Word Power

10 books that should be on every woman’s list

Silappatikaram Ilango Adigal

The book centers around two women, a courtesan and a merchant’s wife, linked by the man they both love.

Manimekalai Sitalai Sattanar

The sequel to Silappatikaram is written by Sattanar. It is a Buddhist epic which focuses on the heroism, courage and integrity of its female lead, who leads a revolution and endures imprisonment.

Cold Comfort Farm Stella Gibbons

A wonderfully hilarious novel about the adventures of a young woman, Flora Poste, who must throw herself upon the charity of her rural relatives. The novel is a parody and rich with cliches, but what is admirable is Flora’s spirit in overcoming the ridiculous situations she is put in.

Paro Dreams of Passion Namita Gokhale

Namita Gokhale’s dramatic, unputdownable novel was published the year I was born, but her incisive look at the elite world of Delhi society is as relevant today as the year it was written.

The Duchess Amanda Foreman

Amanda Foreman’s biography of the eighteenth century aristocrat Georgiana Spencer-Cavendish, inspired the movie of the same name. Georgiana lived a life that symbolised the paradoxes of her times. Not content with the role of society hostess, she enters politics, eventually becoming more influential than most of the men who held office.

Middlemarch George Eliot

George Eliot was, in fact, a woman, Mary Ann Evans, who flouted social convention. Middlemarch is a study of courtship, marriage and attraction.