Karen Blixen

Date of Birth: April 17, 1885

Zodiac Sign: Aries

Date of Death: September 7, 1962

Biography

Karen Blixen, also known by her pen name Isak Dinesen, was a Danish author born on April 17, 1885, in Rungsted, Denmark. She is best known for her memoir “Out of Africa,” which details her life managing a coffee plantation in Kenya. Blixen’s work is characterized by its lyrical prose and exploration of themes such as identity, loss, and the human condition. Her literary career took off after the publication of “Seven Gothic Tales” in 1934, a collection of stories that showcased her narrative skill and imaginative power. Blixen came from a well-off family and received her education in Denmark and Switzerland. In 1914, she married her Swedish cousin, Baron Bror von Blixen-Finecke, and moved to Kenya, where they attempted to run a coffee plantation. The marriage ended in divorce in 1925, but Blixen continued to live in Kenya until 1931, when she returned to Denmark after the plantation failed. Her literary career flourished upon her return to Denmark. Apart from “Out of Africa,” Blixen wrote several other notable works, including “Winter’s Tales” and “Last Tales.” Her writing earned her international acclaim, and she was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature several times. Blixen passed away on September 7, 1962, in Rungstedlund, Denmark, where she had spent much of her later life.

5 Interesting Facts about Karen Blixen

1. Karen Blixen’s pen name, Isak Dinesen, means “Isaac the Son of Daniel” in Hebrew.

2. “Out of Africa” was adapted into a highly successful film in 1985, starring Meryl Streep and Robert Redford, which won seven Academy Awards.

3. She wrote in both Danish and English, and her works have been translated into numerous languages.

4. Blixen had a long-lasting and profound friendship with the British aristocrat and hunter Denys Finch Hatton.

5. Despite her literary success, Blixen struggled with health issues throughout her life, including complications from syphilis and chronic malnutrition.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Karen Blixen

1. “All sorrows can be borne if you put them into a story or tell a story about them.”

2. “The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea.”

3. “God made the world round so we would never be able to see too far down the road.”

4. “Difficult times have helped me to understand better than before how infinitely rich and beautiful life is in every way, and that so many things that one goes worrying about are of no importance whatsoever.”

5. “To be human is to be a story.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

At the peak of her literary career, Karen Blixen’s net worth is estimated to have been around $1 million, which is a significant amount considering the era in which she lived.