Beneath a Marble Sky by John Shors

In 1632, the Emperor of Hindustan, Shah Jahan, consumed by grief over the death of his empress, Mumtaz Mahal, ordered the building of a grand mausoleum to symbolize the greatness of their love. Against scenes of unimaginable wealth and power, murderous sibling rivalries, and cruel despotism, Princess Jahanara tells the extraordinary story of how the Taj Mahal came to be, describing her own life as an agent in its creation and as a witness to the fateful events surrounding its completion.

To escape a brutal arranged marriage, Jahanara must become the court liaison to Isa, architect of the Taj Mahal. She is soon caught between her duty to her mother's memory, the rigid strictures imposed upon women, and a new, though forbidden, love. With exceptional courage, Jahanara dares to challenge the bigotry and blindness at court in an effort to spare the empire from civil war, and to save her father from his bellicose son, Aurangzeb, a man whose hatred would extinguish the Islamic enlightenment from the Mughal Empire. To do so she must enlist her Hindu friend, Ladli, and her guardian, Nizam, as spies, and urge her brother, Dara, the designated heir to the throne, down from the ivory tower of his philosophical inquiries. The stakes become ever greater when Jahanara must deceive her husband as to the true father of her child, and must protect those closest to her from her enemies' retaliation.

As a princess and a mother, as a sister and a daughter, Jahanara will find herself faced time and again with impossible choices, and will discover the real meaning of her regal birthright. In Beneath a Marble Sky John Shors recreates an historical Hindustan brimming with breathtaking intrigue and containing the secret truth of the Taj Mahal for a world still in awe of its enduring majesty. (from http://www.beneathamarblesky.com/thestory.html)

I bought this book because I thought it was this one. I was however very glad I read it I liked it very much.

The Twentieth Wife by Indu Sundaresan

For three and a half centuries, the Taj Mahal has haunted our imaginations. It is a tomb built by a grieving king of the Mughal Empire (1526-1858) in India in memory of his beloved wife.
But it was this woman's aunt, an empress in her own right, who was the most powerful queen of that dynasty. The Twentieth Wife is the story of this Empress Nur Jahan.

She is one of India's most controversial empresses. Her brilliance and determination trumped myriad obstacles and helped shape the course of the Mughal Empire.

Although a work of fiction, The Twentieth Wife is rooted in historical fact and detail culled from accounts of seventeenth-century travelers to Emperor Jahangir's court and the memoirs of the Mughal kings.

The sequel, titled The Feast of Roses (Atria Books, May 2003) tells the story of Mehrunnisa's life as Empress. She rules in Jahangir's name for the next seventeen years, and in doing so, shapes the destiny of the empire. In a time when women were never seen and rarely heard, Mehrunnisa has coins minted in her name, owns ships that ply the Arabian sea routes, and commissions many of the gardens and tombs that still stand in India today.

I thoroughly enjoyed this quick read. It is written beautifully and absolutely transports you. I was craving some saag paneer and naan for weeks afterward! I loved that she was a strong individual and yet still obedient to the confines of her culture, a balance I am always trying to find. I have not read the sequel yet but will post when I do.

Interpreter of Maladies

I'm have a serious weakness for short stories and an infatuation with India (or at least Indian cuisine and culture since I've never actually been there....just watch Monsoon Wedding and you'll know where this is coming from), so I couldn't really go wrong with this Pulitzer prize winning collection of short stories by the author of The Namesake. I found the book extremely well writen and lush in detail and setting with very vivid characters and stories. I was sorry to see the end of the book when it came. It was like eating a box of chocolates where each one is different, but equally delightful. The title comes from a character whose job it is to interpret for a doctor living in a village who doesn't speak the language of the villagers. Doesn't that sound interesting already?

p.s. However, didn't really like The Namesake.

The Space Between Us

This is a wonderful book about two women who live in India. One woman is upper middle class, educated, and the other is her servant, illiterate, hard working, and loyal. It is such an interesting book because it explores the vast difference in both women's world, and yet at the same time tells the story of their lives as women, which ends up being similar. It is a story of how they both survive the hands that are dealt them in life. It is a great book for a book club, as there is so much to discuss and think about. It is also very well written. I was sucked into this book and neglected my children as I consumed this fascinating book.

The Far Pavillions by M.M. Kaye

I first read this book when I was in high school.  I have read it again a couple of times since then.  It is an epic tale of a man living in India during the Raj (Queen Victoria's reign).  Since it is an epic it has it all: drama, adventure, romance, history, etc.  I love it.  It may not be the finest fiction available, but it is a classic, and I love it.