As you do on the weekends I had some time to read one of the suppliments that comes in our weekend paper. There’s always something of interest for me. This time I was interested to note a reference to the book Louis Armstrong, In His Own Words: Selected Writings. You can read a review or check out the Amazon listing yourself.
I was particularly drawn to the fact that the jazz legend wasn’t a particularly great writer, but the edition apparently captures a lot about the man. His language was much like he spoke, with creative punctuation which was mostly …read more

While in the library this morning I picked up a large book about Maurits Cornelis Escher’s drawings. I’m sure you’ve seen the images before. A good example is the drawing above. I had a quick read of the biography at the beginning of the book and learnt Escher kept a visual diary. He believed the daily practice of drawing would improve his skills. I think he might’ve been on to something.
Do you draw daily? Try to just sketch a little if you have the desire to draw. I’m sure not all of us can hope to be as good …read more

I wonder if you knew that George Orwell, Samuel Pepys, Charles Darwin & Thomas Hardy were now regular bloggers? It took me reading a news story about these famous journal keepers to learn about at least three of these new blogs. Certainly interesting reading just for the sake of who these men were, but there’s a lot to gain about history and loads more on those blogs. I hope you enjoy reading them.
Heather
Image used with permission from Newscom

Jeffery Archer was already a well known and widely published author before he ended up in prison for perjury. Not one to miss an opportunity he spent his prison time well by writing a diary. Later published as three separate volumes, the prison diaries apparently make terrific reading.
A Prison Diary Volume 1: Hell
A Prison Diary Volume 2: Purgatory
A Prison Diary Volume 3: Heaven
Learn more about this fascinating man with the journal keeping habit on his official website & his blog. Please leave any comments in the section below.
Heather
Photo used with permission from Jeffrey Archer

Apparently Kimberly Wyatt of the girl group the Pussycat Dolls is considering publishing her journal. Wyatt has been an avid journal writer since she was 17. Have a look at her blog to get an idea of her writing style. While I’m no fan of the group, I’m always interested in a well written journal and life story.
Please leave any comments in the section below.
Heather
Photo used with permission from Newscom

I am really excited to read about Meg Cabot’s initiative with YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association), encouraging teens to keep journals. Meg Cabot, the author of The Princess Diaries series, among other books, has helped create a programme which includes making journals, bookmarks with tips on how to journal, and how to address privacy issues. It’s very encouraging to read that Cabot was an avid journal writer as a teen, too.
Heather

Today while wasting time, because I had to wait for something, I spent time in a book store. Out the front they had a book by Jason Donovan, the former Neighbours star & singer. Not that I’ve ever been a fan, don’t watch soapies, but I was interested enough to search the book online tonight. Any autobiography is interesting to me these days. I couldn’t discover if he has actually penned the book himself, but it does appear that way. I tried to find out if he has ever kept a journal, but no go on that. I suppose I …read more

Today I came across this news story about Jimi Hendrix. The article is a review for the book Jimi Hendrix: An Illustrated Experience. This book is an exciting take on material already known & shown about Hendrix; the difference being about 30 interactive pieces, which are reproductions from actual ephemera of the guitar legend’s life, including diary entries.
Image from http://www.solarnavigator.net/music/jimi_hendrix.htm.
Heather
Journaling Tools – Go deeper and reach higher with hundreds of journal writing resources.
Life Journal Software

I read this news story with interest. Seems somebody thinks Britney Spears is going to publish her diary. Somebody else says this won’t be happening. Either way, Spears continues to make news just for keeping, or not keeping, a journal. I’m sure glad no one wants to read my boring scrawlings. How about you? Please leave any comments or thoughts in the section below.
Heather
Journaling Tools – Go deeper and reach higher with hundreds of journal writing resources.
Life Journal Software

Seems Joyce Carol Oates has published journals she wrote 1973-1982. I read about it in this article, in which the writer gives his opinion of the published journals.
I have read a couple of Oates novels and enjoyed them, but after reading the review in the link above I feel less like reading her published journals than I might have been. In fact, I haven’t read too many published diaries, anyway. Share your thoughts on writers living up to their writing reputations in journals. Do you feel their journals should reflect their writing talents? Or do you expect their …read more