The Brass Notebook: A Memoir of Feminism and Freedom

The Brass Notebook is a lyrical and globe-spanning memoir by the influential feminist economist Devaki Jain, with introductory pieces from two American icons. It chronicles Jain's life story, including her travels, education, and career as a champion for feminism and the poor.

Format: Hardback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 27 April 2023
Publisher: The New Press

The captivating memoir by the influential feminist economist spans across continents and delves into the intimate and political life of Devaki Jain, a young woman who embarks on a journey of independence. "Your heart and world will be opened by reading The Brass Notebook," Gloria Steinem asserts.

At the tender age of thirty, Devaki Jain crossed paths with Doris Lessing, the esteemed Nobel laureate and author of The Golden Notebook. Lessing's mentorship inspired Jain to share her remarkable story. Over half a century later, Jain has unveiled a captivating account of the life journey of a courageous woman who has defied societal expectations throughout her life.

Jain's life intertwined with the remarkable figures of Iris Murdoch, Gloria Steinem, Julius Nyerere, Henry Kissinger, and Nelson Mandela. She navigated a world that sought to confine her ambitions. As a young woman, she embarked on solitary travels across the subcontinent, meeting with Gandhiji's disciple Vinoba Bhave, hitchhiking across Europe in a sari, and falling in love with a Yugoslav at a Quaker camp in Saarbrücken.

Jain's educational journey included a stint at Oxford University, where she supported herself by working in a local café as a dishwasher. Later in her career, Jain became a prominent economist, focusing her attention on the plight of poor women who toiled in the informal economy, a domain that mainstream economics had yet to address.

The Brass Notebook, with a foreword by Nobel Prize-winning economist Amartya Sen and an introduction by the renowned American feminist Gloria Steinem, seamlessly blends the political with the personal. It is a book brimming with life, ideas, politics, and history. This memoir offers a profound testament to the indomitable spirit of Devaki Jain and her unwavering commitment to equality and social justice.

Weight: 416g
Dimension: 146 x 225 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781620977941