63 of 64 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Essential Reading for Every Diary or Journal Writer, September 21, 1999
When I found this book in 1990, I had no idea what a life changing experience reading it would prove to be. Over the years, I have experimented with the techniques and approaches the author suggests and I always discover something new about myself and my creativity in the process. It is at the top of my list of recommendations for diary and journal writers of all ages and experience. It is truly a classic.
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71 of 73 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The best I have found, August 16, 2000
This is probably the best book on journaling I have ever read. I only have one hesitation in recommending it: I think that a person who is new to keeping a journal may find the book somewhat daunting. But for someone who has been doing this for a while, this book is bound to be inspirational and even exhilerating. I marked it up so much, I wonder if I left any page empty of my comments. Even though I have been an avid diarist for decades, I found many wonderful and new ideas in this book to keep me going for the rest of my life! Thank you to the author for her commitment to journaling.
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104 of 111 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Inspiring...A Classic for a REASON!, February 15, 2004
Inspiring...that is the first word that comes to mind when I think about 'The New Diary: How to Use a Journal for Self-Guidance and Expanded Creativity.' I have to admit that I've kept journals all my life...but only sporadically...this book has really helped me to understand ALL that a journal can be and how wonderfully helpful, illuminating, and creative it may become if used in a "new" way..."new" in this instance means getting away from the "calendar" or methodical recording that goes on in most journals...which is how most of us were originally taught to keep our diaries/journals.
I think that this is a FANTASTIC book for beginners (and well beyond) -- especially those who journal only sporadically or repeatedly "give up" and throw out journals, feeling like we've failed at it...The New Diary will give you a NEW perspective!! With this book, you'll learn HOW to journal effectively -- what it really means, changing your perceptions of how it "should" be done...allowing you to use it more effectively in discovering yourself!!
I must say that when I ordered this book, I had NO idea that it was originally published in 1978...if I had known that I would NOT have ordered it...but, as it turns out, this was a VERY fortuitous oversight on my part!! The New Diary defiantly holds up 20+ years later!!! There is a rather timeless quality about the information found here and and even greater timeless quality to the way in which it is presented!! The "seven special techniques" are very helpful (and used time and again -- in their own special ways -- in various other books on Journaling)...these are techniques that seem perfectly logical and "mundane..." but they are in fact easily overlooked as journaling techniques by those of us bound to outdated styles of journal keeping -- using The New Diary as a reference once you've read it through will help you keep your journaling "fresh" --allowing you to get the most benefit from it!!
I also like what you DON'T get in The New Diary!! What you don't get here is a forced, stylized, and/or a pre-packaged journal that forces you to do it one way and one way only...this book allows you to get what YOU need out of the experience, rather than being told what you need and how someone else thinks you should do it!! All you get here (and it's MORE than adequate) is good, solid information which provides you with an equally solid foundation upon which you can develop your journaling skills!!
I really love how the author stresses the integration of ALL aspects of your life into your journaling -- using self-reflection and observation as a means to enrich journal writing!!
Finally...the examples given here of various journals -- allowing us to "see" exactly how a technique can be used...this was EXTREMELY helpful both while I was reading the book, as well as when I went back to it as a reference!!
I give The New Diary an A+ for content and usability...I think it will continue to be one of THE best resources on journaling for another 20 years!!
I Give it a B+ for price...it has a LIST price of 14.95...I got it from Amazon for 10.47...I much preferred paying the latter...if I'd spotted this at my local book store, I probably would have passed it up for something a little less expensive -- this was prior to reading it...now that I've read it and used it....I'd pay the 14.95 in a heart beat!!
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