The Diary Review is now over 10 years old. One of my main objectives for the website has been, and remains, to celebrate the incredible wealth of freely available diary texts online - to provide links to this material. However, many of the links in older articles have become outdated, and for this reason I am endeavouring to re-examine each article on or around it’s tenth anniversary. Occasionally, I am re-publishing these articles in the present with a new intro and date (in which case the article carries a note to this effect). Mostly, however, I am simply replacing outdated links where I can. If I can’t find an original source any longer, I am removing the links. Thus, some of these older articles are now less hyperlinked than they once were. They remain, though, as an archive of where the information was originally found.
The world’s greatest online anthology of diary extracts, presented by calendar day, in the same way as popular books such as The Assassin’s Cloak and The Faber Book of Diaries. However, this anthology includes many more, and many longer, extracts than is possible in a published book. It also provides a wealth of links for further information about the diaries and diarists.
‘. . . this amateur (in the best sense) attempt to document historical and literary diarists is a great browse. Truly a labour of love by one individual, over [500] diarists can be accessed through a variety of lists, including alphabetically, chronologically and by profession, and for each there is a brief biographical summary, journal dates and a few links. This isn’t the site for in depth information on any of the diarists but it does provide a good overview of journal-writers from 838 right up to the present day.’ Michelle Pauli, The Guardian.
The Diary Review (along with its companion websites And so made significant . . . and The Diary Junction) are maintained privately without any funding or advertising. If, however, you like, or make use of, either website please consider supporting their author/editor by purchasing one or more of his books in the Not a Brave New World trilogy. Thank you.
Not a Brave New Worldis a fictional memoir, a trilogy in three wives, spanning the whole of the 21st century: one man’s - Kip Fenn’s - frank account, sometimes acutely painful and sometimes surprisingly joyful, of his three partners, and his career in international diplomacy working to tackle the rich-poor divide.
GILLIAN - Book One - Amazon sales Kip Fenn’s first love is in a coma. His father suddenly isn’t his father. After formative trips to Brussels and Brazil, Kip wins a civil service job. Unfortunately, a media baron discovers his sexual weakness and is blackmailing him for government secrets. If only Kip could find solace in his wife’s arms or joy in his children.
DIANA - Book Two - Amazon sales Kip Fenn is a success: his career has taken off within a major UN agency trying to spread wealth from the rich to the poor. But all is not well with the world - the golden age of oil and chips is now over, and unsustainable development is leading to social turmoil, and to world war. Kip has found love and a new family, but he can find no way to stop his older children self-destruct; nor does he realise his partner’s deceit.
LIZETTE - Book Three - Amazon sales Third time lucky - Kip Fenn finds true love. His UN career though is ending with a whimper. Another terrible war is cut short by the devastating Grey Years, and while nations rebuild many individuals turn Notek. In restless retirement, Kip’s lifelong passion for vintage photos sees him launching a new arts institution. But who is the mysterious visitor by his bedside, and how will she affect his planned deathday?