Franziska Zu ReventlowBorn to the German aristocracy in 1871, Franziska zu Reventlow grew into a rebellious adolescent and abandoned her family once she achieved her majority. She spent her life in pursuit of total liberty--artistic, social and sexual--and became one of te most magnetic figures of Munich around 1900, when it was a dynamic centre of arts and letters and avant-garde notions. In the city's bohemian circles she was both avid participant and astute commentator. Revered by her admirers as a "heathen Madonna," Reventlow raised her illegitimate child alone, supporting herself with translation, satirical articles and even prostitution. She moved to Switzerland in 1910 but was unable to escape recurring patterns of illness and poverty, and died in 1918 following a bicycle accident. The five books Reventlow issued in her lifetime were all autobiographical to varying degrees, while posthumously published letters and diaries bear further witness to a life lived with bravery, integrity and passion. Read More Read Less