Alba de Céspedes y Bertini (March 11, 1911 – December 14, 1997) was a Cuban-Italian writer, journalist, and feminist. Born in Rome to a Cuban diplomat father and an Italian mother, she spent her early years between the two countries. She became known for her novels focusing on women's issues and psychological analysis, often set against the backdrop of political and social upheaval. Her works often explored the condition of women in society, their search for identity, and their struggle for independence, both personal and social. During World War II, De Céspedes was active in the Italian Resistance, which infused her writing with a sense of social conscience and historical context. She is perhaps best known for her novel "Quaderno proibito" (The Forbidden Notebook), which covers the theme of female self-awareness. Besides writing novels, she also wrote essays, short stories, and screenplays, and was an editor of a women's magazine. Alba de Céspedes was a significant literary figure whose works continue to be studied for their cultural and historical insights as well as their contributions to feminist literature.