About the Author

Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach (1830–1916) was an Austrian writer born into Moravian aristocracy, who defied expectations by pursuing literature in a world that offered women few public roles. She became one of the most important German-language women writers of the 19th century, known for psychologically rich fiction such as Das Gemeindekind and for her sharp, humane aphorisms. In 1900, she became the first woman to receive an honorary doctorate from the University of Vienna. Remembered for her insight into character, class, and moral growth, she had a long life of observation behind her when she wrote, “In youth we learn; in age we understand.”