Austrian poet Christine Lavant (1915-1973) was the recipient of many awards, including the Austrian State Prize for literature in 1970, yet most of her writings are still waiting to be published in English. She finished this memoir in 1946, but it was not published until 2001 after it was discovered in the literary estate of translator Nora Wydenbruck. The 80-page memoir describes the month she spent in a county asylum in 1935, including her observations of the conditions of the asylum, details of her interactions with fellow inmates, and her feelings about the psychiatrists and nurses who were charged with her care. A biographical sketch and afterword were contributed by Ursula Schneider and Annette Steinsiek. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)