Yoï

by John Porter

With an introduction by Dacia Maraini

Yoï is the first biography of Edith Cornelia Crosse, a remarkable woman more commonly known as Yoï. Born in Hungary to an English father and a Hungarian/Polish mother, Yoï later moved to England to live with her grandmother. She then settled down to marriage and children, until her life was altered forever by a major scandal.

Yoï’s love of travelling took her as far afield as Tehran, before she settled in Italy, first in Rome and then Florence, with her second husband, the well-known sculptor Antonio Maraini. Embarking on a new career as a writer and publishing several successful books about her travels, Yoï’s social circle included many of the leading literary and artistic figures of the day. She also regularly contributed many articles to newspapers and journals in England, including an interview with Mussolini.

Yoï lived through turbulent times, with the rise of fascism and two world wars disrupting her tranquil existence. Yet through it all she remained, according to those who knew her, an extremely fascinating woman – cultured, ironical and refined. John Porter recounts this compelling life in his debut biography.

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About the Author

John Porter

John Porter took up family history and biography comparatively late in life, after careers in television broadcast engineering, and as a mathematics teacher. On retiring, he worked for a while as a computer consultant. He spends most of his time in research, writing, and giving talks to local history societies.

Dacia Maraini is an Italian writer. Her work focuses on women's issues, and she has written numerous plays and novels, many of which have won awards. She is Yoï Crosse's granddaughter.