Summary: I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and was Shot by the Taliban is an autobiographical book by Malala Yousafzai, co-written with Christina Lamb. It was published on 8 October 2013, by Weidenfeld & Nicolson in the UK and Little, Brown and Company in the US. The book details the early life of Yousafzai, her father's ownership of schools and activism, the rise and fall of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan in Swat Valley and the assassination attempt made against Yousafzai, when she was aged 15, following her activism for female education. It received a positive critical reception and won awards, though it has been banned in many schools in Pakistan. 

Summary: In 1942, with Nazis occupying Holland, a thirteen-year-old Jewish girl and her family fled their home in Amsterdam and went into hiding. For the next two years, until their whereabouts were betrayed to the Gestapo, they and another family lived cloistered in the “Secret Annex” of an old office building. Cut off from the outside world, they faced hunger, boredom, the constant cruelties of living in confined quarters, and the ever-present threat of discovery and death. In her diary Anne Frank recorded vivid impressions of her experiences during this period. By turns thoughtful, moving, and amusing, her account offers a fascinating commentary on human courage and frailty and a compelling self-portrait of a sensitive and spirited young woman whose promise was tragically cut short. 

Summary: He is the Mahatma, a man the world venerates as a prophet of peace. But for Kastur, the child bride who married the boy next door, Mohandas was a sexually-driven, self-righteous, and overbearing husband. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was sworn to poverty, celibacy and the cause for India's freedom; Kastur spent sixty-two years of her life, juggling the roles of a devoted wife, a satyagrahi and sacrificing mother, who was eclipsed because of a man who almost became God for India's multitude. Gandhi was an intolerant father to Harilal, his wayward son, driven to debauchery; Kasturba paid the price for her son's unending misery. Kastur is long dead, but she lives on in the pages of her diary.... Renowned author Neelima Dalmia Adhar lays it bare to tell the world what it meant to be Kasturba Gandhi, wife of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi - in a gripping tale of unconditional love, passion, sex, ecstasy and the ultimate liberation that every woman seeks. 

Summary: Colonial texts often read the Indian woman warrior as a cultural anomaly, but Indian texts find recourse in the mythological examples of the female warrior. Rani Lakshmi Bai's remaking transforms the mythologically viable, yet socially marginal, figure of a woman in battle into bounded and meaningful feminine roles such as daughter, wife, mother, and queen. Women and the home were integral to how nationalist discourse envisioned the modern, yet traditional, Indian nation. The Rani remains a metaphoric referent of the home, and is an abiding symbol of the nation, reinvented as authority, power, and tradition. The depictions of the Rani signals what is at stake in representing the unrestricted woman in the public sphere. The book extends the discussion on what constitutes the historical archive of the gendered colonial subject and the postcolonial rebel by being attentive to the vexed figures produced within the competing ideologies of colonialism and nationalism.  

Summary: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's The Palace of Illusions has received wide acclaim for giving a woman's take on the timeless tale that is the Mahabharata. Narrated by Panchaali, wife of the five Pandava brothers, the novel traces her life from fiery birth and lonely childhood, where her beloved brother is her only true companion; through her complicated friendship with the enigmatic Krishna; to marriage, motherhood and her secret attraction to the mysterious man who is her husbands’ most dangerous enemy.   

Summary: Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus: Get Seriously Involved With The Classic Guide To Surviving The Opposite Sex? written by John Gray. ?You can't Live with Them, You can't Live without Them? is a true saying. The book helps the men to understand the inner working of a woman and vice versa. The emotions and expressions of men and women are different from each other. The book explains the reactions of women when she is in a problem and on the other hand, how or why men suppress their emotions.

The book says a number of things that can help in making a relationship healthy. If you are finding problems in your relationship, reading the book can help you in learning about the opposite sex. It offers advice on how to read emotions, when to be concerned and when to let time do the healing. This book has become an international phenomenon and is one of the most famous non-fiction publications of all time. A lively and accessible guide to successful communication between the sexes that has already helped millions of readers from across the globe understand why members of the opposite sex behave the way they do.

Summary: According to the U.S. Department of Labor, women made up 46.4% of the civilian labor force in 2005, and that percentage is expected to reach 47 % by 2014. Professional and health-related occupations are the fastest-growing roles for women, with computer-related, environmental, and educational fields also drawing increasingly on the female workforce. The bottom line at a macro level is that, more and more, women are driving the country's economic development. But with that phenomenon come questions, challenges, and concerns, on many diverse levels. Debates rage on psychological topics such as the effect the increasing number of women at work has on marriage and divorce, family and children, women's identities and stress levels and, overall, their physical and mental health. Psychologist Michele A. Paludi and her team of experts from across fields examine all aspects of women at work - the pros and cons, how it is changing American society, its women, their relationships, partners, and children.

The factors that fuel women achievers are also discussed by female scholars and experts in the field, who illustrate points with vignettes and their own career development stories. Issues in the workplace affecting women's wellbeing are also discussed, including sexual harassment and related laws, pregnancy-related work policy and regulations, challenges for women bosses and career moms, the glass ceiling, racism, women's relationships with male coworkers, and issues that arise when a woman is a breadwinner. This unique and timely set will appeal to those who are interested in psychology, women's studies, education, law, business, and public policy.

Summary: The Man Who Saved India is a sweeping, magisterial retelling of Sardar Patel’s story. With fiercely detailed and pugnacious anecdotes, multiple award-winning, best-selling writer Hindol Sengupta brings alive Patel’s determined life of struggle and his furious commitment to keep India safe. This book brings alive all the arguments, quarrels and clashes between some of the most determined people in Indian history and their battle to carve out an independent nation. Through ravages of a failing body broken by decades of abuse in and outside prison, Patel stands out in this book as the man who, even on his death bed, worked to save India. Hindol Sengupta’s The Man Who Saved India is destined to define Patel’s legacy for future generations. 

Summary: Born into a family of modest means in Chicago, Michelle Obama was inspired to reach her full potential through the example set by her parents, particularly by her father's courageous battle with multiple sclerosis. After graduating from Chicago public schools, she earned admission to Princeton University and later Harvard Law School—nearly impossible achievements for earlier generations of African-African women. At the Chicago law firm of Sidley & Austin, she began her legal career and met her future husband, Barack Obama. Together, the two embarked upon a singular partnership that would take them from the South Side of Chicago to the White House. As a wife, mother, attorney, and now first lady, Michelle Obama has offered a powerful example of what hard work, dedication, and perseverance can achieve. In this all-new biography, readers will learn how Michelle Obama overcame obstacles to achieve success and how her story is influencing other young women today. 

Summary: Data is fundamental to the modern world. From economic development, to healthcare, to education and public policy, we rely on numbers to allocate resources and make crucial decisions. But because so much data fails to take into account gender, because it treats men as the default and women as atypical, bias and discrimination are baked into our systems. And women pay tremendous costs for this bias, in time, money, and often with their lives.

Celebrated feminist advocate Caroline Criado Perez investigates the shocking root cause of gender inequality and research in Invisible Women​, diving into women’s lives at home, the workplace, the public square, the doctor’s office, and more. Built on hundreds of studies in the US, the UK, and around the world, and written with energy, wit, and sparkling intelligence, this is a groundbreaking, unforgettable exposé that will change the way you look at the world. 

Summary: On 23 March 1931, Bhagat Singh and two of his associates were hanged to death at the Lahore Central Jail. This was the culmination of the Lahore Conspiracy Case, one of the most controversial, not to say notorious, trials to take place in India under the Raj. In this book,  A.G.Noorani argues that Singh and his comrades were the victims of a travesty of justice that amounted to nothing short of judicial murder. With a lawyer's insight, Noorani chronicles the miscarriages of justice by which Bhagat Singh was brought to the gallows. 

Summary: This book seeks to understand the major mythological role models that mark the moral landscape of young Hindu women. Generally, the goddess Sita, faithful consort of the god Rama, is regarded as the most important positive role model for women. The case of Radha, Krishna's clandestine lover, seems to challenge some of these norms. The book investigates how far that holds true today. The focus is on the ways the goddesses cope with love. The first part looks at their falling in love, the way their weddings are arranged, and the significance of the wedding ceremonies. The second part looks at their married life, where they are faced with challenges. They come out of purdah to follow their beloved in hardship, and face the threat from “the other woman” and “the other man.” The book takes the case of Sita as the main point of reference , but contrasts with comparable episodes from the stories of Radha or Krishna's other consorts. The goddess as a role model for the woman in love is just as relevant today as in the past, as is evident from the popularity of the televised mythological series Ramayan and Shri Krishna directed by Ramanand Sagar, and the many allusions to Sita and Radha in popular culture. The television series and popular recent and classical  hit-movies that use Sita and Radha tropes are analyzed through comparison with the ancient Sanskrit sources (Valmiki Ramayana and Bhagavata Purana) and medieval vernacular reworkings by devotional poets (Tulsidas, Surdas, Nanddas and Hariram Vyas).

Summary: Fifty vignettes showcase the myriad shades of human nature A man dumps his aged father in an old-age home after declaring him to be a homeless stranger, a tribal chief in the Sahyadri hills teaches the author that there is humility in receiving too, and a sick woman remembers to thank her benefactor even from her deathbed. These are just some of the poignant and eye-opening stories about people from all over the country that Sudha Murty recounts in this book. From incredible examples of generosity to the meanest acts one can expect from men and women, she records everything with wry humour and a directness that touches the heart.  

Summary: The Bakula is a realistic-fictional read from Sudha Murthy, a profound writer and the Chairperson of Infosys Foundation. In this book, Sudha has boldly presented the agony of work ethics and modern lifestyle. The story is about a young couple Shrikant and Shrimati, and the changes they come across when Shrikant walks up the corporate ladder to the peak of success, while his married life slowly loses the charm and identity. With a magnificently straightway of writing, this book brings a simple but heart-touching story of a couple and the events that shake their life.

Shrikant has always been attracted towards Shrimati, his school companion, and after Shrimati also realises having fallen in love with Shrikant, both get married. After Shrikant joined an IT company, he dedicates his entire focus on being successful in career. Shrimati dilutes her own aspirations and stays back at home supporting Shrikant. Shrikant has turned into a successful corporate person while Shrimati has been with him in his journey. The life of both was fine until one day Shrimati realises while speaking to an old professor about what she had missed in her life. In the modern work-style, she had lost her own identity, while just remaining the wife of a successful man.

This story of Shrimati’s confession to her inner emptiness and the extraordinary presentation of the dark side of corporate lifestyle is the main theme of the book.

Summary: Three Thousand Stitches is a book written by Sudha Murthy. The Book is a collection of 11 different stories, which she draws from her personal life, with a message engraved in every story. The main story revolves around the lives of the sex workers or devadasis, her determination to make them self-sustainable, and to get rid of the label of dishonour that was attached to them.

It is reported that because of her efforts, today there are no temple prostitutes left in the state of Karnataka. The book also discloses her other personal experiences, like being called "cattle class" because of her language & dressing, and being the only woman to study engineering in an all men's college. She describes her journey from being a little girl to grandmother, from being ignorant to becoming an inspiration, her struggles & victories and offers advice, sometimes boldly and sometimes softly.

Summary: House of Cards is the story of Mridula, a bright young woman with enormous enthusiasm for life who hails from a Karnataka village. A chance meeting with Sanjay, a talented but impoverished doctor, leads to love and the couple marry and settle in Bangalore. The more Mridula sees of the world, the more she realizes how selfish and materialistic people can be, but she does not take the ups and downs of life to heart and lives each day with positive energy. Trouble brews when Sanjay quits his government job and starts an immensely successful private practice. With affluence comes the neverending ambition for more and the inevitable slide into corrupt practices. For a long time, Mridula has no idea that Sanjay has sold his soul. When the truth hits her, she has no recourse but to walk out on him, but can she really find a space of her own? This intricately woven novel explores human relationships in telling detail and holds up a mirror to our society with candour and with conviction. 

Summary: The Trinity, consisting of Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu, is the omnipresent trio responsible for the survival of the human race and the world as we know it. They are popular deities of worship all over India, but what remain largely unknown are some of their extraordinary stories.

Award-winning author Sudha Murty walks by your side, weaving enchanting tales of the three most powerful gods from the ancient world. Each story will take you back to a magical time when people could teleport, animals could fly and reincarnation was simply a fact of life. 

Summary:  Sudha Murthy once told someone that when people often wondered why so many interesting things happened only to him, he replied that he, like all of us, meets strangers and some of these strangers have left a lasting impact on his life. All he does is that he embraces those encounters and that is what makes his life so interesting. He believes that if you have a sensitive mind and record your observations regularly, you will see that your life too is a vast storehouse of stories. This is the essence of this book 'The old man and his God '. While reading the book, do not expect nerve - wracking story of magic and supernatural powers. It contains what the author has been referring to as 'real’ because real is what we experience. As far as the reality of India is considered, this book can show you many layers of it. If one wants to know what the soul of India says (and not necessarily how they look or speak), this is an ideal read. These aren't complex stories. They are simple and honest. Many unspoken areas of human life have been touched upon. There are accounts of struggles and hardships that the people of India face on a daily basis. The emotions that emerge out of this short story collection range from love to friendship to betrayal and covers domains from business to philanthropy to counselling and from freedom to injustice to selfishness. She talks about the selfless too and the generous honest ones. The title story is about a visually impaired old man who lives in his little Shiva temple. He doesn't need help, he refuses any. He is his own maker. Other stories contain unheard tales from the remote corner of the country. She is trying to represent those hidden people who didn’t have a voice till now. 

Summary: Over the years, Sudha Murty has come across some fascinating people whose lives make for interesting stories and have astonishing lessons to reveal. Take Vishnu, who achieves every material success but never knows happiness; or Venkat, who talks so much that he has no time to listen. In other stories, a young girl goes on a train journey that changes her life forever; an impoverished village woman provides bathing water to hundreds of people in a drought-stricken area; a do-gooder ghost decides to teach a disconsolate young man Sanskrit; and in the title story, a woman in a flooded village in Odisha teaches the author a life lesson she will never forget. 

Summary: In this new biography, students will follow Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu from her humble Albanian birth to worldwide celebrity as Mother Teresa. The nun who attended to the dying and diseased in Calcutta, India, and established her Missionaries of Charity around the world is revealed to have a singular determination from a young age. As a woman in the patriarchal Catholic system, she had to prove to the hierarchy, even the Vatican, that she was capable of handling each project she proposed. Her vision to live and work among the poorest of the poor as one of them led to the founding of a new order that tended to society's outcasts. The narrative chronicles the expansion and success of the order and the eventual attention that was showered on her efforts. This increasing attention led to scrutiny and criticism of an ideology, methods of care, and financing. Why did she reject better medical equipment for her patients yet receive the latest treatment and best care when she herself was ailing? Why did she take money from and try to help Charles Keating, a major player in the savings and loan scandal of the 1980s? The accusation of hypocrisy, among others, are discussed as is her controversial beatification. Readers will be challenged to consider for themselves whether Mother Teresa deserves to be sainted.

Mother Teresa is characterized as being ordinary and her life as mundane. The biography suggests that she transcended her ordinariness with a singular belief that she was called to life's work. When this work brought fame, which she never sought, she used it to further her causes. In a global age, celebrity worship allowed her to work the system. She became an icon of service and selflessness, but her human flaws remained behind the saintliness.

Summary: This book is a first-hand account of the vision, rise, and success of SEWA, the Self-Employed Women's Association, a trade union of self-employed women in India. It takes the reader into an up-close look at these women's daily lives, at the forces that overpower them, the conditions that perpetuate their poverty, the battles they fight, the attitudes they face and the working and living conditions of both rural and urban working women. It highlights the role that trade cooperatives play in economic development and shows the impact of the larger economy on the lives of women.