I didn’t know Anais Nin had childhood diaries. How interesting. And amazing that you read her adult ones as a child. Must have made quite an impressing. :)
Yes — I'm pretty sure that she started them when she was 11 or so. And yes :). But the discussion over at your excellent de Beauvoir essay pointed out a surprising upside to the “read anything at any age” parenting approach that I have mixed feelings about, having been at the wrong end of it: I didn't realize until reading the discussion there so many people had grown up thinking that the “real writers” club didn't include women. That's genuinely upsetting, and would never have occurred to me.
For some reason this conversation is reminding me of the collection of Hannah Arendt and Karl Jasper's letters. They're very interesting to read. One could definitely have included letters in this essay, but didn't think of it.
Thank you — I'm glad I found my way to it! Have much enjoyed the poems I've read so far.
I came to it in a sort of roundabout way: happened onto Margaret Atwood's substack and saw it through that. And oddly enough had just been writing an essay — it went up a couple of days ago — that mentions translations of Homer, so it was also a lovely surprise to see Robert Fitzgerald mentioned in your intro.
Thanks for welcoming me to My Iambs and Me, and welcome here in return.
Such a lovely piece. I share your enjoyment of diaries and letters; and that aperçu, that one can enjoy the intimacy of reading, while disliking (or at least not liking) the person - so true. Conversely, dislikeable people can be strangely likeable in their private selves... Fascinating.
I am so glad you pointed me in the direction of this. I love reading others' diaries (and indeed letters.) There are so many interesting parallels between a writer's notebook and an artist's sketchbook: the freedom, the noting down of things that spark but also it the place where we think before the stage of connecting with a reader / viewer. I have also noted down "THe notebook of Joseph Jourbet", who I didn't know. Thank you!
Thank heavens — I'm glad you liked it. Didn't want to be intrusive in posting it in the comments to your lovely piece on sketchbooks, which I'll link to here as well, in a moment, for the sake of anyone reading the comments later. I love reading diaries and letters also, and have never thought about artists' sketchbooks so much, so it's so interesting.
The Joubert Notebooks are a pleasure to read, but very definitely notebooks, not diaries or journals. Thoughts rather than events, if that makes any sense.
So very bright taughts You wrote. Just continue Your notebook diaries. Nice work.
Thank you!!
This inspires me both to read and write more diaries. Thank you.
I hope you do, and that both are enjoyable!
I didn’t know Anais Nin had childhood diaries. How interesting. And amazing that you read her adult ones as a child. Must have made quite an impressing. :)
Yes — I'm pretty sure that she started them when she was 11 or so. And yes :). But the discussion over at your excellent de Beauvoir essay pointed out a surprising upside to the “read anything at any age” parenting approach that I have mixed feelings about, having been at the wrong end of it: I didn't realize until reading the discussion there so many people had grown up thinking that the “real writers” club didn't include women. That's genuinely upsetting, and would never have occurred to me.
For some reason this conversation is reminding me of the collection of Hannah Arendt and Karl Jasper's letters. They're very interesting to read. One could definitely have included letters in this essay, but didn't think of it.
Thank you @Jo Paoletti for restacking this!
Your essay, Writing In Notebooks, had me at Hello.
That said, I'm grateful and flattered that you've subscribed to My Iambs and I.
Thanks!
Thank you — I'm glad I found my way to it! Have much enjoyed the poems I've read so far.
I came to it in a sort of roundabout way: happened onto Margaret Atwood's substack and saw it through that. And oddly enough had just been writing an essay — it went up a couple of days ago — that mentions translations of Homer, so it was also a lovely surprise to see Robert Fitzgerald mentioned in your intro.
Thanks for welcoming me to My Iambs and Me, and welcome here in return.
Thank you, @Tina Lee Forsee , for restacking!
How about sharing a picture of your notebook? Perhaps the first cover or some non-confidential pages.
It would feel more personal, especially if you've customized it :)
Such a lovely piece. I share your enjoyment of diaries and letters; and that aperçu, that one can enjoy the intimacy of reading, while disliking (or at least not liking) the person - so true. Conversely, dislikeable people can be strangely likeable in their private selves... Fascinating.
Thank you! Yes, indeed —notebooks/journals/diaries show some of the complex aspects of being human. Agreed — endlessly fascinating.
I am so glad you pointed me in the direction of this. I love reading others' diaries (and indeed letters.) There are so many interesting parallels between a writer's notebook and an artist's sketchbook: the freedom, the noting down of things that spark but also it the place where we think before the stage of connecting with a reader / viewer. I have also noted down "THe notebook of Joseph Jourbet", who I didn't know. Thank you!
Thank heavens — I'm glad you liked it. Didn't want to be intrusive in posting it in the comments to your lovely piece on sketchbooks, which I'll link to here as well, in a moment, for the sake of anyone reading the comments later. I love reading diaries and letters also, and have never thought about artists' sketchbooks so much, so it's so interesting.
(Here is the link, for others! https://open.substack.com/pub/stillsketching/p/what-are-days-for-days-are-where?r=2u2cxe&utm_medium=ios)
BTW, I enjoyed this recent post and exchanges in the comments of Jillian Hess's Substack, Noted: https://open.substack.com/pub/jillianhess/p/what-do-you-call-your-notebooks?r=2u2cxe&utm_medium=ios.
The Joubert Notebooks are a pleasure to read, but very definitely notebooks, not diaries or journals. Thoughts rather than events, if that makes any sense.
Thanks for reading and commenting!
you weren't intrusive at all and the parallels are so interesting. Thank you very much for including the link, it is so kind of you.
Love your writing. Feel so at home in it - all the care you give the reader! Thank you!
Oh, that's the loveliest comment! Thank you!