The Diary Novel

Abstract

Although the diary novel is often regarded as a twentieth-century genre due to its particular popularity in this century, the form actually has a long history that originates in the eighteenth century. The Diary Novel is the first book to trace that history, concentrating on French, German, and English works with some attention given to Russian and Scandinavian traditions as well. Beginning with a discussion of the definition of the diary novel and some observations about genre study and criticism, Lorna Martens proceeds with interpretations of major diary novels by writers such as Defoe, Gide, Rilke, Frisch, Butor, and Lessing. The Diary Novel includes sections on the influence of Richardson and the letter journal novel, the publication of the 'journaux intimes', psychological fiction, reliability of the narrator, and the contemporary diary novel.