Books by Shobha De encompass varied themes which influences life in many ways. Shobha De, a significant name in the modern Indian literature always remains unique in selecting her subjects in the novels. Shifted from depicting the common human condition, she rather deals with the aristocratic class or the titled class. She mercilessly points out the sores and wounds of the modern society. Often labelled as feminist by the critics, the writings of Shobha De reflect the conflicts and the dilemmas the women in India had to undergo. Presently she is the house name of the aristocratic intellectuals.
Socialite Evenings
Socialite Evenings is the first novel of Shobha De which depicts the high society of Mumbai. It explores the lives of rich housewives who are trapped in the loveless marriages with smug selfish husbands and often get engaged in ill-fated extramarital affairs. It illuminates how the high class professionals use their wives for maintaining a social status and as a show off in the fashionable parties. It narrates the decadence of morale and intellect of the elites who trade their traditional culture for materialistic needs and westernization. Although the novel received commercial success, it failed to receive appreciations from critics. It was published in the year 1989.
Starry Nights
Starry Nights is her second novel. It portrays the various faces of women as the peripheral theme of the novel. The book became a bestseller in India and established the author as a provocative and daring writer. Starry Nights released in the year 1989.
Sisters
The dark side of the business world of Mumbai, which has an insensitive sway in the life and relation of the individual happens to be the chief theme of the novel Sisters. It depicts the rivalry as well as the emotional bond between the half sisters. Out of the two daughters, one is legitimate while the other is illegitimate of a rich businessman. Sisters was published in the year 1992.
Sultry Days
Sultry Days, published in 1994, narrates the story of an impressionable teenage girl Nisha who meets God, a ragged, streetwise student in her college canteen on a sultry, rainy day in Mumbai. A passionate romance begins between them and subsequently the Nisha lands herself in an advertising job while God pursues journalism. As their career take off, they encounter unexpected people and everything about their life goes wrong.
Second Thoughts
Second Thoughts is a love saga of a pretty girl Maya who embraces the glamour of Mumbai leaving behind her dull middle-class home in Kolkata after marrying a handsome and ambitious man hailing from a wealthy family. Determined to be an ideal wife, her life gradually confines in the rigidity and conservatism of her husband. Trapped in loneliness, Maya strikes up friendship with a college-going neighbour Nikhil, which leads her to the path of love and betrayal. Second Thoughts was published in 1996.
Speedpost
Speedpost was written by Shobha De in 1999. It comprises a series of letters addressed to her six children. Every letter encompasses different subjects like religion and God, growing pains and adolescent anxieties about love, sex and friendship, family traditions, the challenge of being a responsible parent, death and the place of career in the lives of her children.
Strange Obsession
Strange Obsession, authored in the year 1994, narrates the tale of a supermodel Amrita Aggarwal who arrives in Mumbai earning envy of the people. Gradually she invites the attention of a strange woman named Minx whose strange demands jumble up Amrita`s life turning it into a nightmare.
Other Books by Shobha De
Apart from these other books authored by Shobha De include Uncertain Liaisons, Shooting From The Hip, Small Betrayals, Selective Memory, Surviving Men, Spouse: The Truth About Marriage, Snapshots, Superstar India - From Incredible To Unstoppable, Sandhya`s Secret, Shobhaa At Sixty, Shethji and Shobhaa: Never A Dull De.
