More than half a century after her death, Frida Kahlo continues to inspire a devoted following. Her paintings command more money than any other female artist, and her work was the first by a Mexican artist to be purchased by the Louvre. Now her fascinating life is portrayed in authentic detail in Frida Kahlo’s Secret Book.

Acclaimed Mexican novelist F. G. Haghenbeck was inspired to write this book after a series of notebooks and sketchbooks were recently discovered among Frida’s belongings in Casa Azul, her home in Coyoacan, Mexico City. Although the Rivera family never confirmed their authenticity, Haghenbeck imagines that one of the notebooks was a gift from her lover Tina Modotti after she nearly died when an iron handrail pierced her abdomen during a trolley accident. Frida called the notebook El Libro de Hierba Santa ( The Sacred Herbs Book ) and filled it with memories, ideas, and recipes for The Day of the Dead, the Mexican holiday that commemorates friends and family who have passed away by cooking a delicious feast of exotic dishes.

In a rich, luscious style reminiscent of magical realism, Haghenbeck takes readers on an intriguing ride through Frida’s life, including her long and tumultuous relationship with lover Diego Rivera, the development of her craft, her complex personality, her lust for living and her existential feminism. The book also includes stories about the remarkable people who were a part of her life, including Georgia O'Keeffe (with whom she had an affair), Trotsky, Rockefeller, Hemingway, Dos Passos, Henry Miller, and Dali.