A horrible earthquake destroys the building he and his family are staying in, the tallest building there. Not only that, it creates mass destruction all around. Viral never once lost hope that he would not live. He psyched himself out of hunger, did what he had to do to hydrate, and was rescued. He then turned around, did not want to go to the hospital after 4+ days of being trapped underground, and pushed the rescue crew to find his family. Sadly, they did find all the rest of them. Now, it would have been understandable if Viral had just given up and been depressed for the rest of his life, but he constantly reminds the readers throughout the book that all the things that his father taught him made him a strong man. So, as painful as it was, he went back to college, where they were even surprised that he would return. He graduates, goes off to live his life, and a woman named Margie is so impressed by him that she quits her job just to go where he was and meet him. They end up dating and married! Then, Viral tells of how he wanted to go parachuting. Hey, why not? He survived a 7,7 earthquake, so I am sure he felt invincible. He was on the back of the trainer, when suddenly cords became tangled. The instructor told him that there was an issue (I would have had a heart attack at that point, if I hadn't, already), and he would have to move a certain way so he could cut cords. It worked, even though they landed a little hard. This man is very blessed. I was glad to read that he believes in God, and quite often gave God the glory for his success and overcomings. The hardest part of the book to read was the survival part. I had to take days to digest it, even though it is a very easy read, otherwise. The earthquake survival part was very depressing, and I am an empath, so it was like I was reliving it with him. If you can't handle a lot of bad stuff and bad news, skip or take it slowly. I am just happy that the ending was great. When tragedy happens, it is heartbreaking when nothing good comes out of it. There are so many lessons to be learned from this book. It will make a great movie!
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