One for the books: Top women authors we read this year
As 2022 ends, we look back at some interesting reads by women authors this year.
With the pandemic abating, the publishing industry seems to have got a new lease on life. This year saw many prominent book releases, including those by several first-time as well as established women authors.
The books touch upon subjects as varied as the state of women’s entrepreneurship, the Indian economy, the war diary of a courageous woman, and the return of a much-derided star.
Here are five books by women authors we enjoyed reading and highly recommend.
The Dolphin and the Shark: Stories in Entrepreneurship, Namita Thapar
Namita Thapar, Executive Director, , and a Shark on Shark Tank India shares snippets from her business journey and leadership learnings in her debut work of non-fiction, The Dolphin and the Shark. She looks back on her experience in the hugely popular show and offers both practical and emotional insights into her life as an entrepreneur.
She emphasises the importance of mentors and the power of asking.
“This, coupled with homework, hard work, and perseverance, has got me to where I am today. Most people, and women specifically, need to ask when they need help. If you have this in place, and are guided by the right mentors, there is no doubt that you will be successful, not just in entrepreneurship but also in anything you choose to pursue,” she told HerStory.
The book, divided into 15 chapters, focuses on various business mantras peppered with personal stories and anecdotes. The ultimate lesson? Leaders should strike a balance between being like an aggressive “shark” and an “empathetic” dolphin.
The War Diary of Asha-San, Lt Bharati Asha Sahay Choudhry translated by Tanvi Srivastava
More than 75 years ago, 17-year-old Bharati ‘Asha’ Sahay Choudhry chronicled her everyday experiences in a diary. Her parents Anand Mohan and Sati Sen Sahay were freedom fighters and closely affiliated with Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and the Indian National Army (INA). Following in the footsteps of her father and her uncle Satya Sahay, Asha-san also enlisted in the INA, rising to the rank of Lieutenant in the Rani Jhansi Regiment.
After she returned to India in 1946, Asha-san translated the Japanese version of the diary into Hindi with the help of her parents and a Hindi professor, and it was published as a series in the Hindi magazine, Dharmayug. It was also compiled into a book, Asha-san Ki Subhas Diary.
This year, Tanvi Srivastava, her granddaughter-in-law, has translated her diaries into an English book, The War Diary of Asha-San (HarperCollins), to reach a wider audience. The book highlights the courage of a young girl prepared to give up her life for India’s freedom.
Samaaj, Sarkaar, Bazaar – A Citizen-First Approach, Rohini Nilekani
In 2022, philanthropist author Rohini Nilekani released Samaaj, Sarkaar, Bazaar – A Citizen-First Approach as a decade-long collection of articles, interviews, and speeches by philanthropist author Rohini Nilekani. The book outlines her philosophy of restoring the balance between the state and the markets by keeping society as the fundamental sector.
The book touches upon various important facets of samaaj, sarkaar and bazaar and highlights several factors that play an important role in society today. These include the responsibilities of citizens, the issues within the justice system, challenges of sustainability, “clicvitism” in the digital age, and the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also examines our role as citizens in creating an equitable society.
Open Book: Not Quite A Memoir, Kubbra Sait
Versatile actor Kubbra Sait’s memoir Open Book spans her early days, growing up in Bengaluru, and her tryst with social anxiety and body shaming.
It traces her journey through several deeply personal experiences in childhood and adulthood and her climb to the top as a versatile actor.
For instance, she points out that the bullying she faced while she was in school helped her face nepotism in Bollywood. The actor is open about other aspects of her life too–abuse, a one-night stand, and an abortion. It’s a no-holds-barred memoir, which, in the end, also signifies why it’s important to follow your dreams and keep persisting in life, despite the many challenges thrown at you.
She’s Unlikeable And Other Lies That Bring Women Down, Aparna Shewakramani
The first season (and the second one as well) of the Netflix reality show Indian Matchmaking released in 2020 received a lot of flak for its portrayal of 'arranged Indian marriages' via Seema Taparia, a matchmaker popularly known as Seema Aunty.
A character most vilified in the show was Aparna Shewakramani who seemed woefully unprepared for how the reality show would portray her. She was also not ready for the hate she would get from the audience or the army of trolls who dissected every part of her life. But amid the storm, Aparna eventually found support from many women who spoke up against her vilification.
In She’s Unlikeable And Other Lies That Bring Women Down, Aparna attempts to set the record straight and show her audience who she is–warts and all.
She told HerStory, “Writing this book was a way for me to reclaim my own narrative and tell my story on my own terms. It was my way of sharing the moments in my life that made me the woman I am today.”
Edited by Kanishk Singh
