Five books to help you embrace the power of change

The essence of transformation, as echoed by the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, lies in the belief that “He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.” And truly so, in our life’s journey, many of us often find ourselves searching for the ‘why’. These recommendations, I hope, will remind you of your capacity to adapt and redefine your lives, embracing the transformative power of change.

My Beautiful Sisters by Khalida Popal

Starting the list with the autobiography of Khalida Popal, the former captain of the Afghanistan national women’s football team. My Beautiful Sisters is a compelling tale of hope in dark times. Fleeing Taliban rule when she was a child, Popal’s family sought refuge in Pakistan. When she returned to Afghanistan, football empowered her and her teammates. However, advocating for women’s rights in sports endangered her life, forcing her to seek asylum in Denmark. It was in Denmark where she exposed the abuse by the president of Afghanistan’s Football Federation, prompting international rescue efforts for her teammates.

The Menstrual Coupé by Shahina K. Rafiq

The next book blends magical realism with a pointed critique of patriarchy and religious fundamentalism. In Shahina Rafiq’s collection of stories, The Menstrual Coupé, releasing on July 26, she masterfully uses wry humour and cold objectivity to satirise the dominant patriarchal society. Rafiq’s narratives intertwine nightmares and dreamscapes, creating a unique world where women navigate both harsh realities and surreal dream worlds with remarkable ease, striving to reclaim control over their lives.

We Will Not Be Saved by Nemonte Nenquimo

We Will Not Be Saved, written by Nemonte Nenquimo, is the first memoir by an indigenous tribal leader in the Amazon who fought Big Oil to preserve her tribe’s territories and thousands of acres of pristine rainforest. For this memoir, she partnered with her husband, Mitch Anderson, digging into generations of oral history, challenging racist notions about indigenous people, and revealing a life story as rich, harsh, and vital as the Amazon rainforest itself.

Pelican Girls by Julia Malye

Pelican Girls by Julia Malye is a bold, thrilling, and intimate exploration of female friendship, identity, and desire. Set in Paris in 1720, The Hospice of La Salpêtrière is overrun with ‘difficult’ women. Meanwhile, in America, French settlers are in desperate need of wives. In response, the asylum compiles a list of women of childbearing age to be sent to New Orleans. Among these women are three distinctive characters: a sharp-tongued woman, an accused abortionist, and a rumoured madwoman. As they voyage across the ocean, unaware of the harsh realities that await them, the story follows their adventures in the wild and beautiful land they are destined for.

Who’s Afraid of Gender? by Judith Butler

For the final title in this list, Who’s Afraid of Gender? by Judith Butler, an American philosopher and gender studies scholar, asks what exactly is so disturbing about gender. Butler confronts the attacks on gender, carefully examining how it has become a phantasm for authoritarian regimes, fascist formations, and trans-exclusionary feminists. This book is a galvanising call to build a broad coalition with all those who struggle for equality and fight against injustice.

This story originally appeared in Harper's Bazaar India, June-July 2024 print edition. 

All images: Google Books and Hachette India 

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