She busied herself raising a niece, doing charity work, and continuing to write and publish. Tragedy struck in 1884 when both Spyri's husband and son died. Among this output was Heidi, which the author wrote in four weeks. Following this, more of Spyri's stories for both adults and children were published, with many highlighting the struggles and harsh living conditions of Switzerland's poorer population at the time. However, her first story, about a woman’s experience with domestic abuse, wasn’t published until 1880, when the author was already in her early fifties. In 1852, when Johanna was 25, she married a former schoolmate, Bernhard Spyri, an attorney in Zurich.Īlthough Spyri is almost exclusively associated with Heidi, she wrote 31 books, 27 volumes of stories and four brochures. The Sisterhood collectioncelebrates the best-loved classics, written by some of the greatest female authors in history.īorn in rural Hirzel, not far from Zurich, she grew up in a happy, cultured and artistic home. When five-year-old Heidi is sent to live with her grandfather high up in the Alps, no one really knows how they will get on.Įven though her grandfather can be fierce, Heidi loves it up in the beautiful Alps, playing with the goats and birds.īut when her strict aunt decides that she must leave her mountain home, Heidi is determined to return to her happy life with her grandfather. Heidi by Johanna Spyri Includes an introduction from writer and feminist activist Scarlett Curtis.
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