Karen Blixen returns home from Kenya. Destitute and uneducated, she lives at the mercy of her family. She wishes to be independent of her family and begins exploring the idea of of becoming a writer.

Karen is immersed in the process of writing her book. She wants to travel to London to seek out the biggest publisher in Europe, but the family will not help her finance the trip.

Karen receives a letter from the well-known American author Dorothy Canfield, who has shown her short stories to an enthusiastic publisher in America.

Concerned about potential criticism of her very un-Danish book, Karen is reluctant to publish it in her homeland. Meanwhile, she's trying to cope with her ill health.

Karen is in the process of writing her book about her years in East Africa, something that Gyldendal is very interested in. Meanwhile a disappointing review of Seven Gothic Tales bothers her.

Out Of Africa is hailed as ‘Book of the Month’ in America just like her first book. Back home in Denmark, Karen is hailed at the publishing house Gyldendal. Meanwhile, Mother Ingeborg falls ill.