As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I am currently reading Rebecca Romney’s Jane Austen’s Bookshelf, and loving it! It is such a cool concept and shows Romney’s love for both Austen and books. As I read that, I wanted to look at my own bookshelf and rediscover myself through the wonderful women who write on my bookshelf, and thus, these women writers also had an impact on my life through their words.

For I do believe that our bookshelves are storytellers in their own right. They hold histories, a mirror to ourselves, whispers of wisdom and whimsy, and stand as silent witnesses to our evolving tastes. So what about mine? I would love to call it a carefully curated collection but let us be honest, it is more a mish-mash of miscellany, just short of a chaos. But it definitely holds wonderful writers who sparked my imagination, challenged my thinking, and left me in awe of their craft.

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Today, keeping in mind International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, I am looking at

The Wonderful Women Writers Who Write on My Bookshelf!

Starting with

Saraswathi’s Blessing and the Love of Words

While I do not consider myself very religious or spiritual, I totally cherish the traditions and cultural richness I grew up with and continue to uphold them to the best I can. One way is by keeping my Navratri Golu each year, which is dedicated to the trinity of goddesses, including Saraswathi, the goddess of wisdom, music, and the arts.

So if I had to start at the very beginning, it would be with Saraswathi. Her presence, subtle yet powerful, has always played a part in my love for words, the arts, and learning. Perhaps it is no surprise that my bookshelf is rich with women who wove magic with language.

Favorite Women Writers from My Childhood

Enid Blyton’s books were among the first I devoured as a little girl, sparking my love for adventure, fantasy, and mystery. And today, children everywhere still love her stories, though I am aware they reflect the biases of their time. I know many modern editions have been revised to remove outdated stereotypes and I am yet to check those with the ones I have on my bookshelf from my childhood.

Like with other authors whose works have raised an uproar in recent times, rather than dismissing her work, I love that her (and others’) work still offers a window into the past and a chance to discuss how literature evolves.

Other women authors I enjoyed were Carolyn Keene (though I had no idea that this was a conglomerate at the time), Manjula Padmanabhan, Anna Sewell (Black Beauty), Johanna Spyri (Heidi), Frances Hodgson Burnett (The Secret Garden and The Little Princess), and Louisa May Alcott (Little Women), among others.

As I grew older, in my teen years, I read Austen (of course), Anne Frank’s diary, the Bronte sisters, George Eliot nee Mary Ann Evans, Agatha Christie, Pearl S Buck, Margaret Mitchell, Harper Lee, and many more! Plus, I discovered romance novels – Mills & Boons (!!) – which led me to many other women authors (Betty Neals comes to mind first!).

More Women Writers of Wit, Wisdom, and Wondrous Words

My love for poetic forms owes much to the women poets who made poetry feel both personal and universal. Whether it is Emily Dickinson or Gwendolyn Brooks, Marilyn Singer or Naomi Shihab Nye, each of these along with countless others have all found a home in my poetic heart. They remind me that poetry is both a whisper and a roar, capable of reshaping worlds in just a few lines.

My love for logic, puzzles, and wordplay means books that feature those often make their way onto my shelf. As I look at those books, I realize many are by women writers! And as an adult, I once again found myself surrounded by amazing women storytellers who play with structure and language with ease. Keep in mind that my reading spans ages and genres. Some of these authors I read over the past three decades include … oh my, there are way too many actually, so here are a few lists of them from previous posts!

• 10 Amazing Women Authors (and Illustrators) of Children’s Books
• 13 Amazing Indian-American Women Authors You Need to Read
• 12 Women Poets to Read -Inspired by World Poetry Day
• 10 Favorite New Authors (New to me) (many of these are women)
• Ten Authors I Read-Loved For the First Time in 2020

Mothers, Rebels, and Dreamers in Fiction

Then there are the women who inspire and awe me from within the pages, whispering their gentle words of wisdom and roaring their strength too. Be it Marmee, or Scarlett O’ Hara, the women in my favorite stories have been as diverse as their struggles and triumphs. They remind me that courage comes in many forms—sometimes in grand revolutions, sometimes in the everyday act of choosing oneself.

The Bookish Women in My Life

Beyond the pages, the real women who shaped my reading life deserve their own chapter. From my mother’s love for tutoring (which surely rubbed off on me) to the little joys of sharing books with my children—each moment has been a thread in this ever-growing tapestry of literary love.

Then there are the many other book bloggers and friends who provide me more to read through dazzling recommendations.

The Story Continues…

My bookshelf isn’t just a reflection of the past; it’s an ever-evolving conversation. There are still women writers to discover, still voices to be heard. And as I continue to turn pages, I know one thing for certain—these women, their words, and their worlds will keep shaping the way I see, think, and dream.

And Now, the End of This Post

Dear reader, what, or rather who, would I find on your bookshelf?