Pull up a chair and we look at a wealth of quotes

Sir Winston Churchill once said: “It is a good thing for an uneducated man to read books of quotations.” By this, he was saying that the quotations in such books, summarise one’s experience, knowledge and perspective. To an uneducated person, this can be a treasure trove of learning and wisdom.

Andrew Ssaazi was certainly paying attention to Churchill’s words or he simply thought that such a book is exactly what the doctor ordered. So he published, “People Matrix: 401 Mind-blowing quotes to transform your love-life, Friendship, and People Skills.”

It is a page-turner, by turns enlightening and inspirational. But do not take my word for it, the author sums up what this book is about.

“This book is called People Matrix because a matrix is an arrangement of elements to present them in a way that transforms. And these elements (quotes) are about people; your relationship with another and others. The approach you use to relate with someone romantically, is very different from what is required to relate with others as friends, and further different from that you need to relate with acquaintances.

That’s why some people are really great and caring friends, but have a hard time bonding with those they relate with in matters of love. A person like me used to find it quite difficult to express myself in new spaces until I was used to the people after at least thirty days, by which time I had gotten to know the people around me,” the author says.

He adds, “The first and second sections [of this book] have a combination of ancient and modern wisdom, but more ancient because love and friendship are as old as time. The exception is Section C on People Skills.”

But, again, let us not take his word for it. How about you pull up a chair and we look at some of these quotes. On love, there are some enduring quotes. But some stand out as to their simplicity and therefore, accessibility. On friendship, the quotes left me spoilt for choice. There were too many good ones to choose from so I went indigenous, if you will.

“In good times friends know you and in bad times you know them,” goes an African Proverb in the book. I will not comment on the veracity of such a quote. Suffice it to say though, it is pithy and catchy.

It reminds me of this quote from the Chris Rock 2007 movie, I think I love My Wife. It goes, "You will lose money chasing women, but you will never lose women chasing money." At bottom, both quotes reveal relational realties which are seldom cut and dried.

DOn People Skills, the book has a wealth of quotes. But one impressed me most. “To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart,” says former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. To anyone, this is an apt teaching on empathy. Well, at least the second part of the quote is. In fine, there are sayings and quotes that ring so true, in this book and elsewhere, that they become truisms or axiomatic. Such a quotation is taken for granted as wise. It ticks all the boxes when it comes to crossing off a checklist on what made sense and what did not. One thing’s for sure, though, it makes a lot of sense reading this book.