Written by Ruth Rendell under the

of Barbara Vine, the story of

opens in 1905, when a Danish family arrives in London and the lonely young mother, Asta, begins a diary. After Asta’s death more than sixty years later, her daughter Swanny discovers a huge pile of diaries which, since they are written in Danish, she can barely read. Fascinated by their contents, the widowed Swanny begins a new life as their editor and translator. Once published,

becomes a sensation, a phenomenal bestseller. However only her close family know the real reason for Swanny’s obsession with her mother’s diaries. For all their apparent eloquence and detailed chronicling of daily life, they also serve to conceal various painful family secrets. Also, a contemporary…

1443 words

Citation: Rowland, Susan A.. "Asta's Book". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 03 June 2005 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=16822, accessed 16 April 2024.]