01

The Curse Of Gandhari

Aditi Banerjee

In her last days, Gandhari, the queen of Hastinapura and mother of the notorious Kauravas, recounts the injustices done to her throughout her life. She recalls how her vow of eternal blindness did not gain her the respect Kunti and Draupadi received, and how she she ended up being remembered as a bad mother who was considered “partially responsible for the war”. Author Aditi Banerjee tries to portray Gandhari in a new light, where she is an atypical princess with a strong will and the only one who dared curse a god. With its thought-provoking portrayal of one the most memorable female figures in mythology, The Curse Of Gandhari is a must-read this September.

Releasing on September 10, 2019. Buy it here.

02

Kali’s Daughter

Raghav Chandra

In Kali’s Daughter, Deepika Thakur, the protagonist, is India’s representative to the United Nations Human Rights Council and is tasked with showing that India is working on eliminating caste discrimination in the country.  Deepika remains reluctant though because, being a Dalit woman, she has experienced these oppressions firsthand. She remembers how even after gaining admittance to the Indian Civil Services, she found herself the target of hate and discrimination. Even so, as India’s representative, it is her responsibility to portray India in a new light, and she must now decide how she will depict India in front of the world. Kali’s Daughter is a fictional representation of the centuries-long fight against caste discrimination, and the people who endure it.

Releasing on September 16, 2019. Buy it here.

03

You Beneath Your Skin

Damyanti Biswas

Anjali Morgan, a Delhi-based psychiatrist and mother to an autistic son is engaged in an affair with Jatin, a police commissioner whose family life is in shambles. When a number of slum-residing women are found dead, their body parts disfigured beyond recognition, Anjali somehow ends up becoming involved in the case. As Anjali and Jatin try to discover the culprit, what they find might put their lives in danger. Damyanti Biswas bring to us You Beneath Your Skin, a thriller that is guaranteed to send shivers down your spine.  

Releasing on September 17, 2019. Buy it here.

04

The Angel’s Beauty Spots: Three Novellas

K. R. Meera, J. Devika (Tr.)

K.R. Meera is a Malayalam author whose novel, Aarachaar, is widely regarded as one of the best literary works in Malayalam and was shortlisted for the 2016 DSC Prize for South Asian Literature. The Angel’s Beauty Spots collects three stories that feature female protagonists and explore a range of relationships- from marriage and infidelity to unrequited love. The titular story is about Angela’s repeated infidelities, while The Deepest Blue talks of a wife who “yearns for a love that transcends lifetimes.” The third novella, And Forgetting The Tree, I…, is the story of Radhika whose former love refuses to leave her. This book serves as a wonderful introduction to Meera’s works. 

Releasing on September 20, 2019. Buy it here.

05

Vichhoda

Harinder Sikka

In 1947, Bibi Amrit Kaur’s life fell apart; she was forced to move to a different country and change her identity. Accepting her fate, she begins a new chapter in her life. She is now married and lives with her husband and two children. But fate is not done with Bibi Amrit, as the 1950 Liaquat- Nehru Pact results in separation fron her children. But Bibi Amrit has an iron will, and Vichhoda is the story of how she survives even after destiny plays cruel games with her. In Vichhoda, Harinder Sikka, the bestselling author of Calling Sehmat, brings to us a true story of hope, strength and perseverance.

Releasing on September 20, 2019. Buy it here.

06

Great Goddesses: Life lessons From Myths And Monsters

Nikita Gill

Weaving myth and modernity, Nikita Gill brings to us feminist stories and poems drawn from the ancient mythical Greek Goddesses. From the venom-spewing Medusa to the rise of Athena over Olympus, Gill writes about how these women, nay Goddesses transformed themselves from damsels into strong- willed women. With beautiful illustrations and awe inspiring poems and stories, this book is likely to inspire modern day women to rise up. 

Releasing on September 24, 2019. Buy it here

07

Thirteen Kinds Of Love

Soumya Bhattacharya

Thirteen Kinds Of Love follows the lives of several families who live and work in an apartment block in Mumbai. A child wonders if his parents’ sour relationship has parallels to the lives of the infected baby pigeons he cares for. A man muses on desire brought out by love versus that brought out by lust. A couple reveals why they are growing apart. The lives of these people come together to weave a story about love, loss, and redemption. Thirteen Kinds Of Love is bound to touch you, with its tender and evocative story.

Releasing on September 25, 2019. Buy it here.

08

The Penguin Book Of Italian Short Stories

Jhumpa Lahiri (Ed.)

When Jhumpa Lahiri, the Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist decided to read only in Italian and subsequently moved to Italy, she did not expect a deep fascination for the language to develop so quickly. Inspired and enthralled, she set out to collect Italian short stories from the likes of Italo Calvino, Elsa Morante and Luigi Pirandello, and other poets, journalists, visual artists, musicians, editors, critics, teachers, scientists, politicians, and translators. In The Penguin Book Of Italian Short Stories, read several stories that have been translated into English for the first time and take us deep into Italian society, showcasing over 100 years of its rich heritage and passion.  

Releasing in September. Buy it here.

09

Nalak

Abanindranath Tagore, Urbi Bhaduri (Tr.)

Nalak, a young boy, yearns to meet the Buddha, and sets out in search of him. Along the way, he makes several sacrifices, but also discovers unexpected joys. Abanindranath Tagore’s Nalak, a classic in Bengali literature, follows the journeys of both Nalak and the Buddha. With beautiful lyrical prose, the author portrays how even though the two never meet and Nalak comes home unfulfilled, their relationship- that of mentor and disciple- continues. Now translated in English, Nalak is sure to touch hearts with its philosophical themes and the story of a beautiful spiritual journey.  

Releasing in September. Buy it here.

10

Giligadu: The Lost Days 

Chitra Mudgal, Priyanka Sarkar (Tr.)

Giligadu is a novelette revolving around two old men and unfolds over the course of 13 days. It is a deeply evocative book that manages to strike a balance between the old, who seem disturbed at the lack of respect and the young, who want to live on their own terms. Sahitya Akademi Award- winner Chitra Mudgal’s book, now available in English, is a must-read for the soul-searching urban Indian and highlights the importance of traditional values in modern life.

Releasing in September. Buy it here.