One by Mansoor Khan- An Eye Opening Book to Reality : Book Review

Discover the book review of "One" by Mansoor Khan, the book captures the situation and forces us to reconsider our perceptions, learnings, and the health of our planet.

on Aug 28, 2023

One by Mansoor Khan- An Eye Opening Book to Reality : Book Review | Frontlist

Mansoor Khan goes through time and space to discuss ecological degradation and development in a philosophical yet current manner, far from the realm of Bollywood's fake, commercial romances. The master of storytelling stays loyal to his craft—his distinct approach to climate change, environmental degradation, ignorance, and greed pushes us to put on our thinking caps and rethink our excessive and rampant use of natural resources.

"One: The Story of the Ultimate Truth" is a book within a book, a story within a story, layered with the various aspects of our environment. Mansoor Khan's novel immerses us in the lives of two depressed and insane characters, Sonal and Abhay. Both are well-educated and view life differently than most people. Sonal was a sociology professor and activist, and Abhay was a plant pathologist who created a new breed of rice, a genetically modified seed with a higher nutritious content. Their perspectives shifted as their work progressed, and they realized the peril of their route. Ethical and moral concerns accompany their concern for the environment.

We view the world through the eyes of these two heroes, where the lines between anarchy and order have been blurred. As the story progresses, the protagonists' voices become lost in the commercial bells. The story explores the complexities of the web of life and the wonderful cycle of Earth, which has the ability to regenerate itself. It laments the loss of natural practices while highlighting the beauty of individuals who lived in harmony with nature.

The globe is in the grip of a climatic crisis. The United Nations has set 17 Sustainable Development Goals that must be met by 2030, but the path ahead seems grim. The human species is meandering as it seeks to shift course, with its various thinking, three brains (reptilian, mammalian, and neocortex), and other variants. For more than a half-century, the modern world has trampled on the natural world, tribal ways, and indigenous populations. As a result, there is confusion, separation, habitat destruction, and haphazard lives in pursuit of balance. They have disrupted the natural cycle of life.

In this book, the author addresses a number of issues, including mental health, the ability to listen to reason, the power of greed, the inability to see the long term, the viability of modern development, the inability to understand Nature and its ecosystem, and the constant desire to add to one's own needs and the imbalance that results. The need for communal action and how new thoughts and practices are trampled on until terrible outcomes are reflected in a broader population. Then the wheel of time turns again, the lost minds are lamented, and their study is revisited.

The presenting method is distinct, the characters and narrative feel similar, yet the lesson is hammered home. The book captures the situation and forces us to reconsider our perceptions, learnings, and the health of our planet.