Why Should Everyone Read "The Story of My Experiments With Truth" by Mahatma Gandhi?

The following was a part of an email conversation I had with Akshay.

Reading the book being mentioned in about section, he asked:

Also, why should everyone read the autobiography of Gandhi?

This was probably the second time when I pondered upon the significance of Mahatma Gandhi’s autobiography The Story of My Experiments With Truth in my life. (First was on the creation of blog’s about section.)

I replied (slightly corrected for clarity):

[…] I see you were engaged in My experiment with truth back then, apparently I too came across the book in 7th or 8th standard.

I wasn’t someone who admired MK Gandhi before that. Furthermore, I just read it because I was just getting in the habit of reading and this was one book I wanted to “just” read, but it was different, it showed how to experiment. I have learned how monotonous life is, and how we can radically change it with experimentation. So I started fasting once every week on Wednesdays, not to lose weight but to build will power (which I believe I lacked). Still continuing with that after like 8-9 years. Taking back control is what it taught me.

Then there was the way how passive resistance and perseverance helps get things done (which can only be undertaken by having a strong will for a cause). Being stubborn sometimes does help ;)

Overall, it changed my life approach and now that I’m thinking, I do consider it kind of sacred (or closest to one).