After receiving a wonderful response from the in-person discussion on her book Frenny and Other Women You Have Met at the Washington DC South Asian Literary Festival in May, debutante author Soma Bose presented a reading and conversation with t2 about her collection of short stories, at Chapter 2 Cafe in Southern Avenue on June 24. The session gave the author a compelling platform to share her thoughts and observations on the stories in the book. It celebrates the lives of women who devote themselves to caring for their children, an effort which often goes unnoticed and unappreciated. In a world where progress in career and financial gains typically define success, this new book stands out through its honouring of non-working homemakers, who remain society’s unsung heroes. It also explores delicate and complicated emotions that define the lives of women and seeks to acknowledge their contributions to the lives of those around them.

Launched in Delhi at the India Habitat Centre by actors Mita Vashisht and Swastika Mukherjee, the collection of stories features five woman characters located in different parts of the world and their experiences. Drawing inspiration from the life of her grandmother, who she pays tribute to in one of her stories, Bose’s characters are realistic, authentic and relatable. Her strong and affectionate bond with her brother has also found expression in her book. “When you’re 18, you’re different; when you’re 30, you’re indifferent; and when you’re 50, you know what life is,” Soma Bose said in a moving comment about life. “You desire to move forward and pardon.” The author also emphasised the emotional connections she has had with her creations, admitting that she most closely identified with the character, Ananya. Soma Bose told her audience that she has already started working on a new book that includes a collection of short stories that examines mental health issues. Her goal is to connect with a large audience, overcome genre boundaries and change the lives of many people.

At the book reading session, the author was joined by well-known film-maker Sudeshna Roy, who shared her thoughts on the need for recognising the efforts of women whose work falls under the unorganised sector. She praised the author’s creative endeavour in this regard and added depth and perspective to the discussion by raising issues pertaining to women’s emotional and mental health, and how they can easily become prey to loneliness and depression due to a lack of understanding, empathy or support from the persons from whom they need it the most. She also highlighted the importance of Soma Bose’s book in tackling significant societal concerns. The duo’s heartfelt dialogues about women’s lives also touched upon the role of a patriarchal society in defining the relationships between women. Their conversation brought forward the truth that the conventions and restrictions imposed upon women by a patriarchal society were unfortunately responsible for creating rifts between women and making it difficult for them to get along with one another.

Bose’s book has, in fact, examined this problem by showing how women’s behaviour with other women is determined according to the cultural conventions and expectations they are conditioned to have on one another. The author expressed the hope that by confronting this issue head-on, readers would realise how crucial it is for women to stand together and support one another, ultimately fostering a more compassionate and inclusive society.

Soma Bose signed personalised copies of her book for the audience