The Diary Review

‘We had a tour of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio. It is a huge institution, located on fourteen acres of land. Everything here is large scal...

Today marks the 180th anniversary of the birth of Henry James, one of the US’s finest writers, and a major figure in 19th century literary r...

‘Before we knew what was happening, the skies were full of German planes which had apparently sprung from nowhere. There seemed to be hundre...

‘Some sun though hazy, to Devoran - did awkward drawing of boats and town. Rushed back to Tresilian & did sketch from car.’ This is the ...

Idris Davies, a Welsh poet best remembered for The Bells of Rhymney , a ballad set to music by Pete Seeger, died 70 years ago today. Diaries...

‘Decided to spend the day photographing. Saddled pony and started for the mountain taking camera and plate changing box with a dozen plates ...

‘500 Jews stood on parade for execution by shooting . . . lined up ready to be shot . . . I don’t much care for shooting defenseless people ...

In the moon’s clear light all mundane desires are but a path of dreams So wrote the great poet Saiokuken Sōchō in medieval Japan, half a mil...

Noël Coward, one of the greatest international show business personalities of the 20th century, died half a century ago today. His published...

‘All my associations here are bad, and I can hardly shake them off. All the old feelings I have been trying to get rid of, seem revived: par...

‘Roger Donald called from Little, Brown to say that he would like to negotiate a two-book deal. To celebrate, I bought a denim shirt, and th...