Rupi Kaur is only 23 years old and has a New York Times Bestseller. Rupi Kaur is only 23 and has a New York Times bestselling book of poetry, a book that was originally self-published on Amazon. For those of you not familiar with the world of publishing, this is an incredible feat almost unheard of. Rupi Kaur is truly unique.
Rupi Kaur, author of Milk and Honey, was born in Punjab, India. Her family immigrated to Canada when she was five. Growing up she read voraciously and soon became interested in writing and art, performing her poetry across Canada as a teenager. In November 2014, Kaur decided it was time to share her story and her work and she self-published Milk and Honey. A few months later her book was picked up by publisher Andrews McMeel and re-released. Fast forward to 2016 and Milk and Honey has sold over half a million copies and is currently in its 16th printing.
Milk and Honey follows Kaur’s journey through love, heartbreak, abuse, and the difficulties of navigating life as a woman. Milk and Honey is split into four parts, “the hurting,” “the loving,” the breaking,” and “the healing.” Her mix of short hard-hitting poetry, original sketches, and beautifully crafted prose all play off each other to create a book that is not just a collection of stand alone poems, but an entire body of work that works together as one piece. Her writing is raw and powerful and will make you cry, smile, and question the society we live in, the society that tells girls and women everyday that we should shrink ourselves, take up less space, and be quiet. Kaur responds to this message in her clear and strong voice:you tell me to quiet down cause
my opinions make me less beautiful
but i was not made with a fire in my belly
so i could be put out
i was not made with a lightness on my tongue
so i could be easy to swallow
i was made heavy
half blade and half silk
difficult to forget and not easy
for the mind to follow
This book is a must read for anyone who is interested in issues of race, feminism, abuse, grief, loss, trauma, or love. This book is a must read for anyone who wants to find power in themselves again, for anyone who has ever felt broken, lost, or unwanted. Milk and Honey is a must read, period.
Find out more about Rupi Kaur and Milk and Honey on her website.