I read Nella Last's War back in 2019 and Nella Last's Peace the following year. I knew that a television film had been made which was based on Nella Last's diaries and I'd intended to watch it but it's only recently that I got round to doing so. Housewife, 49 is written by and stars Victoria Wood, greatly missed since her death in 2016. After finishing the first two books, as well as intending to watch the film, I'd intended to buy the third book in the series but it's only since watching the film that I've done so. I'm really looking forward to reading it.
Nella Last lived in Barrow-in-Furness and wrote diaries for the Mass Observation archive from 1939 till 1966. If you want to know more click on the link at the start of this post.
I can resonate with Nella Last as I've kept diaries my whole life. I don't still have them all but the ones in this box go back to 1994. These are pocket diaries and Filofaxes, I always use a Filofax now. These are diaries where I jot down birthdays, appointments, places I've been etc.
I'm also a journaller. I write about my life, quite insignificant things in most cases, but my journals are interesting to look back on. I suffer from anxiety and I find that writing things down can really help, it puts the jumble of my brain into some kind of order.
I've used different brands and sizes of books for journalling. I've sometimes decorated pages in different ways but I started the large grey A4 size book you can see here back in 2006 and that seems to be the one I always go back to, no decoration, just straight forward plain writing, it seems to work best for me.
Do you keep a diary? Do you keep a journal? What works best for you?
My blog is my journel which each year I publish as a book, I've had great fun looking through them with the grandchildren.
ReplyDeleteI think blogs are a form of keeping a diary, I often look back to see what happened at certain times. I understand your need to write its sort of cathartic .
ReplyDeleteYou are so good at keeping up with your diary and journal writing, I just about manage to write dates on the calendar! It's a great idea to get your ideas and worries written down, which will help you in the future. I do miss the talented Victoria Wood.
ReplyDeleteI used to keep a journal many years back, its great to look back on but I have got out of the habit and cant seem to keep them up any more. giving blogging another go!
ReplyDeleteI buy a A 5 diary every year for jotting done a to do list, including craft projects and books to read etc. I've tried a few times to keep a journal but it's just not something that I stick to. She's very poorly now, so unlikely to happen now.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure that other people are meant to read your journal. Maybe if she'd just read odd bits to me years ago... x
I remember watching 'Housewife, 49' it was excellent.
ReplyDeleteI always use a diary, have done for so many years.
I always get the same type just vary the colour each year!
Enjoy the rest of your week, and the coming weekend.
Can you believe that it will be the last one of February!!!
All the best Jan
I've not read any of the books but I have seen Housewife 49 and enjoyed it. The only time I've kept a diary of sorts was during the first lockdown. I like the idea of keeping a diary but I know I'd forget to write in it.
ReplyDeleteI used to keep a diary when I worked but not since I retired. I have been blogging for 20 years now, and been on several social media sites for nearly as long. xx
ReplyDeleteThe books are so interesting as they give a real look at how the war affected ordinary people. Housewife, 49 is a good adaptation and brings the people to life very well. I have kept a daily diary since I was a teenager and I'm now in my late 50s. They are singularly uninteresting to read, but I don't feel right if I haven't written in it each night. I use a day to a page A6 WHSmith one. I am a list maker and art journaller, so I think I must enjoy writing! My blog is also used as a diary with pictures, which I hope makes it more interesting. I do like looking back at it to see what I was doing, where I visited etc.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes
Ellie
I always have a big A4 diary a page a day and have them going back many years. I'm in the process of going through them and just recording important dates in one book, then I'm going to bin them, some thing's I don't want to leave behind. Most of its lists anyway.
ReplyDeleteThat's impressive, Jo. I always liked the idea of journalling, but it wasn't something that I managed to continue with. I suppose my blog is kind of like a journal. Xx
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