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The Danish Girl
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The Danish Girl Paperback - 2001

by David Ebershoff

Inspired by the true story of Danish painter Einar Wegener and his California-born wife, this portrait of a marriage begins with a favor asked of a husband by his wife. Her portrait model cancels, and she asks if he would slip into a pair of women's shoes and stockings so she can finish the painting on time. With that, a most passionate and unusual love story begins.


Summary

A stunning first novel that probes the mysteries of sex, gender, and love with insight and subtlety

Inspired by the true story of Danish painter Einar Wegener and his California-born wife, this tender portrait of a marriage asks: What do you do when someone you love wants to change? It starts with a question, a simple favor asked of a husband by his wife on an afternoon chilled by the Baltic wind while both are painting in their studio. Her portrait model has canceled, and would he mind slipping into a pair of women's shoes and stockings for a few moments so she can finish the painting on time. "Of course," he answers. "Anything at all." With that, one of the most passionate and unusual love stories of the twentieth century begins.

From the publisher

"The Danish Girl is an extraordinary story about extraordinary people." -- Eddie Redmayne National Bestseller * A New York Times Notable Book * Winner of the Lambda Literary Award for Transgender Fiction * Winner of the Rosenthal Foundation Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters * Finalist for the New York Public Library Young Lions Award * Finalist for the American Library Association Stonewall Book Award Now an Academy Award-winning major motion picture, starring Academy Award-winners Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander and directed by Academy Award-winner Tom Hooper
Loosely inspired by a true story, this tender portrait of marriage asks: What do you do when the person you love has to change? It starts with a question, a simple favor asked by a wife of her husband while both are painting in their studio, setting off a transformation neither can anticipate. Uniting fact and fiction into an original romantic vision, The Danish Girl eloquently portrays the unique intimacy that defines every marriage and the remarkable story of Lili Elbe, a pioneer in transgender history, and the woman torn between loyalty to her marriage and her own ambitions and desires. The Danish Girl's lush prose and generous emotional insight make it, after the last page is turned, a deeply moving first novel about one of the most passionate and unusual love stories of the 20th century.

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Details

  • Title The Danish Girl
  • Author David Ebershoff
  • Binding Paperback
  • Edition Reprint
  • Pages 304
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Penguin Books, New York, NY
  • Date February 1, 2001
  • ISBN 9780140298482 / 0140298487
  • Weight 0.5 lbs (0.23 kg)
  • Dimensions 8.1 x 5.3 x 0.8 in (20.57 x 13.46 x 2.03 cm)
  • Ages 18 to UP years
  • Grade levels 13 - UP
  • Themes
    • Chronological Period: 1920's
    • Chronological Period: 1900-1949
    • Sex & Gender: Gay
    • Topical: Lgbt
  • Library of Congress subjects Historical fiction, Biographical fiction
  • Dewey Decimal Code FIC

Media reviews

"...Fascinating and humane..." --The New York Times

"A first novel of startling refinement and beauty." --The Chicago Tribune

"Heartbreaking and unforgettable, it is a complete triumph." --The Boston Globe

Citations

  • Entertainment Weekly, 02/23/2001, Page 155
  • New York Times, 02/11/2001, Page 32

About the author

David Ebershoff's debut novel, The Danish Girl, was adapted into an Oscar-winning film starring Academy Award-winners Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander. It was nominated for four Academy Awards, three Golden Globes, two SAG awards, and five BAFTAs. In 2017 the New York Times named The Danish Girl one of the 25 books that has shaped LGBTQ literature over the past 20 years. Ebershoff's most recent novel is the #1 bestseller The 19th Wife, which was made into a television movie that has aired around the globe. His books have been translated into more than twenty-five languages to critical acclaim. Ebershoff has appeared twice on Out Magazine's annual Out 100 list of influential LGBT people. He teaches in the graduate writing program at Columbia University and worked for many years as Executive Editor at Random House. Originally from California, he lives in New York City and loves to hear from readers via his website www.ebershoff.com.

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The Danish Girl: A Novel
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The Danish Girl: A Novel

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The Danish Girl: A Novel

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The Danish Girl: A Novel
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The Danish Girl: A Novel

by Ebershoff, David

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ISBN 13
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ISBN 10
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