Diaries of Note

'Captures moments in time like nothing else.' RICHARD E. GRANT
'Intimate . . . and rarely predictable.' MICHAEL PALIN

'Completely fascinating and inspiring. Completely addictive.' STEPHEN FRY
'A volume to treasure, sigh and snigger over.' BIDISHA


An engrossing collection of the most remarkable diary writing - by the famous, infamous and everyman alike - curated by the creator of the globally bestselling Letters of Note.


What is more intimate than the diary? Across human history, people have kept these repositories of their most unvarnished truths, poignant hopes, hidden desires and deepest fears. In Diaries of Note, Shaun Usher collects 366 captivating diary entries, each with a different author.


The diary welcomes all to its pages. Here we encounter reflections from world leaders, artists, scientists, writers and icons of film and music - including Alan Rickman, Frederick Douglass, Virginia Woolf, Louis Theroux and Emma Thompson - alongside those who were never illuminated by fame, but whose writings reveal them as extraordinary. Beautifully illustrated, this book is a testament to the power of personal narratives, reflecting and encapsulating our deepest, and often most secret, emotions.