"Diana: A Strange Autobiography" 1948 FREDERICS, Diana
$175
FREDERICS, Diana
[42] pp.
The Citadel Press
1948
8" x 5 1/4"
Fine/ Fine
The narrative follows Diana's progress through college; a trial marriage that proves she is incapable of heterosexuality; intellectual and sexual education in Europe; and a series of lesbian relationships culminating in a final tormented triangular struggle with two other women for the individual salvation to be found ...
Rummell published her book Diana: A Strange Autobiography using the pseudonym, Diana Fredericks. The autobiography details one young woman s, Diana, discovery of her lesbian sexuality. The book ends positively, with Diana and her female partner happily together. This sympathetic and positive-portrayal of lesbianism was shocking for the time in which it was first published. The autobiography was published with a note saying, "The publishers wish it expressly understood that this is a true story, the first of its kind ever offered to the general reading public". However, Rummell's niece Jo Markwyn said in an interview that she believes Diana: A Strange Autobiography is not purely autobiographical: "The general family background is similar, but rather than having three brothers, she had two brothers and a younger sister. I don t think it's an autobiography. I think it is a novel based upon her life." During her life, Rummell was never known for being the author of Diana.