A WOMAN’S DIARY
by Eeva Kilpi
Naisen päiväkirja, WSOY 1978, 238 pp
A feminist trailbrazer’s candid account of her life and writing!
A diary that has become one of the most-loved books of Finland’s Annie Ernaux!
‘But in any case, life is a fantastic phenomenon.’
A Woman's Diary is a candid account of the life of a middle-aged writer spanning from spring to autumn, discussing writing, and the consuming alternation of creativity and melancholy.
Published in 1978, A Woman’s Diary was not written to be published, but was born out of Eeva Kilpi’s introspective conversations with herself about the hardships of everyday life, about her work and about human relationships. It gives voice to many aspects of a woman’s life that had previously been silenced.
Eeva Kilpi fearlessly brings forward her own soul in her diary entries, reflecting the complexity of motherhood, longing for love and loneliness of a single mother.
The entries in A Woman's Diary contemplate the essence of our inner self and the significance of others in our lives.
RIGHTS SOLD: Finland WSOY (orig.)
Materials available: Finnish edition, English sample
Praise for A WOMAN’S DIARY:
“‘A Woman’s Diary’ provides a unique insight into the conditions of life and work of a woman writer for whom the very form of a diary offers a frame in a specific historical context. In ‘A Woman’s Diary’, writing and living are inextricably linked and woven into the everyday bodily existence and in the expression of emotions.”
“When Kilpi speaks openly about the problems that you have considered your own and unique, it’s like a sister reaching out to you: don’t worry, it’s all part of a woman’s life.”
Eeva Kilpi (b. 1928), often portrays women in their relationships with men, with friends, with children – especially in the role of single parent – and with nature, which these women protect and befriend as a living partner and a source of renewed strength.
Kilpi’s literary works, particularly her reflections on aging, identity, women's experiences, nature and animal rights have earned her a place as one of Finland's most esteemed authors.
Eeva Kilpi has been awarded Finland’s State Prize for Literature four times (1968, 1974, 1984 and 2019), and the Aleksis Kivi Prize for her lifetime literary achievements in 2017.
In Finland, Kilpi is considered a national treasure, a courageous trailblazer and a feminist icon. Her work consists of poetry, novellas and autobiographical works, translated into 20 languages.
Author photo (c) Veikko Somerpuro/WSOY
