The life of Isabel Allende – one of the world's most beloved authors – is as exotic, passionate, and inspiring as one of her novels.

At just three years old, her parents divorced, and Isabel was raised in her grandparents' home in Chile. She left school at the age of 16 and married Miguel Frías at 19. She then balanced her work as a journalist, editor, columnist, and television interviewer with caring for her two children.

When her cousin, Chilean President Salvador Allende, was assassinated in 1973 during Pinochet's right-wing military coup, her life changed radically. It was too dangerous to remain in Chile, so she, her husband, and their two children sought refuge in Venezuela. During her impoverished exile, she began writing ‘The House of the Spirits’. Based on her memories of her family and the political turmoil in her country, it became an international bestseller and everything changed again…