This memoir intermingles the personal experiences of a member of the powerful Nehru household with many of the major events and patterns of the Indian struggle for independence. The author's life serves as an alternative to the stereotype of the repressed Indian woman.

Manmohini, a member of the family of Motilal Nehru, father of Jawaharlal Nehru and grandfather of Indira Gandhi, recalls her life, including her years in the anti-British campaign, her prison terms, her marriage and family, and her work in women's organizations and politics.