The Aesthetic Bibliophiles

Oh what wouldn't we give to get a day off on a mildly sunny day, take a stroll in the park, and settle down under a tree to read!

'Queendom' is a historical narration tracing the lives and times of two of greatest Rajput queens. The mother-daughter duo, though almost never spoken of, have played an important role in the shaping of Indian history. Queen Naiki and her daughter, Kuram Devi are inspirational women of Indian history that deserve recognition for their courage and bravery when facing Mohmmad Ghori and Qutub-Ud-Din Aibak respectively.
We all know of Prithvi Raj Chauhan but are unaware of these dynamic personalities from the same era. All the history buffs out here, like me, should definitely pick up this beautiful book!
It is time for us to read and get to know the women lost in the sands of time resulting from the constant narration of the past through the eyes of men.
The author, Manoj Vaz, has brought the rich history and culture of the state of Gujarat to life through the eyes of the two determined queens. The quick-paced narration and the battles fought are extremely well-researched and accurate! And what's more? The book has beautiful illustrations that paints a vivid picture in the reader's mind!
This is a must-read for all history buffs!
Swipe to read the blurb of the book!
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Maybe you know, maybe you don't. Maybe you relate to one, maybe you relate to many. Maybe you're an ally... or maybe you're just deviant.
Let your pride flags fly high as you dive into this collection of poetry and prose from writers of every colour of the rainbow.
In a celebration of discovery and acceptance, delve into soulful homosexual, bisexual, asexual, transexual and q***r narratives from across the world and the spectrum. Join us in fostering much-needed dialogues and conversations about sexual orientation, gender identity, mental health, diversity, and inclusivity.
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Someday I will take some rest.
Someday when the burden is less.
Someday I will shed my tears.
Someday when the pain will grow less.
Someday I will have my cry, some day. ❤️


Who is the closest women in your life? ❤️

"Liberation- Breaking the Glass Ceiling of Society" is an anthology which talks about the multiple barriers that a women deals with.❤️

The book is divided into 6 parts, each containing heartfelt poetry and prose which showcases different instances in a women's life where she has to listen to other people and have to worry about what the society will think and how she has to deal with others' perception of what she should or shouldn't do. ❤️

Every piece in the book is beautifully penned and though it's an anthology all the pieces still feel connected to each other as if every writer is telling the same story of the struggles of a women. The book is not just about a single woman but it's about all of us. The book contains real life instances which will help you to connect to the story and learn better. This book has the power to impact your thoughts and help you to see more clearly through a woman's innermost thoughts and aspirations. It will help you to understand the struggles and joys a woman goes through in the journey of her life. ❤️

Though the book talks about some deep emotions and struggles but the easy going language used is a plus point which makes it fit for every reader. I highly recommend this book to everyone along with the book "Shades of a women" which is another such beautiful and inspiring book. ❤️

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Book 41 of 365 📖: ‘Shades of a Woman’ by 🖊

‘Shades of a Woman’ is an anthology co-authored by 34 authors. The theme of the book is the multiple facets of a woman’s life which are depicted through different shades allotted to different categories and experiences.

The book is home to some true gems such as Donna Nongkhlaw’s story about how her grandmother raised her despite their many adversities. I think the story really celebrated how grandmothers are silent but resilient supporters for everyone although in this one, her dear old Martha was her sole vocal, hardworking and unflinching supporter.

While most of the stories are powerful narratives, there are certain misses but I’d attribute it to authors starting out. There are some stories that sounded a bit self-serving to me but I think the point of the book is to understand that women can appreciate themselves and society better be ready to accept that about us.

One thing that caught my eye and I hugely appreciate is the inclusion of male voices in this anthology. Men form an important part of our experience and they too are moulded by the powerful women around them. This really made me gain respect for the publishing house.


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Here's a lovely review of 'Early Indians: The Story of Our Ancestors and Where We Came From', written by a dear friend, ❤️

"For anyone who is interested in theories on migration and 'purity' of a particular sect of people in India, this is a fascinating read. Using archaeological, genetic and linguistic evidences, Tony Joseph convincingly presents how the 'peoples' of India came to be. Beginning with the 'Out of Africa' migrants who entered the sub-continent for the first time around 65,000 years ago, followed by another migration of agriculturalists from Zagros, Iran who mingled with the first indians to give us the harappan civilization, and up till the later migration of Steppe pastoralists, this book gives an amazing account with path breaking ancient DNA analysis results and much more.


Interestingly, linguistic evidence also shows that the lingua franca of harappan civilization is most likely to be proto dravidian, indicating the movement of harappans towards the south ultimately laying the foundation for dravidians. And that's why, this has to read with R. Balakrishnan's Journey of a Civilization: From Indus to Vaigai and Sinthuveli Panpattin Dravida Adithalam!


The cover page in itself is even more fascinating. The picture here is that of a bronze statue called 'dancing girl' from Mohenjo-daro (2500 BC). The process employed is called the lost wax casting technique, which is prevalent even now. Several tribal groups of Odisha make their livelihood out of the lost wax casting technique which now goes by the name 'dhokra metal casting'."
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