Johanna Spyri

Johanna Spyri (1827-1901) is one of the most famous children's writers in the world, but little is known of her life. She grew up in a Swiss village that overlooked the Lake of Zurich and had stunning views of the Alps. Because her father was the local doctor, their home was the center of cultural activity and the root of her love of books. She continued mixing with literary and artistic people after her marriage, and this continued for the rest of her life. Although Johanna's childhood was happy, she faced great sadness when her only son died at the age of twenty-nine. When asked to write her autobiography, she refused with the words: "The external path of my life is quite simple, and there is nothing special to be mentioned. My inner life was full of storms, but who can describe it?"

Heidi is often thought to be Johanna Spyri's first book but she had in fact already written widely for both children and adults. Heidi became so famous that everything else has been forgotten. It was translated into English soon after it was first published in 1880. Its huge success is perhaps because Heidi faces some of the most basic and important issues of life: the individual versus society, wealth and poverty, sickness and health, etc. This, and Johanna's gifts as a storyteller, have made Heidi one of the most successful children's books of all time.

Other titles by Johanna Spyri:

• Mazli
• Cornelli
• Vinzi
• Dora
• Gritli's Children
• Eveli, the Little Singer
• Children of the Alps