5 Superb Women Authored Books You Could Start Reading NOW

Firstly, I am not a huge fan of ‘Women’s Day’. Sorry if that bothers you, but women and men and other genders are all amazing and fabulous. And women are superb beings. And one day is just not enough to celebrate a woman.

Anyhoo, here’s my list of the awesome women authors you have to read. HAVE TO. Women are rad, but these authors kick ass! A few months ago, or maybe last year, I don’t remember, I got down to reading only women authors. Specially coloured authors like Alice Walker, of course Angelou, Octavia Butler and the likes. Then there was Katherine Stockett, our very own Sudha Murthy (I love her!), Louisa M Alcott, Sylvia Plath, the very rad Sandberg etc etc.

So what happened when I read women authors for about two months. I felt somehow more confident, happier and proud. Being a woman, it is so good to read stories about other women. And if you’re someone who thinks that women stories are all about their ranting and are sad depressing stories then oh you’re so mistaken.

So without boring you to death, here’s my list of the amazing women authors you could start reading right away.

1. The Colour Purple by Alice Walker
I read this on my Kindle, but oh I so want the physical copy of this book after reading this. It is a book I could re-read. It is a classic. I will not give you the synopsis of the tale, but I will tell you this… The story will make you feel miserable and will then set your spirits free. The relationship between Celie and Shug Avery is what you should look out for.

2. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Like women who don’t follow no rules? This book is going to introduce three marvellous women to you and will leave you with a laughing heart. And what’s better, the villains and the heroes of the book are both women. So no man-beating here. It is a fast read.

3. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
I cannot explain this book to you, you gotta read this wonderfully poetic and powerful book to fall in love with Angelou.

4. Pinjar by Amrita Pritam (Hindi & Punjabi)
Pinjar is a heart wrenching tale of Puro, that puts forth the harrowing situation of women during the Indo-Pak partition. What’s amazing about the tale is how Puro embodies the injustice and the frustration it accompanies with it, and yet, like most women she rises from her ashes only to find immense strength and courage in her. Read it for the marvellous storytelling of Amrita Pritam.

5. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Most of you must have read this already, but if you haven’t, please, please do. And if you have, this is a book worth a re-read. A story of a mother and four little women, struggling through the trials and tribulations of the Civil War. Everybody loves the March family, and I swear you would too.

So go ahead and read all these lovely books. Thank me later!

Three Thousand Stitches: There’s Still Good in the World

Sudha Murty is amazing. If you’re someone who likes to read a simple tale without the complications of long sentences and difficult words, then she is the author for you. Her book Three Thousand Stitches is another example of exemplary writing in the not-so-long a list of books this philanthropist has authored.

An introduction to the lady is a must… Murty is the chairperson of the Infosys Foundation, which is known for all the work they do for the development of the downtrodden and the outcast. Murty sits on top of that or rather walks the extra mile to bring comfort to the lives of the underprivileged. She is a strong woman, if being a chairperson wasn’t enough, hear this: Sudha Murty was the only girl in her engineering college B.V.B. College of Engineering and Technology, and instead of being ‘scared’, as the society would expect, Murty topped the college and was awarded a medal from the then chief minister of Karnataka.

Three Thousand Stitches is aptly shown in the cover image that will become clear to the reader once s/he reads the very first story of the same name. The colours on the cover probably depict the colourful life led by Murty and the different wonderful colours she has filled in the lives of the people around her.

The book of 256 fast-paced pages contains stories of some of the experiences in Murty’s life. Professional and personal. Some of them will warm your heart and moisten your eyes, while some others will bring a great smile. But all of the eleven tales will remind you of the good in the world.

Sudha Murty (Source: Indian Express)

While you read this book, the simplicity of Murty cannot be ignored, owing to her simplistic writing style and the ease with which she explains situations and people. For instance, the story ‘Cattle Class’, which is the fifth story, describes two women who are not good. They are mean and think of ‘class’ as an entity of the rich. But these are my words… Murty in her book just described the whole incident with such honesty, you will end up feeling angry by their ‘cattle class mentality’.

“Class does not mean possession of a huge amount of money…There are plenty of wrong ways to earn money in this world. You may be rich enough to buy comfort and luxuries, but the same money does not define class… Mother Teresa was a classy woman… The concept that you automatically gain class by acquiring money is an outdated thought process.”

In another story, Murty narrates the story of her father, an incident that happened about 75 years ago. Murty has picked up many such stories, from when she was a child to now when she is a grandmother and each story has something to give.

The stories are fast paced and can be read in a single sitting. Each story takes about 15-20 minutes to read, and that’s for someone who reads in an okay speed.

If you want to buy the book, hit a bookstore​ near you. Stop them from closing down. 🙃

Title: Three Thousand Stitches
Author: Sudha Murty
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Genre: Non-Fiction
Pages: 256 (Paperback)
Cost: 250 INR