Anna Kavan

British novelist, short story writer, and painter (1901–1968)

Anna Kavan (born Helen Emily Woods; 10 April 1901 – 5 December 1968) was an English writer.

Anna Kavan
An abstract head and shoulders painting
Self-portrait from the 1950s
BornHelen Emily Woods
(1901-04-10)10 April 1901
Cannes, France
Died5 December 1968(1968-12-05) (aged 67)
London, England
Pen name
  • Anna Kavan
  • Helen Ferguson
Occupation
NationalityBritish
Notable worksIce
Spouse
  • Donald Ferguson
    (m. 1919; div. 1928)
  • Stuart Edmonds
    (m. 1931; div. 1938)
Children2

Kavan wrote stories before using the name Anna Kavan. During this time, she wrote six novels. They are very different from her other novels. When she changed her pen name, she started writing experimental novels. This change focused on dreams and addiction.[1]

I Am Lazarus is a collection of short stories. The stories are about mental illness and war-related post traumatic stress disorder.

Kavan travelled a lot during the Second World War. She was in New Zealand for 22 months. Because New Zealand is close to Antarctica, she was inspired to write Ice.[2]

References

change
  1. Anaïs Nin, The Novel of the Future published by Mcmillan, 1968.
  2. David Callard, The Case of Anna Kavan, biography published by Peter Owen, 1992.