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Independence

THREE SISTERS. THEIR UNBREAKABLE BOND. AND A NATION ABOUT TO BE BORN.

Here is a river…

Here is a village…

Here is a grand old mansion…

Here is the country that contains them all…

India. August, 1946. Everything is about to change.

Priya, Jamini and Deepa, Dr Nabakumar Ganguly’s daughters, live in Ranipur, Bengal, safe from the rising turbulence in the country. When their father is killed on Direct Action Day, their world turns upside-down.

Priya, the youngest, intelligent and idealistic, is determined to follow in her father’s footsteps and become a doctor, no matter how difficult. She is fortunate to have the support of zamindar Somnath Chowdhury, her father’s best friend. Jamini, devout, dutiful and talented, helps her mother stitch kanthas to make ends meet. Hungering for affection even as she is resentful of her sisters, she nurses a secret desire. Beautiful Deepa, the eldest, all set to marry well, falls in love with Raza, Youth Leader at the Muslim League, and must face the consequences.

When India is partitioned, the sisters find themselves separated from one another, afraid of what will happen to not only themselves, but also each other. It is only then that they understand what it means to be independent, and the price one has to pay for it.

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s powerful new novel is a moving story of loyalty and love, nationhood and sisterhood, set against India’s independence movement, at once exhilarating and devastating.

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‘A spellbinding saga of the decolonization and partition of the Indian subcontinent, with a cast of vividly drawn, compelling characters.’ AMITAV GHOSH

‘A national movement unsettles a country. Only a powerful imagination can recreate how profoundly it changes three women’s lives.’ NAYANTARA SAHGAL

‘I have long been a fan of Chitra Divakaruni’s novels, but Independence is now my favorite.’ LISA SEE

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Attitudes of Pandemic

Do you know? This pandemic still exists! Maybe not in the form you’re familiar with. But, history has been recorded. A proverb became ineffective. There will be no calm after this storm. Storm after storm indeed. Surprise! This modern adult fiction holds something that you need to know.

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Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex

An engaging exploration of what it means to be asexual in a world that’s obsessed with sexual attraction, and what the ace perspective can teach all of us about desire and identity. What exactly is sexual attraction and what is it like to go through life not experiencing it? What does asexuality reveal about gender roles, romance and consent, and the pressures of society? This accessible examination of asexuality shows that the issues that ace faces—confusion around sexual activity, the intersection of sexuality and identity, and navigating different needs in relationships—are the same conflicts that nearly all of us will experience. Through a blend of reporting, cultural criticism, and memoir, Ace addresses the misconceptions around the “A” of LGBTQIA and invites everyone to rethink pleasure and intimacy. Journalist Angela Chen creates her path to understanding her asexuality with the perspectives of a diverse group of asexual people. Vulnerable and honest, these stories include a woman who had blood tests done because she was convinced that “not wanting sex” was a sign of serious illness and a man who grew up in a religious household and did everything “right,” only to realize after marriage that his experience of sexuality had never been the same as that of others. Disabled aces, aces of color, gender-nonconforming aces, and aces who both do and don’t want romantic relationships all to share their experiences navigating a society in which a lack of sexual attraction is considered abnormal. Chen’s careful cultural analysis explores how societal norms limit understanding of sex and relationships and celebrates the breadth of sexuality and queerness.

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