FAMOUS JOURNALS AND DIARIES

“I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read on the train.” –Oscar Wilde

Have you ever wondered what some of your favorite writers and artists were truly thinking when they created certain masterpieces? Or maybe you’re more fascinated with their personal lives and innermost thoughts they never told anyone? If you’ve ever kept a diary, you know just how important it is and how intrusive it can be if someone reads it, but many of these diaries and journals were published posthumously.

If you aren’t already keeping a journal or simply jotting down ideas and doodles in a notebook, do! And don’t worry about people reading your secrets; just put them down on paper. You’ll soon realize just how cathartic this is, and, once you write something, you can come to terms with your feelings a bit better. This is a constructive form of creative therapy.

Some of the most fascinating diary entries are by writers whose prose we think sum them up as individuals but, instead, only scratch the surface. In Franz Kafka’s Diaries (1914-1923), the fantastical writer (most well-known for his absurdist story, “The Metamorphosis” where a young man turns into a giant cockroach) details common, everyday occurrences, dreams, fears, writing habits, etc. These diaries are exceptionally fascinating because, like the writer, they fall into a category all their own that can only be described as “Kafka-esque.”

“Go on working regardless of everything; a pity I can’t work today, for I am tired and have a headache.” -Kafka

Kafka also kept travel diaries; this is a great practice for any young, aspiring writer. Keep a journal or notebook when you take trips and write down what you see. You’ll be surprised at how meaningful these details may become some day and how they’ll inform your writing, either consciously or unconsciously.

“Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart.” –Anne Frank

Of course, one of the greatest, most well-known diaries ever penned is “The Diary of a Young Girl” by Anne Frank. Published posthumously in 1947, it details the everyday life of her and her family while in hiding from the Nazi regime during WWII. This book is an invaluable document and made Frank one of the most beloved people to ever live, in any era.

Writings in Journals and Diaries to Inform

• Henry Miller’s “On Writing” is always fantastic for a bit of advice and insight, as are Jack Kerouac’s journals and innermost thoughts, which are, essentially, what comprise his great Beat novel, “On the Road.”
• Sylvia Plath was a notorious diarist and always kept extensive journals (complete with doodles).

• Frida Kahlo, of course, did more than just doodle and sketch in her journals; she filled pages with her incredible paintings—some accompanied by words, phrases, and bits of poetry.
• “The Andy Warhol Diaries” address the father of pop art’s daily life in very straightforward, almost tedious terms (such as the cost of cab rides, having lunch at McDonald’s, etc.). Warhol was a fascinating person, and some may wonder why he kept such records of the quotidian. He did, however, write about the fascinating lives and careers of some of the biggest celebrities at the time.
• Edward Hopper’s ledgers are filled with sketches, what he charged for paintings, pieces he sold, etc.
• James Joyce kept extensive journals and diaries about his work (especially when working on his masterpiece, “Ulysses”). He also wrote lots of love letters to his wife, Nora. These, obviously not meant for public consumption, were published after his death.
• Samuel Pepys kept a diary that, today, is considered incredibly important because it detailed, in part, how people lived in mid-17^th century England. Ideal for those interested in history!
• Luis Bunuel’s “My Last Breath” (or “sigh,” depending on the translation) is a wonderful document that details the great Surrealist filmmaker’s life and friendships with fellow artists (most notably Salvador Dalí, Max Ernst, and Federico García Lorca).

• Virginia Woolf kept diaries her whole life (they span from 1914-1941) that let us in on her most unguarded self.
• Richard Burton—the great actor who once famously quipped, “Home is where the books are,” kept wonderfully entertaining diaries that detail probably the most fascinating aspect of his life (his marriages to Elizabeth Taylor).

For more information on Virginia Woolf and her documentation of what a writer’s life is really like, read the New Yorker article below:

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1954/03/06/a-consciousness-of-reality

For more information on Samuel Pepys:

https://www.bartleby.com/essay/The-Importance-of-Samuel-Pepys-Diary-F3QX8DEC8M6S

For some memorable quotations from Andy Warhol (or anyone), check out Good Reads:

https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/366428-the-andy-warhol-diaries

For more information on Full Cycle Publications and what they publish, check out the website and see what’s on the blog.