Tove is forced to leave school early to support herself. One low-paying job follows another. Her youth is 'nothing more than a simple flaw and a hindrance,' and, as before, Tove longs for poetry, love, and real life. As Europe plunges into war, she encounters quarrelsome bosses, goes dancing with a new friend, rents her first room, writes 'real, mature' poetry, and remains determined in her quest for independence and poetic recognition. The miracle that unfolds before our eyes in this poetic prose (excellently translated by Anna Rakhmanko) is a conspiracy against loneliness and unhappiness. It seems that this is why people bare their souls, post photos on Instagram, and send messages about their living selves into the vastness. It's as if someone who reads this is extending a hand to you, and you will never be alone again. — Lisa Birger for The Blueprint Tove Ditlevsen (1917–1976) is one of Denmark's most famous and unique writers. Born and raised in the working-class Vesterbro district of Copenhagen, she wrote more than thirty books—poetry, novels, and short stories—many of which drew inspiration from autobiography.
Author: Tove Ditlevsen