Seven years ago Diana Athill made her one and only visit to Canada to participate in a PEN Canada talk with Alice Munro. It was one of the highlights of my publishing life, listening to those two women chat about reading, and writing and the joys of literature. William Richardson graciously hosted the evening and he was a star.

Today Diana turns 99! In honour of her arriving at the door of her 100th year we are publishing the truly lovely A Florence Diary. She wrote this on her first trip to Italy post WWII in 1947. She continues to be an inspiration to us all in the publishing biz and House of Anansi is honoured to be her Canadian publisher!

— Sarah MacLachlan