Fun Facts Friday: Isak Dinesen

Karen Blixen (17 April, 1883 – 7 September, 1962) was a Danish author who wrote under the name Isak Dinesen.

Books by Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen)*

Fun Facts about Karen Blixen:

1. Karen Blixen married Baron Bror von Blixen-Finecke , her cousin, in 1914. This was after she had a failed romantic relationship with… his brother. She hence became Baroness Karen von Blixen-Finecke.
2. In 1915 the newly married Mrs. Blixen was diagnosed with syphilis which caused her medical problems all through her life. As a result of the illness, she was separated from her husband in 1921, the couple divorced 4 years later.
3. Karen Blixen moved to Kenya and met Denys Finch Hatton, and English large gamehunter. The co8uple stayed together until 1931, when Hatton died tragically in a plane crush.
4. Returning to Denmark, Mrs. Blixen pulsed Seven Gothic Tales in 1934. The book was written in English, under her nom-de-plume Isak Dinesen and was critically acclaimed.
5. In 1937 Out of Africa came out, the book tells of Mrs. Blixen’s life in Kenya and was later adopted to a movie.
6. In 1939 Mrs. Blixen received Denmark’s highest accolade for women in the arts or academic life, the Tagea Brandt Rejselegat.
7. Blixen wrote her books and stories in English, then translated back to Danish.
8. When her health deteriorated, Mrs. Blixen had to stop writing but did several radio broadcasts.
9. At the age of 77 Mrs. Blixen died, the cause of death is either malnutrition, syphilis or anorexia.
10. A suburb of Nairobi where the author’s home an dcoffee plantation were was renamed “Karen” in her honor.

Books by Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen)

Zohar – Man of la Book
*Ama­zon links point to an affil­i­ate account, the money is usually spent on books