Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: Penguin Random House India has issued a firm clarification stating it is not the publisher of Sonia Gandhi’s upcoming memoir, “Belonging: A Journey of Love,” in India, following reports suggesting the publisher had withdrawn after the author declined proposed “editorial” changes.
Penguin Disputes Reports of Editorial Disagreement
In a statement, Penguin Random House India said any suggestion that it decided not to publish “Belonging” because the author declined editorial changes did not accurately reflect the actual circumstances. The publisher acknowledged it had been keen to publish the book, adding that fact-checking authors and offering recommendations forms a normal part of the publishing process and remains both its prerogative and responsibility.
Publisher Declines to Detail Discussions with Author
Penguin stated that throughout its discussions on the matter, its position remained one of willingness and eagerness to publish the book, but declined to elaborate further on what it described as confidential discussions with the author.
Alfred A. Knopf to Release Memoir on November 10
American publishing house Alfred A. Knopf has announced that Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s memoir will be released globally on November 10. In a statement issued through Knopf, Gandhi said that while much has been written about her family, few narratives had captured the truth of their motivations, actions and human failings, describing the book as a tribute to their humanity and a personal perspective on six decades of social and political change she has witnessed in India.
Memoir Chronicles Personal Losses and Political Journey
In “Belonging,” Sonia Gandhi writes about her life being upended following the assassination of her mother-in-law Indira Gandhi in 1984, and the subsequent murder of her husband Rajiv Gandhi seven years later. She went on to enter politics, becoming the longest-serving president of the Congress party, while famously declining her party’s offer to become Prime Minister; the Congress ultimately lost power to Narendra Modi’s BJP in 2014.
Gandhi Reflects on Personal Journey of Writing the Book
Gandhi said it was heartbreak and loss that drew her into public political life, having fiercely guarded her privacy until then. She described writing about her life as challenging, requiring her to open up and share deeply personal experiences, adding that as she gradually stepped back from politics and reflected on her journey, a thread of love and loyalty emerged, running from her childhood in small-town Italy through her years in India as Rajiv Gandhi’s wife and Indira Gandhi’s daughter-in-law.
