For four years, writer Lynley Hood, was obsessed, or possibly possessed, by New Zealand writer and educator Sylvia Ashton-Warner. This compelling diary is a record of Hood's experiences and reflections as she pieced together the multi-dimensional puzzle of Sylvia Ashton-Warner's life for her award-winning biography, Sylvia!

Hood candidly reveals the fascination and complexities of the biographer's search; the highs of extraordinary discoveries, the lows of confusion and doubt, the frustrations and intrigue of the New Zealand literary scene of the time, as well as chronicling her own development as a solitary, full-time writer. Who is Sylvia? brilliantly captures the unflinching spirit and energy of the biographer. It's an absorbing, intimate and delicious read - as only a diary can be!