Marie Bashkirtseff (From Childhood to Girlhood)

"From Childhood to Girlhood" by Marie Bashkirtseff is a compilation of private journals from the 1800s that follows Marie Bashkirtseff's journey from age twelve into her teen years. The journal shares Marie’s thoughts and challenges as she tries to figure out who she is, deals with romantic feelings, and wrestles with what society expects of young women. The story starts with Marie as a bright and thoughtful girl, traveling with her family through cities like Paris and Rome, expressing her dreams for love and fame, especially concerning a young man called the Duc de H----. Her diary brings to life the ups and downs of young love and her big goals, displaying her strong imagination and understanding of herself, expressing a desire for her own validation in a world that does not take children seriously.