Myself When Young - Virago Modern Classics

In her novels and memoirs, Daphne du Maurier consistently displayed a passionate desire to delve into her family's history. In Myself When Young, which drew from the diaries she kept between 1920 and 1932, du Maurier explores her own past, starting from her earliest recollections and culminating in the publication of her first book and her marriage. The self-portrait that emerges is that of a complex and utterly captivating young woman, as she recounts her challenging relationship with her father, her education in Paris, her early romantic entanglements, her aversion to London life, and her fervent ambition to establish herself as a writer. Often painfully candid, du Maurier's memoir provides a revealing glimpse into the formative years that shaped her as a person and as an acclaimed author.

The exploration of her family's history was a recurring theme in both Daphne du Maurier's novels and her memoirs. In her autobiographical work, Myself When Young, she delves deeply into her own past, tracing her journey from her earliest memories to the pivotal moments of her life, such as the publication of her first book and her marriage. The resulting self-portrait is one of a multifaceted and captivating young woman, as du Maurier unflinchingly recounts her turbulent relationship with her father, her education in Paris, her youthful romantic entanglements, her aversion to the bustling life in London, and her burning ambition to establish herself as a successful writer. Through her painfully honest recollections, du Maurier offers readers a profound and intimate glimpse into the formative experiences that shaped her as both a person and a celebrated author.

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