Forbidden Notebook

Forbidden Notebook is a masterful exploration of female identity and desire in postwar Italy. Alba de Céspedes weaves a haunting tale of Valeria, a discontented housewife trapped in the confines of her bourgeois Roman family life. As Valeria's inner thoughts and yearnings slowly surface through her secret diary, the novel charts her quiet rebellion against societal expectations and awakening to her true self. With exquisite prose and profound psychological depth, Céspedes lays bare the restlessness and longing simmering beneath the veneer of domestic propriety.

Alba de Céspedes (1911-1997) was an acclaimed Italian novelist and activist. Born into a wealthy family in Rome, she rebelled against her privileged upbringing to pursue writing and leftist politics. Forbidden Notebook, first published in 1952, cemented her reputation as a leading voice in Italian feminist literature for its candid portrayal of a woman's inner life and rejection of traditional gender roles. Céspedes' courageous, semi-autobiographical works continue to resonate with modern readers for their nuanced exploration of female identity, sexuality, and the quest for independence.