Author Chitra Divakaruni Reading of ‘The Last Queen’ in CA on June 2
India-West Staff Reporter
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA – American Book Award winner Author Chitra Divakaruni will be reading from her new historical novel, ‘The Last Queen,’ about the life of Maharani Jindan Kaur, at Books Inc, 317 Castro Street, here, on June 2 at 7 p.m.
The book, published by William Morrow/HarperCollins, is a historical novel set in the 1800s in India and spotlights the largely forgotten Maharani Jindan Kaur, the youngest wife of the king of Punjab, Maharajah Ranjit Singh.
The daughter of a kennel keeper at the Lahore Qila, the beautiful, intelligent and high-spirited Jindan became Ranjit Singh’s favorite (and last) wife. Hers is a romantic story as well as an inspiring one. Widowed at an early age, she flourished in a world that was harsh to women. She fought with great courage against her own courtiers and against the British to preserve the kingdom for her infant son. Her adventures form the tale of ‘The Last Queen.’
The book has been a bestseller in India and won two major awards, the Best Book of 2022 Award from The International Association of Working Women and the Best Fiction Award from The Times of India AUTHER awards, 2022. It has been longlisted for numerous prizes, including the Dublin Literary Award and been optioned for a film.