Sharika Esther Sharma is half Indian and half Dutch, was born in Washington D.C., USA, and has lived in India for the most part of her life. After graduating from Woodstock International School in Mussoorie, Sharika went on to acquire her Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication and English Literature from the University of San Diego, California. Returning to India, she wrote articles on latest archaeological discoveries for The Asian Age and Education Times. She has written for television and was part of a production for Star Plus channel. More recently, she has written an article for the blog fempowermentawards.com called ‘Kali’s Significance in the 21st Century’. She travels between her homes in Delhi and Mumbai. Her novel, Unchain My Heart, will be released in 2022. Monkeys in My Garden: Reflections from a Life in Isolation, is her second book.
Monkeys in My Garden: Reflections from a Life in Isolation is a daily journal written by a woman hunkered down with her two pubescent sons in a farmhouse overrun by monkeys.What must it be like for this woman separated from her husband and locked down at her parental home, having to navigate through complicated family dynamics, trying to create a positive bubble of existence for herself and her children? In pointing out similarities between people’s reactions to the present crisis and crises of the past, the writer shines a light on our collective human nature. She reflects on how populist leaders around the globe are mishandling the crisis in their respective nations. She reflects on dealing with social isolation and loneliness and ways of overcoming the destructive emotions they can stir.This book will give readers a sense of comradeship: to get a glimpse into a single person’s experience will remind every reader that, even if they’re living alone, they are not alone; we are all in this together. We are all struggling with our own demons and also the demon lurking at the gate.
