The Next Second

by Shariq Latif

BOOK DESCRIPTION Writing is a healer to a heart that has too much to say. A story of failure and serendipity led the Author to write the various facets of life, and become the voice of the moment. The book offers absurdity that shifts to lucidity. Aspects we hesitate to talk about in a society that suppresses an individual power and resist them to grow according to the gifted potential. Before we seek growth of contentment and fulfilment, we need to analyse the root cause of common drawbacks each one of us encounters. Where are we going? To offer wealthy realisations is the penman's claim to invite you on a journey of serendipity and realism. How do we grow? Everybody has a journey to share and a view to express. The process of this book invites to the pillars we need to understand to break the caged voices. The moment we are born, we are facing life and death, simultaneously. The nectar of poetry, the lines of wonder, reluctance and celebrations are waiting to witness your eyes. The next second is waiting for you. You are responsible for your life, decide your journey. AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTION The Author was born in Karachi, Pakistan. Shariq is currently studying Bachelor's of Business Administration from Karachi University Business School (Last Semester). Shariq is on the voyage to turn knowledge into action and is highly dedicated to putting unexplainable feelings into words. He believes in the power of story-telling and encourages people to explore their own story. The book 'The Next Second' is the first step by Author towards letting people know how to acknowledge their feelings and emotions, and cherish their story. Contact the Instagram and Shariq312 Shariqlatif@hotmail.com

190 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 26, 2021

About the author

Hi there! This is Shariq, Author of the book 'The Next Second.' I am a business graduate and a People & Change Consultant at KPMG. I am a voracious reader and am into diverse genres. Name any genre and I would pitch my invigorating interest in it.

Moreover, I am open to interacting and making new connections to upscale our reading community. This is a great platform to communicate our shared interests and inspire each other to read better, passionately!

Thank you!

Reviews

[Shariq Latif · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I have written full of passion and zeal stored in my heart. This book aims the attention of a reader that likes to explore story-telling and mundane realities of life.
Most importantly, the book features every day's complexities explained in light of facts and utmost truths. Most of these truths are hesitant when it comes to a human's mouth, which is normal and sane.

As a writer, I have embraced a responsibility to speak about the things we humans face and experiences but lack the courage or the expression to speak those out. As a metaphor, my story is the first inkling.

I hope you enjoy reading this book the way I have enjoyed writing it. It may give you a vain and immense feeling of relatability. Accept your imperfections and flaws because once you do, you go beyond your limitations and challenge your boundaries.

Happy reading to all the readers. I would be delighted to hear from you all.

[Zobiya Yaqoob · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read, very captivating and inspiring book. It takes a look at all aspects of life which shape our personality and how can we stay positive and a for our goals and never give up. I highly recommend this book as I have had a great time reading it.

[Shehzeen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book spoke to me on a personal level and has the power to listen. I felt secure while reading because I regarded it as a friend who consoles you, and mollifies and encourages psychologically and emotionally.

The author's story is a hope thay unexpected fortunes may happen. When you have the intentions and the work ethic, you can achieve the unachievable.

There are rich aspects of life which nobody teach us, and we are compelled to face them by life and its environment, the author's wisdom truly fascinated me to delve into understanding, which also built a level of relatability, I cannot measure.

This book is inspiring, overwhelming, relishing, phenomenally interpreted and deeply verbalised.

I wish everybody who sees this book, reads it. It is a book that should find you, if you don't find it yourself.

[nymeria · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Because many pretend that they are living a life they want to live, but in reality, are living the life they're supposed to."

I got this book because I really like the writer's work on instagram and wanted to check it out. It also gave me an opportunity to get out of my comfort zone and read a non-fiction book so it was a win-win situation. Despite not agreeing with a lot of things mentioned, I really enjoyed this book.

This is a self-help, motivational book that talks about a variety of topics including social media, career selection, the effect of company on a person, etc. It's meant to make the reader aware of the reasons people struggle and how they can be overcome.

I appreciated the honesty of this book. While reading it, I felt like I was getting to know the writer as a person. A lot of his opinions flowed through the text. This is not as unusual for non-fiction as one might think, considering how we can't detach our own perspectives from our work but I really liked the way this book accepted the sentiment and rolled with it. I also enjoyed the subtle incoherency of this book, though I can't decide if it was deliberate or not.

Non-fictions tends to be read as textbooks, with set patterns and divided sections. This one, however, had the tendency to flow in many different directions in the same topic, a lot like how our thoughts tend to flow. I really liked this method of writing as it made it more interesting, engaging and realistic.

The main drawback of this book was that it didn't really tell me anything I didn't already know. The main reason for reading non-fiction, for me at least, is to get more information or understanding about something I wasn't well aware of before. This book didn't do that for me. Despite having a good time reading it, it had almost zero impact on my thought process and lifestyle.

I actually enjoyed the parts I didn't agree with much more than the ones I did agree with because they gave me a new and different perspective on old topics. Here I'd like to mention the chapter on social media, which was my favorite part of the book, despite, or maybe because of, the fact that I vehemently disagreed with it.

All in all, this book was an interesting read and despite not gaining a magnitude of knowledge from it, reading it was a pleasant experience for sure. I'd recommend it, especially if you want to start off with self- help or non-fictions books.

[Nayyab Mushtaq · Rating 5 out of 5]

"You are your saviour,
When nobody saves you,
You don't need a help in hand,
When you can arm yourself."

The Next Second is debut book of Shariq Latif. It is an inspiring self-help book. The writer narrates beautifully his experience and sheds light on so many crucial aspects of our lives. He guides about things by adopting story telling technique.
Book is divided into 4 parts and content ranges from problems of comparison to lack of self believe, from over-use of social media to communication gap between parents and children, from priorities to attachment, from dreams to absurdities of life, and every other major hurdle we stumble upon in our everyday life.
Author has not only given causes and consequences of our certain actions but also described several solutions. The thing I liked most was how he revealed different phases of his life and poured all the lessons he learned on page because we can speak of our achievements and talents all the time but it takes courage to talk about our fears and shortcomings as it makes us quite vulnerable. But author here did it elegantly. This was the main reason I could find this book extremely relatable. Every page of it is brimming with wisdom.
Even though non-fiction isn't my cup of tea, I enjoyed this book. I annotated so many lines and I'm certain this is the book I'd come back to in hard times for solace. This is a proper guide for young people out there who want answers. Such a promising read! Highly recommended! ❤

[Sehar Yousaf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rarely in life, you stumble upon a book that speaks to you personally, consoles you like a friend, and empathizes with you so profoundly.

I am glad to have found this book.

The Next Second- by Shariq Latif

The book orates beautifully, very natural and innate yet undiscussed facets of life in light of some of the Author’s personal experiences.

The book has been written in a commendable flow and is extremely awe-inspiring.
The reason I loved this book is that it made me feel so HUMAN.

It made me realize that our journeys, our struggles, our success, and heartbreaking experiences might be totally different, but the surge of emotions we feel in those defining moments of our lives are so relatable.

That is what makes us all so alike, so human!

I came across so many excerpts where I could totally relate to the Author’s feelings and sentiments with the same passion and intensity as he intended to portray.

The book has so much to offer but, most significantly, some sincere pieces of advice to anyone who finds himself hopeless in various life situations.

The book treats you as a friend, lending a listening ear as well.

It tells you that life is not a drive on a smooth road but a walk in a barely traversable path, and only you have the power to get yourself to your destination.

[Sourath · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The pains of the heart are intensely mysterious"~ #thenextsecond
The next second is the Author's writing journey, a journey that started from a fortunate second to not giving up on his goal. He wore his tragedy as an opportunity and penned down his experiences related to woes of societal pressure on young aspiring minds.
The book talks about major problems in our lives and their reasonable fact based solutions. Though these topics are extensively talked but when it comes to melding them into our lives, we stay aloof, until the pressure cooker explodes, chaos inside regurgitates and all you can see is a mess. Most of our problems gyrate in our lives because of wasting time and being careless about it. The author described this topic impressively. Though this book depicts the grim realities but it's not gloomy. It's good for daily reflective dose. So, The next second is waiting for you.

[Omar Mushtaq · Rating 5 out of 5]

utterly inspiring book. i started to read this year and found this book last month. i loved the level of creativity and the concept of the book, much needed for a generation like us to read and understand. the thing that inspired is the concept and power of story telling. every story is powerful and should be told without any shame. the writer of the book conveyed that very well.

i thoroughly enjoyed and i would recommend to every reader who likes to read. it is a must read book. best wishes to the author 😊

[Fudgy · Rating 4 out of 5]

truly loved how well articulated this was and how the most significant issues were addressed! I sometimes feel hard to connect with non-fiction if it's too formal so that was the only thing that felt off for me but other than that it kept me hooked up till the end and this book is going to be my comfort zone for sure!

[Aamna Batool · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I usually don’t write reviews but this book literally speak my heart out... ever came across a book that literally write that you always have been feeling or wanted to talk about ah for me it’s this... the writer really really did a great job 🙌🙌

[Sana · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing book. Hooked me till the end. So inspiring!

[Khishar Sadaf · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a collection of essays on different topics covering multiple aspects of life. The essays are divided into 4 parts each dealing various themes regarding selfhelp and development.
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You know a book is really good when you open it just to have a look inside but then you can't put it down. This is what happened when I opened this book. It has the power to grab your attention instantly. Once you start reading you can't put it down easily. You have to make conscious efforts to slow down as I did. Though this book is really fast paced and easy to read but I held myself back because I didn't wanna rush it. I wanted to read it slowly absorbing all the wisdom it has to offer.
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This book resonates with you. It's relatable on another level I would say. This book speaks to you and listens to you. Reading this book is like having a conversation with your friend who offers you advice, help and solace. Just like a friend, very politely, It points out your mistakes and tells you what you should do. While reading it, I too had to say alot and I wrote down my thoughts on sticky notes and put them in the pages of this book. That's when I realized that this book listens to you as well. .
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This book helps you reflect on yourself, your life, your feelings, emotions and decisions. It tells you to "keep giving words to" your "thoughts". It helps you analyze your life choices and decisions. It helps you evolve, grow and become a better person. It tells you to take charge of your life in your own hands. Don't let others control your life, mood, and personality.
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The narrative style of this book is simple yet informative. I loved how each chapter begins with poetic prose and those words hit all the right chords. Though this book is easy to read but it's also filled with various words that will improve your vocabulary.
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This book is a gem of modern prose. While reading this book I felt like reading Bacon or Russell. As an English Lecturer I believe this book should be part of Modern English Prose syllabus.
200% Recommend.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading this book and was able to finish it in just four hours because it was very easy to read. The sentences flowed naturally and the content was captivating. It really resonated with me because it was grounded in the reality of our society, written from the perspective of someone who lives within it. I connected with it deeply on that level, which is rare. A lot of the books we read don’t reflect our context. They’re not made for the society we live in, so there’s often a disconnect. But this one felt different. The book talked about dreams, the importance of pursuing them, taking care of your health, and having self-confidence. These are things that feel so missing in our generation today. We have misplaced priorities. We waste our youth and health. If we truly want something, we have to make sacrifices. I’m not saying we shouldn’t have fun. Of course we should. But I believe there are more important things we should focus on: the energy we carry, the kind of reinforcement we receive, the people we surround ourselves with, and how we go about our personal journey. Are we stepping outside our comfort zones? Are we taking action instead of just complaining? One part that really stood out to me was the discussion on women’s education and its power to create real change. There’s such a huge gap in this area in our society, and the book addressed it beautifully. Overall, I feel this book is an incredible read. You can learn so much from it. I’m not saying you have to agree with everything it says. Sometimes it’s enough to simply observe and understand someone else’s point of view, even if it doesn’t fully align with yours. It covered so many relevant themes. Friendships, relationships, how we define love, and whether people genuinely believe in it or if it’s just an illusion. It touched on how love is treated in our culture, the impact of social media, and so much more. In the end, I would say it was an amazing and beautiful book. One that gave me a lot to think about.

[Zara Hussain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Favorite line: The next second is everything. Wait for yours.

☞This book addressed to me and at the same time it takes a breath and listen me. It possesses such a griping feel that was generated by author; he explained seldom consequences of our problems which are so accurate that every reader can relate.

☞Basically book deals with human nature and the facts about them under the light of author's own life experiences which is such an appealing thing loved it.

☞The book is realization of those humanic consciousnesses that are similar even though we ought to have different opinions or life experiences. But at the end we all are same just a human who is frail, imperfect & vulnerable and the fact no one can deny that we are mortals (the ending notes of book are to realize us of death which is certain)

☞The part of the book hitted me hard is that of LOVE.... I don't know why but it really made me sad & happy at the same time...Also I feel like Its something that is extremely relatable which we can't discuss publicly but author addressed it wholesomely.

M U S T R E A D
some highly recommend words from the book

☞ "People reject things which they can't afford like high prizes brands. So whenever you get left by somebody, never feel the humiliation because you were never born to underestimate yourself. Or, consider yourself at fault when you know it was you, toxic.
The second person is not always wrong, It could be you too. you must have to accept the feeling when someone doesn't like you. People have their own taste in choosing who they want in their lives, which implies to you too. So there is no need to feel malicious when in the beginning somebody disregards and doesn't accommodate you" ☜

☞One thing to ponder over is that at the very start of book I was expecting the author to be a bit casual to readers which is really an intriguing thing but as the book proceeded the author been conventional O_o

Recommendation: 💯

[Alina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a book filled with lessons and wisdom. The author explained things so beautifully and so realistically that it became so easy to understand and relate to the content. From grades to mental health, from social media poison to admitting one's own mistakes; this book covered a wide range of topics; enough to make people think about them.

Talking about his own journey, the author really showed that being firm and consistent towards a goal eventually results in a success. Self-confidence and believing in yourself can do wonders.

All chapters were good and filled with knowledge and skills to better one's own self, but my most favorite was the part about "The Pillars To Growth". It gave such a great insight to what factors a person really needs to work on to grow as a Human being.

I also especially loved the part about the attachment. It really was eye opening and makes you realize that what kind of a person you yourself are and what kind of people are in your surroundings. It really gave me a chance to look at relationships with a broader perspective.

It's a nonfiction book, so you can't expect to complete it in one sitting. It demands time and I think if you give it that and take it slow, you will be able to understand the meaning of this book more clearly.

Congratulations, Shariq on your debut book. May you achieve more success... Ameen...

[Farwa raja · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The next second is waiting for you. You’re responsible for your life, decide your journey.”

During different phases of life, we all have to face some bitter realities of it. Sometimes, ups and downs lift us to another level of betterment or it goes opposite. Or we can say that all of us have different kind of stamina and approach to cope with the situations, pain , or with ourselves too. Bad experiences can highly influence on one’s personality if there’s no support, encouragement or guidance on their side. Because of diversity in human’s nature, some brought up with great confidence, courage and high esteem; some are carefree While some are sensitive, emotional and have low self-esteem.. so people of the third kind suffers the most. The author has elucidated some major issues and their impacts with a guideline to cope with them. He has also talked about his own journey and proved this phrase “consistency is the key to success”.
Much appreciated!!

I consider it as a self-help book. Gripping from start to end. I really liked the touch of poetry at the start of chapters. Each chapter gives a level of guidance to its reader, covers various topics and their impacts on personality, resonates with many of us on an emotional level.

@shariq312 ! You’ve done a great job. Wishing you more success ahead🤞🏼

Recommendation: 💯

[Imaan M.Hussain · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE NEXT SECOND REVIEW:

There are some books really which feel like friend or home. The comforting words, the sad truth you don't wanna hear, or the opportunities from which you blindfoldedly passing those books just show it to your face. The next second is one of that book. From the start the author giving motivation even in the hardest part of life through his personal story. It's a journey from dusk to dawn.

The utterly inspiring book which made me feel so human. I love that how the content is so relatable which hooked me up till the last. It's hard to accept the fact that this is author's debut book because in each chapter He's breaking stereotypes, talk about realistic thing which we ignored so badly especially mental illness and raising awareness.

Nonfiction is not everyone's cup of tea but his prose poetry way of writing makes it more gripping and interesting. One of the most ground-shaped books it is, the writing was so simple and smooth but it may also increase your vocabulary too. Well, this book was gripping but you can't finish nonfiction in one or two sits because may it takes no time to read but understanding and applying will.
You need to read this ✨✨

[Pari · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The next second is waiting for you. You are responsible for your life, decide your journey."

What a wonderful piece of wisdom. Just finished this book few days back, took my time and read it slowly absorbing the content and the lesson it gives.
I found this book so relatable at many points, what I loved about this book is how author has addressed some important issues. Appreciation for author for writing his experiences and vulnerabilities.Find your answers in this book.

Knowing his journey of writing this book has enhanced respect in my heart for the writer. I'm so glad to have read this amazing book. So proud of you for writing your journey.
Sharing some of my favourite lines from this book.

"but happiness is a state that comes from within and not with things"

"Those painful and helpless times taught me a life lesson. It alarmed me that no one will ever come to rescue when I'm falling apart"

[Nawa Sohail · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are some books which takes you into a world where you get a chance to look at your hidden self, at your wounds which you thought would never heal, but they do, when you read some soothing words which becomes your power. This book functions like this. It talks about various aspects of life which should be talked about. Usually, I don't read self-help or non-fiction books, but I am happy I read this. It is really worth your time. More power to you, Shariq. I hope you keep on creating such masterpieces.

[Maryam · Rating 5 out of 5]

One thing i know for sure, that this book will stay with me for a very long time. I’ve found myself lost in a library of regrets and ‘what could have been?’s so many times, so to read something bring it to life so vividly is extraordinary. That search for whatever happiness is never-ending. 🦋

[Moubine Mourad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing a must for the library.

[Minahil · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it. it was very interesting from the start. I felt very proud of author to write about himself.

[Tooba · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel blessed and honored to read this book, this book is just amazing that connected me so close to my life. All those parts of life I have spent or spending are beautifully written in this book. The next second is one of an influential piece of good work that I appreciate cordially.. I am in love with this book and this book brings a lot of changes in me as it neglected my bad thinkings and helped me lot to stay positive and calm in every aspect of life. It also encouraged me to be strong and motivated all the time.. Hats off to you writer you did such a great job to win our hearts. I m just proud of you ✨ how you potray all the thoughts.. I m just out of words. Biggest fan of ur book.. Just in love with 'The Next Second'. I also introduced it to my friends as well. Keep rocking 👍

[Noor]

i bought this book 2 years back almost and I cried while reading the first page and I keep reading this book time to time just for the motivation if he could do it I can too????? it's a easy read and one thing I really liked was the poems related to the topics he was discussing really really loved it

[Rameesha Fatima · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved every bit of word the writer has written!

[Zainab Qasim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found it constantly motivating!