In this second part of her notionally autobiographical trilogy, Selma Lagerl-f broadens the perspective from the farm where she grew up to include the people and places around Lake Fryken in her beloved V-land county. The personal creation myth which she began in M-acka continues here with a focus on the self-discipline and imagination needed to fulfil a childhood ambition to become an author. It is hard work that sometimes means taking a stand against convention but also a deeply enriching process in a home steeped in storytelling and books. The mature author reveals the roots of the young bibliophile''s growing skill in deploying fiction to manipulate and embellish reality, producing a wryly charming, tongue-in-cheek account that we should beware of taking at face value.
