The Values Compass: What 101 Countries Teach Us About Purpose, Life, and Leadership

by Mandeep Rai

Winner of a 2020 Nautilus Book Award
An International Best Seller

“ The Values Compass takes us into the hearts, minds, and traditions of the cultures and people of the world. It demonstrates how interconnected we are and how the divisions that exist between us stem from acting with narrow self-interest rather than concern for the good of our human family. I hope that the book will contribute to making our world a happier place.” (The Dalai Lama)

Every day we make decisions based on what we believe values that define the ambitions we set, the choices we make, and the relationships we choose. In The Values Compass, Dr. Mandeep Rai shows how the countries of the world epitomize the power of values, provide an ideal guide to help us understand our own, and teach us important lessons about success.

From Moroccan compromise to Armenian survival and American entrepreneurship, The Values Compass shows how we can incorporate the values that animate nations into our own lives - seeing ourselves through the eyes of the world, and shedding new light on the opportunities and challenges that define us. The result is an insightful and readable collection that helps us reflect on the values that matter most, last longest, and have the greatest power to create change.

Genres: Nonfiction, Leadership, Psychology, Self Help, Business, Philosophy, Politics

Audible Audio

First published January 7, 2020

Reviews

[Mehdi Nawa · Rating 3 out of 5]

-Some interesting information, but the author made a lot sweeping generalisations and lacked in-depth research. It was more of a travel blog and the values she observed mostly came through her personal experiences as a tourist/traveller. The author composed these values by selecting one anecdotal experience or historical event for each nation and then saying this value/trait was ubiquitous throughout the whole nation.

Some things to point out:
-On the UAE chapter, the author states: “As a Sikh I was drawn to their (UAE) vision of standing up for people who being misunderstood and discriminated against”. Is this a joke? Did I read this part wrong?
Does the author not know the widespread abuse and mistreatment of foreign blue-collar workers in the UAE? The thousands of her fellow Indian/South Asian workers living in dismal conditions?
-Does she know nothing of the infamous Kafala system? She continues to praise the UAE for being a ‘developed’ nation because they are able to build mega structures. No political scientist would consider it a developed nation if you include its poor human rights record, lack of free speech, theocratic laws, poor worker rights etc. Not to mention how the nation’s economically is run by foreigners whilst the locals barely do any work.
-The author also blindly praises the fact that ‘1/3 of ministers are women’. This is a dubious praise. Is it really a sign that women’s rights has improved when most of the delegated female ministers are princesses from the royal families? Is it more of a case of nepotism/lack of democratic processes that runs deep within many nations of the Middle East? The author also needs to be reminded that in UAE society, many women still need permission from their male guardians to anything and domestic violence against women by their partners is permissible.
https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019...#

-The author makes the mistake on the chapter about Oman; praising the country for showing general ‘acceptance’ towards ethnically diverse people and showing tolerance to all. Did the author know there is no freedom of speech there? The ethnically-diverse people (non-Omanis) are mainly South Asian workers under the Kafala system, where the lack of labour laws leaves them to exploitation and abuse. You can’t praise a nation for being ethnically diverse if you can’t provide fair/equitable rights to all.

-It’s sad that her inability to comply with the strict North Korean customs/laws meant that her North Korean guide had to pay the heavy price.

-The author says (when donning a scarf): “Men would treat me as an equal or even, better with respect”. I don’t see this as female empowerment, quiet the opposite. Men should respect women regardless of whether they are wearing a scarf or not.

-The author says self-flagellation during Ashura is a demonstration of how committed Iranians are to their beliefs/traditions. This is erroneous. The events of Ashura is a demonstration of how committed Shia Muslims (not just Iranians) are to their beliefs and these religious ceremonies can be seen widespread in Shia communities across Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Pakistan etc.
-Author also talks about certain etiquette and hospitality being unique in Uzbekistan, when this is actually common/ubiquitous across all of Central Asia.

-For political science/history enthusiasts, this would definitely not be the book to read. Too many sweeping generalisations. This book would be more interesting for people interested in travelling or reading a short wiki introduction about a particular country.

[Nikolina · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was oddly bored by this book. Its puzzling because values, collective values have so much potential for an interesting read.
I found it to be superficial in its reporting-like quality and it simply missed having soul and essence.
Surely, the author's travels, education, career and international connections (as proven by the disconcerting photo ops with famous world leaders) are impressive which makes the lack of depth and life blood to these vignettes even more puzzling.

[Oktay Yagiz · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Values Compass by Mandeep Rai

It was only the resilience that I am known for, which made me keep on reading this book.

It is intended to highlight the individual value that is most representative of the national characteristics of each of the 101 countries the author says she has visited. Granted she has made those visits, they seem not to have helped her much, not enough even for a bare understanding of her subject matter. Her country profiles suffer from her glaring lack of a knowledge base about those countries as much from her know-it-all and superfluous style.

What she takes for etiquette in one country is in fact a deep-rooted practice not meant for propriety. What she calls a tandoor is a wood burning public oven. What she calls breaking fast is not the meal you have after a generous round of snacks and refreshments. Whom she refers to as Serge would be having the second most unlikely name (after Christ) of a village official in a Muslim country unless it is heavily populated by French. What she calls a republic being ‘established’ is in fact an existing one turning from socialist to free-market economy.

Let us be fair, however. For someone who self-admittedly has been ‘confusing the Europe’s Roma for Albanian through her entire life’, so much blunder should be pardonable.

[bae · Rating 2 out of 5]

У мене змішані емоції після прочитання цієї книжки, місцями розуміння, щирість, місцями злість і нерозуміння.
Я до останнього не розумію чому якось лицемірно написано про кожну країну, про деякі розписано, авторка навіть наводе факти з історії, а про деякі поверхнево і тільки події які вона пережила перебуваючи там.
От наприклад про Україну все що вона згадала в книжці це Майдан, що ми прагнемо свободи, не згадавши взагалі нашу історію голодомор, дві світові війни які проходили через Україну. Був розділ про Вірменію і я так зрозуміла, що вона там навіть не була, вона просто взяла інтерв’ю у вірменки, яку вивезли в малому віці до Туреччини і як вона навіть через стільки років шанує вірменські традиції.
Навіть був розділ про росію, про їх "силу духу". Що навіть після окупації Криму (авторка взагалі не зазначила про окупації територій Сакартвело, про окуповані частини території Донеччини та Луганщини) і вкінці вона добавила що потрібно повчитися у росіян їхньої сили духу, ну та, країна з року в рік нападає на інші країни їх за це обкладають санкціями (на мою думку, малими) а росіяни "героїчно" це витримають🤢.

[Bistrageorgieva · Rating 2 out of 5]

Очаквах поп изследване върху човешките ценности, а то се оказа пътепис. Някои от държавите са представени доста ... екзотично. Например според авторката ключовата ценност в България е здравето. Личи си, че не е идвала тук. Текстът за Англия ми хареса. Все пак броя тази книга за изгубено време.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I found most intriguing about "The Values Compass" is that it doesn't neatly fit into a single genre. It's a book on leadership, but also self-help, business/economics, and politics. As as the author traveled to most (or all?) of the countries profiled and based her many of her conclusions of encounters with strangers, it read very much like a travel memoir as well.

While one may think this is just another book that waxes poetic on the cultures of only developed/"Western"/democratic/free-market nations, Rai takes an interestedly non-political approach in many instances. For example, what value can one admire from one of the most dangerous, closed countries in the world that is ruled by a egomaniacal dictator, North Korea? Loyalty. How about Belarus, a former USSR country that basically appears like it missed the message that the Soviet Union fell? Stability. Rai by no means seeks to belittle the atrocities that have occurred in some of these countries; not even the United States is spared from some criticism. But Rai takes a uniquely politically agnostic stance when summing up the value that she thinks defines each country's culture. It goes to show that for better or for worse, there's always something we can learn from each other that can help us better ourselves.

[Kathy Cowie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this one for my July-August review in Global Business and Organizational Excellence, but this is actually a timely read for anyone. Watching the NY Times death tolls while in quarantine has been a mind-numbing reality of daily life in this new normal. This book offered insight into cultures across the globe; and having an understanding of what motivates people seems like a good and hopeful thing right now.

[Suman Srivastava · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing book. Based on very shallow research. And gross generalisations. At the end, she asks us to derive our own values, by listing the values that we liked from the book. Is that why she wrote the book? Seems a convoluted way to get to my own values.

[Woo Pei Xun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Each chapter is completely different, dedicating 3 to 4 pages to a country and its associated value, based on the writer's personal experience. A few that stood out to me: Singapore - Order, New Zealand - Environmentalism, France - Protest, United States - Entrepreneurship. The book reads like a travel column series, a kind of bite-sized introduction to the backstories of places foreign and familiar, and a great way to explore the world from the couch during current times when international borders are shut. It also brought me back to my past travels as I compare and validate the writing with my own encounters. While I enjoyed reading the author's vibrant stories and perspectives, I can also see how a book that attempts to cover 101 countries briefly + assign one specific value to each runs the risk of over-generalizing or even stereotypical. So instead of reading it as a culture map, pick this book up with an open mind and simply be inspired by someone who has had a wide range of human experiences, so that it becomes more of a journey to contemplate on one's personal values as they come alive through 101 stories around the world.

I was fascinated by the author’s unique idea of using values to illustrate our planet’s colourful diversity. Therefore, I thought it’d be fun to map out the featured countries and each of their attributed value. This is purely a summary of the book and not an arbitrary culture map of the world, as pointed out in my above review.

Here's the link to the interactive map:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mi...

[Lefki Sarantinou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ένα από τα πιο ενδιαφέροντα και πρωτότυπα αναγνώσματα που κυκλοφόρησαν προσφάτως είναι το βιβλίο της αναγνωρισμένης διεθνώς στο θέμα των αξιών αυθεντίας συγγραφέως Dr Mandeer Rai. Το πόνημά της τιτλοφορείται “Ταξίδι στη γη σε 101 αξίες” και αποτελεί ένα νοερό ταξίδι στις κουλτούρες 101 χωρών του πλανήτη.

Ο σκοπός για τον οποίο η Mandeep έγραψε το παρόν πόνημα είναι για να μας βοηθήσει να ανακαλύψουμε τον δικό μας κώδικα αξιών μέσα από τη γνωριμία μας με τις αξίες που έχουν πολλοί διαφορετικοί λαοί ανά την υφήλιο. Διαμορφώνοντας τον δικό μας κώδικα προσωπικών αξιών, υποστηρίζει η Rai, θα μπορέσουμε να βρούμε τον δικό μας δρόμο για την επιτυχία και να ανακαλύψουμε το νόημα της ζωής.
ΔΙΑΒΑΣΤΕ ΕΠΙΣΗΣ
Μεγάλες λυρικές σκηνές στο Μιλάνο κάνουν την αφήγηση ένα ονειρικό παραμύθι
Το βιβλίο του μήνα, Μάρτιος 2022: «Φωτιά που σιγοκαίει» της Paula Hawkins

Αυτό γίνεται με έναν ιδιαίτερα πρωτότυπο τρόπο: η Rai προτείνει να διαβάσουμε προσεκτικά το βιβλίο να κυκλώσουμε τις 20 από τις 101 αξίες τις οποίες περιλαμβάνει το βιβλίο και κατόπιν να καταλήξουμε σε πέντε με δέκα από αυτές περίπου που θα θέλαμε να αποτελέσουν από εδώ και στο εξής τον δικό μας οδηγό ζωής. Από την άποψη αυτή, το βιβλίο “Ταξίδι στη γη σε 101 αξίες” αποτελεί και ένα έγο που εμπίπτει στην κατηγορία των βιβλίων αυτοβελτίωσης. Κι όμως είναι κάτι πολύ περισσότερο από αυτό, καθώς περιέχει απίστευτο πλούτο εθνογραφικών, γεωγραφικών, πολιτισμικών όσο και ιστορικών πληροφοριών για πολλά έθνη του πλανήτη. Έτσι ο αναγνώστης όταν φέρει σε πέρας την ανάγνωσή του θα έχει πλουτίσει σε μεγάλο βαθμό τις γνώσεις του για τα υπόλοιπα έθνη.

Αλήθεια, πόσοι από εμάς γνωρίζουν ότι το Εκουαδόρ και η Κόστα Ρίκα είναι από τα πιο ειρηνικά έθνη του πλανήτη, που προστατεύουν, επίσης, πολύ επιτυχημένα το φυσικό περιβάλλον τους; Πόσοι από εμάς δεν θα εκπλαγούν αν πληροφορηθούν ότι χώρες όπως η Κόστα Ρίκα, η Παραγουάη, αλλά και η Νέα Ζηλανδία παράγουν ενέργεια αποκλειστικά σχεδόν από ανανεώσιμες πηγές ενέργειας; Και, άραγε, ποιος από εμάς εδώ θα εμπιστευόταν το αυτοκίνητό του σε έναν ξένο, λησμονώντας ότι στο Κατάρ αυτό είναι κάτι ιδιαιτέρως συνηθισμένο;

Στην Ελλάδα μέγιστη αξία είναι η φιλοτιμία, όπως και η τιμή στη γειτονική Αλβανία. Οι Πορτογάλοι κατέχουν τον τίτλο του «εξερευνητή» του πλανήτη μας, ενώ οι Κινέζοι εκείνον του πιο ρεαλιστή λαού. Από την άλλη, οι Λουξεμβουργιανοί και οι Μαροκινοί είναι οι πιο συμβιβαστικοί και πρόσαρμοστικοί λαοί του πλανήτη. Οι Ισπανοί απολαμβάνουν τη ζωή ως το μεδούλι της, ενώ οι Περουβιανοί είναι γεμάτοι θετικότητα για το μέλλον. Οι Νορβηγοί έχουν παράδοση στη διπλωματία, ενώ οι Ελβετοί, όπως όλοι γνωρίζουν, στην ακρίβεια. Οι Βέλγοι και οι Ουρουγουανοί συγκαταλέγονται ανάμεσα στους πιο σεμνούς ανθρώπους ανά την υφήλιο, ενώ οι Βρετανοί, οι Νοτιοκορεάτες και οι Ρώσοι ανάμεσα στους πιο δυναμικούς και αποφασιστικούς. Πρωταθλητές της ευλάβειας αναδεικνύονται οι κάτοικοι του Θιβέτ, του Μπουτάν και της Μιανμάρ, ενώ οι πιο πραγματιστές οι Αμερικανοί.

Όλες τις παραπάνω και πολλές ακόμη πληροφορίες θα αντλήσει ο αναγνώστης από το ευκολοδιάβαστο και άκρως διασκεδαστικό πόνημα της πολυταξιδεμένης Mandeep Rai, η οποία καταθέτει το απόσταγμα των ταξιδιωτικών της εμπειριών, αλλά και του τίτλου των σπουδών της σε αυτό το υπέροχο και τόσο ξεχωριστό πόνημα. Αν ενδιαφέρεστε για τους λαούς που μας περιβάλλουν, αν σε αρέσει η γεωγραφία, οι πρωτότυπες πληροφορίες και αναζητάτε ένα εντελώς διαφορετικό ανάγνωσμα έξω από τα συνηθισμένα, απλά διαβάστε το!
Αναδημοσίευση από το Literature

[Tasman District Libraries]

This book is organised by “Country” and a “Value” held dear by that specific culture.

Japan: Respect
“From the moment you arrive in Japan, before you have even gotten off the plane, you encounter respect. A hot hand towel is provided so you can wipe your hands, refreshing you and protecting everyone else against any germs you might be carrying. This is the foundation of Japanese respect: improving the “me” because you are mindful of the “we”. Tokyo is the world’s most populous city, but it is one of the easiest places to get around. There is no pushing past people, blocking the road or dawdling. People wait for traffic lights. Only tourists jaywalk. People are deeply respectful to one another: objects and spaces are both designed and treated respectfully: the famously healthy diet is one that respects the needs of the body; and there is a deep respect, even reverence, for age and experience. I found the Japanese way of life invigorating, I had a lot more energy, I thought more about my well-being and lifestyle, and I became more conscious about how I interact with people. We are so used to living busy lives where everything is done in a rush. Respect goes out the window and it is easy to get consumed by your own needs to the exclusion of all else. In Japan it is different. Respect and consideration for other people direct everything you do. You pause to think about how our actions will affect other people. I found myself thinking more and appreciating more the value of taking time to do things properly, rather than just seeking to do them quickly. When you spend time in a place that genuinely cares about its people and where the prevailing focus is on “we” not “me”, you start to both think and behave differently. You take a more holistic view of the world around you”.
Nigeria: Drive
While you might not rely on drive to make up for electricity that doesn’t work or internet that keeps falling off, we all rely on drive to keep ourselves motivated, challenged and inspired. You don’t get what you want unless you are driven to succeed in your own way. That doesn’t mean you have to go around high fiving and hanging inspirational posters on your office wall. But it does require an inner fire to keep burning, and for you to keep stoking it.

JG

[Rich B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this up as the idea sounded interesting - a review around the concept of values, by looking at 101 countries around the world and telling stories and anecdotes about those countries to bring a specific value to life.

Given values are quite conceptual and abstract, it’s not the easiest subject to write about, but I enjoyed the way the author brought values to life with much more practical and concrete examples.

If you’re interested in a book that outlines many different values and presents them in a way that makes you think what they mean or don’t mean to you, this is a very accessible and interesting way to do it.

Each country gets a few pages each, probably about a ten minute read per country, so you get only a brief set-up for the value and why it matters to each country, rather than a deep academic or intellectual analysis.

It’s a fairly easy read, though it can at times feel a bit repetitive. Some of the values just seem like synonyms for each other and so, you could almost swap some values between countries and not be able to tell the difference. Plus while there’s a good variety of stories, the resolution for each story starts to sound the same - there’s only so many ways you can say wouldn’t the world be a better place if we all did “x” before you start to get a bit bored hearing it.

There’s also a little bit of mild humble bragging runs through the book, that was a little off-putting.

It starts with the author saying how tough it was being different when she was a kid (she’s a Sikh lady who grew up in England), but then she goes on to talk about going to Oxford University, being a venture capitalist and being a BBC reporter who’s been to more than 100 countries, all the while meeting politicians, CEOs and celebrities. Found myself tuning out at these parts of the book.

Those minor points aside, it was still an enjoyable read into a difficult subject and gave me a lot to think about, definitely worth a read.

[Yaryna Zhukorska · Rating 5 out of 5]

У 2016 я навчалася за кордоном і на одному з тренінгів потрібно було визначити три найважливіших речі для тебе - три цінності.
На памʼятаю, що було друге та третє, але першою була свобода.
Памʼятаю своє здивування, що для інших важливішим виявилося щось інше)
А моя така важлива свобода була в списку цінностей лише ще в однієї людини)
Адже цінності у кожного свої - як відбитки пальців)

Цю книгу я прочитала від першого слова вступу й до останнього слова післямови.

Цінності лежать у основі всього.
Від них залежить, яким буде те, що ми будуємо, досягаємо - незалежно, чи це виховання дитини, чи створення міжнародної організації.

📍 Цінності - незнищенні стрижні національної культури й ідентичності.

📍 Цінності - це все те, що цінне саме вам.

📍 Цінність впливає на те, як ми бачимо світ і що ми взагалі бачимо.

📍 Свобода - настільки фундаментальна річ нашого життя, що ми цінуємо її лише тоді, коли нас її позбавляють.

📍 Уміння жити в теперішньому моменту відображене навіть у мові: у гуарані немає слова «завтра», є лише koera (дослівно перекладається «якщо зійде сонце»).

📍 Може видатися, що релаксація - це лінощі, та насправді, це фундамент для того, щоб відчувати життя.

📍 Якби ви знали про силу віддавати, ви б ділилися кожним шматком хліба.

📍 Зміни можливі лише тоді, коли ми приймаємо себе, одні одних і обставини, у яких опиняємося разом.

📍 Розуміння власних цінностей - це дуже важливий крок, до якого багато людей навіть не доходить.

📍 Цінності - не бетонні, а досить динамічні: на різних життєвих етапах вони можуть мати для нас різне значення.

А ще зовсім неочікувано взнала стільки цікавого і нового про ті держави, про які пише автор.
І до списку держав, куди мені потрібно поїхати, додала Бутан)

А свобода й досі залишилася однією з основних цінностей, хоча вже не на першому місці 😉

#451deepreading

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad but not super interesting either, rather mediocre though I believe it could have been a more interesting book.

The fundamental problem is that it's a try too hard book, it tries to simplify each of the countries to one value, though the author mentioned that of course she is just trying to point out the most prevalent value of the given country. When she brought some stories to anecdotally argue for some of the values, those chapters were actually quite interesting but when she couldn't bring a story, I really felt like she just had to google around a bit to generalize the given country, which made those chapters definitely less interesting. The whole idea to also simplify our personality to 5 core values seem absurd to me, I don't know about others but I certainly couldn't do that and also don't feel the need for it, I was more interested in the different values by countries. All in all, I think it's worth a read but it doesn't provide as much extra as I expected.


As for some examples where I had problems with the book:
North Korea (Loyalty) and Belarus (Stability) were horrible choices. Thinking of those as the values of the country is simply disrespectful towards it's people who are oppressed by their government.

Obedience is also a bit funny for Myanmar considering the massive protests and armed struggles that the recent coup incited. Tibet as a separate country was also certainly strange and unfair towards other ethnic groups. I understand that the author tried to express her sympathy towards Tibetans but Tibet is not even a strictly defined region and there are many other ethnicities in other countries that could fall into a similar category yet they aren't mentioned in the book (Catalonia, Kurdistan, Chechnya, etc.)

[Kevin Dufresne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hi,

I hope all is progressing well.

The Values Compass: What 101 Countries Teach Us About Purpose, Life, and Leadership by Dr. Mandeep Rai, PhD, is a collection of essays about layers of values in connection to highlights of a distinct value of each culture the author experiences and shares of her travels. I buy the book because of the author's Travel Noire article on Haiti: https://travelnoire.com/learn-about-t.... I appreciate her input and grow curious about her knowledge base. Dr. Mandeep Rai, PhD, offers a positive outlook in her article about Haiti which is a style she carries throughout her reflective travel essays in The Values Compass: What 101 Countries Teach Us About Purpose, Life, and Leadership. Through the exploration of different cultures, the author shares culturally informative stories offering a more rounding perspective of a particular culture in relation to the author's experiential evaluation of a value the author connotates with a particular aspect of a culture. I like the evocative-thinking text. The short essay form is enough to carry the author's diary-like writing style well in a way that can be quick to read slowly (a decent book for an individual with a busy schedule). 

Onward and Upward,
Kevin Dufresne
www.Piatures.com
IG: @Dufreshest

[Tedi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a fascinating look at values that illustrate various countries around the world and the way those values are lived on a daily basis by the people of that culture.

I greatly enjoyed getting a glimpse into why values have become essential to each country and the ways that that value is evident in daily life.

I do wish the author had intentionally made connections between countries with very similar values , or used the same word to describe multiple countries OR got into the nuances of how the values were slightly different. For example, one country might be described with the value of “unity” and another with the value of “support” and the behaviors described in the passage were similar enough that I felt like I was reading the same passage again, but these similarities were never acknowledged.

Regardless, the bottom line is that I found this book extremely thought-provoking, eye-opening, and intensifying my wanderlust. It was a great read to start the new year as it helped me truly think about my values as I was once again being given the chance to start fresh.

[Konstantina Pont · Rating 2 out of 5]

Σε καμία περίπτωση αυτό το βιβλίο δεν θα σου μάθει την αξία κάθε χώρας, όπως θα περίμενες από τον τίτλο και την περιγραφή. Η συγγραφέας γενικεύει υπερβολικά και κρίνει με βάση μια δική της συγκεκριμένη και περιορισμένη εμπειρία. Δίνει εντελώς αυθαίρετα τον χαρακτηρισμό μιας αξίας σε ένα περιστατικό που βίωσε στην εκάστοτε χώρα, κρίνοντας τελείως υποκειμενικά. Το ότι κάποιος την βοήθησε να μην πνίγει, δίνει στη χώρα την αξία της...υπηρεσίας;!

"Η αυτοπροβολή και η υπερβολή, που συνηθίζεται σε ορισμένους λαούς, είναι το ανάθεμα των Βέλγων (στους οποίους προσδίδει την αξία της μετριοφροσύνης)." Από που προκύπτει όλη αυτή η γενικότητα που υποτιμά ολόκληρους άλλους λαούς για να ανεβάσει τους Βέλγους;!

Η "υπακοή" στη Μιανμάρ και η "αφοσίωση" στη Β. Κορέα σίγουρα δεν είναι άξιες που τιμούν αυτές τις χώρες, ωστόσο υπερπροσπαθεί για να τις παρουσιάσει ως κάτι θετικό γι' αυτούς τους λαούς... οριακά τοξικό.

Αν διαβαστεί ως μια περιγραφή των ταξιδιών της, τότε ίσως έχει κάποιο ενδιαφέρον.

[Faisal Amjad · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't usually write book reviews. But I thought this was a very interesting read. Yes much of the content in the book is anecdotal and opinion based rather than grounded in facts and stats, and it's quite general, but what it does is take you on a journey, a tour of the world from your armchair, and gives you a deep sense of appreciation for the diversity we have in the world, and implores the reader to respect every one because everyone has something to offer that we can learn from. In an increasingly divided world, books like this are a good tonic to help unite a fragmented and fragile people and help us all to see that we all need each other.

[Dani Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really appreciated the premise of this book-- to outline (in about 2.5 pages each) one value that really stands out in 101 countries. I learned a lot and felt inspired by some of the stories I heard, but there were moments where the author's view on certain countries seemed a little simplistic and, although she took a bit of time to acknowledge the human rights violations occurring in those countries, it felt a little to superficial to me.

I would recommend this book to those interested in travel and international relations, but only as a gateway through which to walk toward deeper learning about each country and situation.

[Megan Clewes · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic thought provoking book that guides you through both your own life values and provide an understanding of the values of countries around the world from their history to their ethos’s and priorities.
We were lucky enough to spend an evening with the author who kindly joined our book club meeting. It was great to hear first hand about her travels around the world and the story of how the book came about. She was generous with her time and insightfulness with a real passion to provide a positive experience and greater understanding of others through her work.
Highly recommend as a brilliant read and as a book to pick up and re-visit multiple times.

[SeekerForever · Rating 5 out of 5]

Words won't describe how much fun I had reading this book. What a brilliant idea! Selecting the values which speak to us or with which we associate ourselves is not only a great fun, but also an important part of introspection. Short chapters briefly describing respectively 101 countries are also an amazing source of knowledge about their culture, history and attitudes towards life. I couldn't wait to see which value is linked to my country, Poland, according to the author.
This book is absolutely universal and a must-have!

[Swapna Peri ( Book Reviews Cafe ) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Title: The Value Compass
Author: Dr.Mandeep Rai
Format: Kindle

Book Title:
The title of the book ' The Value Compass ' is interesting and evolving.

Book Cover:
The cover image of the book is a simple image of a compass with the title in large font. With a calm white background, the book cover creates an interest to read.

About the book:
Broadcast journalist Mandeep Rai takes us on a journey to 101 countries around the world, highlighting a single, unique value that has defined each nation's history, culture, and global influence - and how we can apply them to better our own lives and make decisions more effectively.

My review:
It is indeed a great experience reading this book. On a personal note I cannot stop admiring Dr.Mandeep's interest and dedication in traveling to many places, understanding the culture and history, and bringing out the political perspective imbibed with the traditions of every place she visited. It is not up to everyone's fortune to travel all over the world but the author has given every reader a chance to travel along with her through the book. This book ' The Values Compass ', as the name suggests is all about the values and values system every country created for itself on which the country runs and sets an example to the world. It is indeed a thoroughly researched encyclopedia of various systems. The bottom line that every country with at least one similarity shares the same thread of lifestyle.

The author starts off the book saying, ' All of us will have moments like this in our life, where the choices, challenges, or opportunities facing us reveal something important about our character, desires, and personality. A decision about whether to prioritize professional aims or family needs; to pursue the best-paid job or the most meaningful; to do the things we want, or those that support our health and well-being'. A decision was taken by an individual who always has its own stakes unless everyone related to the person agrees to it. Then comes the conflict. The conflict of choice, ideas, beliefs, and values. While some seem to be rational and some irrelevant. If a decision was taken based on such conflicts by a single person in the family when becomes a point of decision, on an aggregated level how does a country take decisions and how were the builders of the country back then during the evolution of political systems in and around the world must have worked. This single point made me read the book in one go.

In the first part, the author talks and explains about the ' Change Values ' of some countries. One of the most fascinating thing in this chapter was knowing and understanding what values mean and how much hard work goes to maintain them. The values talk about A to Z of life. Be it the lifestyle or the family or the profession or goals or whichever. Sometimes or many times the values we create to ourselves shape up as a better version of ourselves. The values with which we develop as an individual helps us to communicate with various things in the outside world. Sometimes the clash of values between two people helps in developing a better thinking model. A value created by self or others depends on the geography of the place of living, biological and social interests, and the community standards. The values created also dictate and support the nations from crisis and it is a proven fact.

The chapter ' Change Values ' talks about how each nation or country in the world has changed and adapted itself along with the people in there to the new changes happening around. In this chapter, the mention of the country Cuba fascinated me a lot. The Cuban art of problem-solving is what makes the little Caribbean country unique. Apart from the cultural aspects, the stress and strain the Country faced after the fall of the Soviet Union, the economic crash, and the country's pathetic situations are very well explained. Though heard about the problems faced by the public during those years, maybe later in 1990, this book has given new info and insights. Another country is Denmark whose change value is 'equality'.

Similarly, the other chapters that talk about Continuity Values, Connection Values, Communal Values, and Core values help the readers understand how to understand a nation with its values. This statement though looks like a round-robin, once the book is read, this statement makes a point! As a reader, I request other readers to read this book as it opens a new gateway to thinking.
What I like:
1. The content and the way it is organized
2. The many unknown facts and historical facts
3. The capability of making the readers understand simple and strong facts
4. The author's ability to put forward many unknown things

What I didn't like:
There is nothing to dislike

Narration:
With an engaging narration which is a blend of the author's personal experiences and worldly knowledge, the book is undoubtedly wonderful. The book is a perfect eye-opener and though-provoking to understand how countries stand in support, how they keep themselves united amidst many chaoses etc.,

Language & Grammar:
With a very quality and rich language, the author has written a very nice book. The language is understandable to everyone. Young people who want to know more about the nations and how they are formed can consider this book as a ready reference.

My Final Verdict:
A very interesting book!

My Rating: 4/5

[Tiffany Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. It combines values with world travel. There are 101 countries presented and what the author feels is each countries particular value as well as stories from the author's journey to each country. I highly recommend this book. I couldn't put it down.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy free of charge. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

[Clive Lillie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Concise opinion of strengths and traits of countries all over the world. Great for picking up summaries of such ideas, as and when you need them.
I do feel , minimal research would have produced more information and making each chapter longer than the limited 3 pages.
Interesting, though could have been better, given the authors background.

[Carlijn Van Der Hart · Rating 2 out of 5]

Vreemd boek: schrijfster schrijft waardes toe aan landen, dus wat we zouden kunnen leren van een land. Maar dit is enorm kort door de bocht beschreven, en toen bij Noord-Korea de waarde Loyaliteit werd aangedragen ben ik een beetje afgehaakt. Grappig concept misschien, maar ik kon er helemaal niks mee.

[Amanya Longia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I usually don't have extremely high hopes for the books my Sikh grandparents get for me at the gurudwara(jokes!), but I absolutely love this book! I think knowing your values is essential to living your best life, and this was a very enjoyable way to do so. The stories about each country were entertaining but informative, and led me to add many countries to my to-be-travelled.

[Adam · Rating 1 out of 5]

This isn’t really a book more a collection of copy and paste generalisations anyone could read from Wikipedia written by a very self absorbed individual. The bit about the UAE being very tolerant is particularly hilarious.

[Smita Sahu · Rating 3 out of 5]

She got so many things wrong in the book.
Maybe saying-wrong is not justice. Lets say she missed a-lot. In addition many thing has been change since this book-came out.

[Rolando Alvarez F · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!!

An excellent opportunity to review what matters for you throughout values. Is a good opportunity to check if we need to set up some values and principles...

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

A book with such a great topic that should be discussed more, since it really does help put your mind more in line (because it helps you specify some things) with how you wanna live your life.

When feeling lost with what you want or need to do, it's books like that, that can help with an insight of how purpose/values, can guide you on some levels with life.

BUT, why 2 stars?

I found the book veeeeeeeery long for such an important topic that shoulb be read and processed a bit slower. I kept feeling that this should be 2 separate books - a part A , part B kind of thing.
So I got pretty tired while reading it but it doesn't take away the content of the book. Have to admit though that it took me a while to finish it..