Kirsten Thorup was born in Gelsted, Funen, Denmark in 1942.
After a brief stay in Cambridge as an au pair, she studied English at the University of Copenhagen, dropping out after her first year.
[1] Thorup is the author of poetry collections, a volume of short stories, works written for films, television, and radio, but is best known for her novels, established as one of the most widely read novelists in Denmark.
Thorup's writing has moved from modernist experimentation to a more realistic style, her novels typically have female protagonists.
Thorup's two most recent novels are set in Germany during World War II and follows the widow Harriet who lost her husband on the east front.