--- product_id: 60615109 title: "Things I Don't Want to Know: Living Autobiography 1" brand: "deborah levy" price: "€ 27.91" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.gr/products/60615109-things-i-dont-want-to-know-living-autobiography-1 store_origin: GR region: Greece --- # Cross-cultural, introspective journey Essential debut in a 3-part series Deep dive into writing & womanhood Things I Don't Want to Know: Living Autobiography 1 **Brand:** deborah levy **Price:** € 27.91 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Summary > 📖 Unlock the secrets of writing and womanhood with Deborah Levy’s unforgettable debut. ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Things I Don't Want to Know: Living Autobiography 1 by deborah levy - **How much does it cost?** € 27.91 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.gr](https://www.desertcart.gr/products/60615109-things-i-dont-want-to-know-living-autobiography-1) ## Best For - deborah levy enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted deborah levy brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - • **A Literary Oasis:** Experience Deborah Levy’s dazzling prose that feels like a refreshing escape from the ordinary. - • **Unmissable Insight:** Gain sharp, original reflections on the writing life and female identity that resonate deeply with millennial professionals. - • **Critically Acclaimed:** Join thousands who rate this book 4.2 stars for its wit, clarity, and emotional depth. - • **A Mirror for the Mind:** Connect with a narrative that explores memory, purpose, and self-discovery across cultures and time. - • **Part of a Must-Have Trilogy:** Own the first volume of a vital contemporary autobiography series that’s already shaping literary conversations. ## Overview Things I Don't Want to Know is the first volume of Deborah Levy’s acclaimed three-part 'Living Autobiography,' blending sharp literary insight with personal reflections on writing, identity, and womanhood. Praised for its originality and emotional depth, this book offers a compelling, cross-cultural exploration that resonates with thoughtful readers seeking both inspiration and connection. ## Description The first in Deborah Levy's essential three-part 'Living Autobiography' on writing and womanhood. 'Unmissable. Like chancing upon an oasis, you want to drink it slowly . . . Subtle, unpredictable, surprising' Guardian _________________________________ Taking George Orwell's famous essay, 'Why I Write', as a jumping-off point, Deborah Levy offers her own indispensable reflections of the writing life. With wit, clarity and calm brilliance, she considers how the writer must stake claim to that contested territory as a young woman and shape it to her need. Things I Don't Want to Know is a work of dazzling insight and deep psychological succour, from one of our most vital contemporary writers. The final two instalments in Deborah Levy's 'Living Autobiography', The Cost of Living and Real Estate , are available now. _________________________________ 'Superb sharpness and originality of imagination. An inspiring work of writing' Marina Warner 'An exciting writer, sharp and shocking as the knives her characters wield' Sunday Times 'A writer whose anger and confusion in the face of the world transform into poetic flights of fancy . . . which always feel marvellously right' Independent ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Book 1 Of 3 | Living Autobiography | | Dimensions | 12.8 x 1.1 x 19.7 cm | | Edition | 1st | | Isbn 10 | 0241983088 | | Isbn 13 | 978-0241983089 | | Item Weight | 129 g | | Language | English | | Print Length | 176 pages | | Publication Date | 5 April 2018 | | Publisher | Penguin | ## Images ![Things I Don't Want to Know: Living Autobiography 1 - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71MnTDTEB+L.jpg) ## Available Options This product comes in different **Format** options. ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you like the author, read this *by on Reviewed in the United Kingdom 12 October 2023* A short but heartfelt account of Deborah Levy's early life, written in her usual pitch-perfect prose. It's a cleverly constructed piece, an autobiography within an autobiographical setting, the early part of her life forming a central flashback, related to a chance acquaintance in the surrounding later narrative. The writing is self conscious with some recurrent themes, which tie the author's experiences to those of others whose lives have touched her. If you enjoy Deborah Levy's work, I cannot imagine how "Things I Don't Want to Know" could fail to please you. I loved it and am moving straight on to the next instalment. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Lyrical and lucid despite minor flaws *by on Reviewed in the United Kingdom 15 August 2018* I’ve never read anything by Levy before, the descriptions of her novels just didn’t appeal. But I kept coming across articles about her autobiographical series – the second came out this year – and they’re short so I thought I would try one. This is the first in a projected trilogy, each is a response to a famous work. (The second one apparently to Simone De Beauvoir’s 'The Second Sex'.) A 'loose' reply to Orwell’s essay 'Why I write'. In this essay Orwell talks about his childhood and its impact on his writing impulse, as well as listing four categories he thinks account for why writers write, so Levy has four sections in her book that correspond to these.I wasn’t entirely sure about the overall approach Levy takes, and the first section which is clearly about a moment of depression was hard to relate to, not because of her feelings, but because she could just pick up and go to a beautiful, secluded hotel in Spain. Not an option many of us have, I think. However, the second and third sections are basically autobiographical sketches and I thought they were really striking in how they represented displacement and loss. The first is a snapshot from her childhood in apartheid South Africa just after her father, an ANC member, was imprisoned for his political activities, it’s an amazing look at a horrific period of history through a child’s eyes. The second is an episode from her teens, just after her parents separate, and captures brilliantly her teenage angst and confusion. The writing here was lyrical and lucid. I thought the entire book was worth reading for those two sections, regardless of the project as a whole. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ just exhilaratingly good *by on Reviewed in the United Kingdom 15 April 2023* She opens up a whole world, a whole mind of memories. Such glorious prose. I completely love her now and want her as my friend. ## Frequently Bought Together - Things I Don't Want to Know: Living Autobiography 1 - The Cost of Living: A Working Autobiography - Real Estate: A Living Autobiography --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.gr/products/60615109-things-i-dont-want-to-know-living-autobiography-1](https://www.desertcart.gr/products/60615109-things-i-dont-want-to-know-living-autobiography-1) --- *Product available on Desertcart Greece* *Store origin: GR* *Last updated: 2026-10-08*