'[The letters] cover war, fame and her first infatuation with another
woman...all related in a voice that is funny, gracious, intimate' The
ObserverI find myself talking to you about all the great joys, all the
agonies, all my thoughts... - Letter to Eva Konikova, 1946 Out of the
thousands of letters Tove Jansson wrote a cache remains that she addressed
to her family, her dearest confidantes, and her lovers, male and female.
Into these she spilled her innermost thoughts, defended her ideals and
revealed her heart. To read these letters is both an act of startling
intimacy and a rare privilege. Penned with grace and humour, Letters from
Tove offers an almost seamless commentary on Tove Jansson's life as it
unfolds within Helsinki's bohemian circles and her island home. Spanning
fifty years between her art studies and the height of Moomin fame, we share
with her the bleakness of war; the hopes for love that were dashed and
renewed, and her determined attempts to establish herself as an artist.
Vivid, inspiring and shining with integrity, Letters from Tove shows
precisely how an aspiring and courageous young artist can evolve into a
very great one.