Product Description A CLASSIC GUIDE TO JOURNAL WRITING, Tristine Rainer's The New Diary takes readers beyond the rigid calendar diary they may have kept as a child or travelogues of family vacations. A blueprint for efficient, productive and creative diary writing, it is a tool for tapping the full power of your inner resources. With more than 100,000 copies in print, The New Diary is as much for the novice journal-keeper as it is for those who have kept diaries their whole lives. It does not tell you the "right" way to keep a diary; rather, it offers numerous possibilities for using the diary to achieve your own purposes, such as:
- Clarifying your goals - Focusing inner energies - Freeing inhibitions and releasing your imagination - Using a workbook to explore dream - Writing about your life: past, present, and future
Insightful, Practical, and Sensitive August 24, 2008 Journaling has enjoyed a sort of renaissance of late. The availability and portability of pocket notebooks such as the Moleskine and the advent of the blog have brought this simple, valuable tool into 21st century witha vengeance. I, personally, have saved thousands in therapy bills from just keeping a journal. But I couldn't have done this on my own. As personal and freestyle as a journal is, the ability to gain any PRODUCTIVE benefit from the practice (i.e., not merely creating a written record of your existential angst and wallowing in your own sorrow) requires a mature, informed approach. For this, Tristine Rainer's classic "The New Diary" is a sensitive, practical, and insightful guide to creating he guidebook of your life.
The book itself has enjoyed popularity since its publication in 1978, and for good reason. Instead of merely bombarding the reader with a series of boring writing prompts, Rainer frees the diarist to begin writing immediately whatever he feels needs writing at this point in his life. Her simple advice for a productive initial writing session: "Write fast, write everything, include everything, write from your feelings, write from your body, accept whatever comes."
The next part of the book is devoted to specific diary devices. These include four basic devices: cathartic writing (basically what everyone thinks of when keeping a journal: spilling your guts onto the page), free-intuitive writing (stream of consciousness), descriptive writing (describing the situations, people, places, circumstances of your life), and reflection (thinking maturely about your life). Then comes a chapter with seven "specia" devices. These includes more specialized approaches such as dialogues, lists, the unsent letter, etc.
In the remaining chapters, Rainer offers her own insight into specific problems such as anger, fear, loneliness, depression, apathy, and jealousy. I have found this an invaluable reference. Rainer has a nuanced and informed understanding of psychology and quotes exceprts from her students' journals as well as famous diaries from the likes of Abraham Lincoln, Anais Nin (who appears frequently throughout the book - she was friends with the author), and others. I have never read the book straight through from cover to cover. Instead, I read up through the chapters outlining the diary devices, and started my journal from there. I then used the rest of the book as a reference whenever I needed.
One chapter that delves into a topic that no other book on the subject dares to touch in much detail is that on "Eroticism." Initially, I avoided this chapter because I never felt I had any need for it. I had no inclination to record lurid, pornographic entries for posterity. One night, however, after a rather chancy encounter with an ex-girlfriend, I found myself dealing with some confounding emotions. It turns out, Rainer's chapter on reclaiming your sexuality was just the guidance I needed to explore these feelings in a journal. One refreshingly astute observation Rainer makes is that modern society dehumanizes sexuality and estranges it from our larger personality. Many of us are carrying around a sexual vocabulary that isn't ours and doesn't reflect how we really feel towards our bodies and what we find erotic. Rainer encourages the diarist to create his own vocabulary and thus facilitate a reconnection with one's erotic life that can be extremely informative.
Another chapter on "The Diary as a Therapeutic Device" is well-researched and Rainer has a broad understanding of human psychology ranging from Gestalt therapy to modern cognitive therapies. It offers a seamless bridge from any supplemental therapies that you may be participating in. There are also references to Ira Progoff's "Intensive Journaling" throughout as well. While Rainer pulls some suggestions from Progoff's approach, her's is thankfully not as regimented and compartmentalized.
This new revised edition preserves most of the material from the first edition, with a few stray updates here and there - in particular references to computers and the advent of the internet. One conspicuous detail I noticed, however, is that this edition seems to be more inclusive towards men. The original edition was noticeably geared toward an audience of women in the choice of pronouns, excerpts, and assides. This has been remedied in the newer edition, with a more equitable distribution of both male and female diarists. While I was never horribly bothered by this aspect of the original edition, I did find it a judicious revision.
This is an excellent resource and has proven invaluable to me over the years. While many other books on journaling have appeared since, I've found this consistently the most complete and accomodating to different personality types and issues.
Fantastique! November 30, 2007 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Only one regret... I bought this book very late! It is the best one I read about journaling. I'm gonna sell every others books I have about the subject. All you need is there.
BUY THIS BOOK! September 16, 2007 Fantastic book for experienced diarist or beginners. Beautifully written and easy to read, I will use this book for reference purposes in the future. I can't praise this book enough!
Autobiogrphy & Journalling studies July 26, 2005 8 out of 14 found this review helpful
This book by Tristene Rainer is reccommended reading for this U 3 A course and although I have not completed my reading it is very helpful with good advice and pracices to do I would highly reccommend it to anybody beginning a Diary or journalling.
Outstanding Tool June 14, 2005 16 out of 16 found this review helpful
I've kept a journal/diary off and on for over 20 years. The biggest problem I have is that I have been stuck in the little locked book/calendar frame of mind with my journal. Tristine Rainer gives her readers some really great tools to break out of that thought pattern. Before reading this I didn't fully realize that I was in this pattern of self-editing/self-consciousness with pretty much all of my journal writing. It really held me back. Instead of not having enough to say, not thinking that my life is interesting enough to track on a regular basis, I now feel freed to explore my inner life. The combination of encouragement and practical tools to do this make it an invaluable book for the journaler.
My only complaint is that the language is dated and I would like to see it updated. It took me out of the moment book too often.
All rights reserved. Amazon.com is a trademark of Amazon.com Information about prices, products, services and merchants is provided by third parties and is for informational purposes only. Caribbean Travel Books does not represent or warrant the accuracy or reliability of the information, and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use.
