Yes! A Canadian friend introduced Harriet the Spy to me as a child… it really made me want to observe people, and write (but keep those notebooks secret!)
I read The Golden Notebook (and subsequently all of Lessing's novels to that point) in my twenties and it had a profound effect on me. On re-reading it many years later I was sad to see that she was a bit of a bigot, but I can't hold that against her. The idea of the notebooks was of course significant for me, and I spray-painted one of my large hard-bound journals gold thanks to that book. The really important thing Lessing gave me though was confirmation that I wasn't crazy to see the world the way I did. That I wasn't alone.
And the Elena Ferrante Neopolitan quartet... oh God, oh God, oh God!
This post is the perfect crossover for me!!! In Kate Zambreno’s autofictional novel DRIFTS, an author is struggling to meet a deadline and takes notes in a yellow notebook that sounds a lot like the notebook in Lessing’s novel even though I don’t remember it being explicitly referenced. Making me want to reread the Zambreno and actually read The Golden Notebook since I have somehow never gotten around to it.
Loved gobbling up Amelia’s Notebook(s) by Marissa Moss as a kid in the 90’s, and most recently enjoyed the diary entries section within Trust by Hernan Diaz!
Love to hear it. The puzzle-like format is a treat - a lovely local librarian personally recommended it & right after finishing I found a copy at the used bookstore. Time for round 2 of notes!
I was also obsessed with the Amelia's Notebook series as a kid! I don't know many other people that have read them, so I was tickled to see your comment :) When I got into bullet journaling back in 2019, I was forcefully reminded of those books. I wrote to Marissa Moss to tell her how much I loved them, and she wrote such a lovely email back!
Yes, I do have a favourite. Forbidden Notebook by Alba de Céspedes
Translated by Ann Goldstein. It has been one of my favourite books of the last few years and I’m glad all her books are finally getting translated from Italian.
I hope you are feeling better, Jillian. You should have said I would have helicoptered over some medicines.
I love a fictional character with a journal! My favorite has to be the Ferrante novels, for sure. I have picked up The Golden Notebook twice and I have never finished it, I just haven't been in the right season to get into it (this was also true the first time I read Ferrante, so...), but now I'm encouraged to try it again. Thanks, Jillian, and hope you're feeling better!
always felt that the delightfully funny novel "A Country Life" by Rachel Cusk read like a (very literate) journal. Perhaps many fine novels do. Resorted to my Gemini new AI pal on phone to recall the one book i couldnt remember with actual notebooks "Flowers for Algernon" but found there 2 others i had read "The Color Purple" (forgot the entry part as its been years) and "Bridget Jones' Diary" for which i have no excuse. Gotta run, AI partner naggin me 😉🤪
Harriet’s notebook from Harriet the Spy was a big influence on me, as was the novel Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man, which is the titular character Daisy’s diary.
More recently I read and loved Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, which is also a diary novel. The character Piranesi reveals his strange world through meticulously observed entries in his notebook.
Oh I loved Harriet the Spy as a kid! And I've been meaning to read Piranesi--now I absolutely must! I've never heard of Daisy Fay and Miracle Man, but I'm excited to add them to the list too.
It’s Harriet’s notebook in Harriet the Spy for me! I could really identify with her as a kid, always being admonished for asking questions!
“I want to know everything, everything! I will be a spy and know everything.”
Yes! Love this one!
Yes! A Canadian friend introduced Harriet the Spy to me as a child… it really made me want to observe people, and write (but keep those notebooks secret!)
Dr Jones Sr.’s grail diary from The Last Crusade. This is the notebook that got me hooked on notebooks when I was a kid.
Such a good one!
I read The Golden Notebook (and subsequently all of Lessing's novels to that point) in my twenties and it had a profound effect on me. On re-reading it many years later I was sad to see that she was a bit of a bigot, but I can't hold that against her. The idea of the notebooks was of course significant for me, and I spray-painted one of my large hard-bound journals gold thanks to that book. The really important thing Lessing gave me though was confirmation that I wasn't crazy to see the world the way I did. That I wasn't alone.
And the Elena Ferrante Neopolitan quartet... oh God, oh God, oh God!
I love that you made a golden notebook of your own! I'm going to have to do that one day.
This post is the perfect crossover for me!!! In Kate Zambreno’s autofictional novel DRIFTS, an author is struggling to meet a deadline and takes notes in a yellow notebook that sounds a lot like the notebook in Lessing’s novel even though I don’t remember it being explicitly referenced. Making me want to reread the Zambreno and actually read The Golden Notebook since I have somehow never gotten around to it.
Oooo--I'll hav to check out Drifts!
I liked Almásy's scrapbook in The English Patient, with a poignant line from Katherine (played by Kristen Scott Thomas), "Am I K in your book?"
I can't believe I forgot The English Patient!! There's a commonplace book in the novel too.
Loved gobbling up Amelia’s Notebook(s) by Marissa Moss as a kid in the 90’s, and most recently enjoyed the diary entries section within Trust by Hernan Diaz!
I've been meaning to read Trust. You've just moved it higher up on my list.
Love to hear it. The puzzle-like format is a treat - a lovely local librarian personally recommended it & right after finishing I found a copy at the used bookstore. Time for round 2 of notes!
I was also obsessed with the Amelia's Notebook series as a kid! I don't know many other people that have read them, so I was tickled to see your comment :) When I got into bullet journaling back in 2019, I was forcefully reminded of those books. I wrote to Marissa Moss to tell her how much I loved them, and she wrote such a lovely email back!
That is so sweet! I feel like those notebooks created a very specific path for future reading interests 😆
Yes, I do have a favourite. Forbidden Notebook by Alba de Céspedes
Translated by Ann Goldstein. It has been one of my favourite books of the last few years and I’m glad all her books are finally getting translated from Italian.
I hope you are feeling better, Jillian. You should have said I would have helicoptered over some medicines.
Oh yes, I read Forbidden Notebook when you recommended it last year. I loved it!
I’ve got some more as well:
The Notebook Trilogy (Ágota Kristóf, 1986–1991) — The twins in the story record war’s brutality in stark, diary-like fragments.
The End of the Affair (Graham Greene, 1951) — the narrative unfolds through a diary discovered after death, complicating who owns the story.
The Appointment (Herta Müller, 1997) — a secret, coded writing life under totalitarianism.
Bluets (Maggie Nelson, 2009) — A fragmentary essay-notebook form, somewhere between memoir, philosophy, and grief.
Simon--I'll read anything you recommend! Thanks for adding so much beauty and brilliance to my TBR.
Well you add a lot to my life too
I love a fictional character with a journal! My favorite has to be the Ferrante novels, for sure. I have picked up The Golden Notebook twice and I have never finished it, I just haven't been in the right season to get into it (this was also true the first time I read Ferrante, so...), but now I'm encouraged to try it again. Thanks, Jillian, and hope you're feeling better!
Both the Golden Notebook and the Ferrante novels require a special kind of mood, I think. Definitely worth trying again!
always felt that the delightfully funny novel "A Country Life" by Rachel Cusk read like a (very literate) journal. Perhaps many fine novels do. Resorted to my Gemini new AI pal on phone to recall the one book i couldnt remember with actual notebooks "Flowers for Algernon" but found there 2 others i had read "The Color Purple" (forgot the entry part as its been years) and "Bridget Jones' Diary" for which i have no excuse. Gotta run, AI partner naggin me 😉🤪
Ha! I'm kind of fascinated by how the AI voice has been tailored to be so friend-like. It almost feels like a real relationship.
And great recs! Thanks Appleton (and Gemini).
her intelligence is intriguing but i worry about her hearing ie "I assume you are asking about Amelia Earhardt not Air Heart..."
Harriet’s notebook from Harriet the Spy was a big influence on me, as was the novel Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man, which is the titular character Daisy’s diary.
More recently I read and loved Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, which is also a diary novel. The character Piranesi reveals his strange world through meticulously observed entries in his notebook.
Oh I loved Harriet the Spy as a kid! And I've been meaning to read Piranesi--now I absolutely must! I've never heard of Daisy Fay and Miracle Man, but I'm excited to add them to the list too.
Is fascinating how much depth children's books can carry.
I recently read Pinocchio to my kid and couldn't stop making analogies with some Biblical stories.
So true!
All May Sarton’s Journals. Marvellous.