List of longest diaries
This is a list of diaries notable for their exceptional length, primarily by word count but also duration.
| Author | Word Count | Duration | Period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Shields | 37.5 million | 25 years | 1972-1997 | Exact word count not available until 2049[1] |
| Claude Fredericks | 30 million | 80 years | 1932-2013 | Word count is estimated; the manuscript runs to 65,000 pages[2] |
| Edward Robb Ellis | 22 million | 71 years | 1927-1998 | |
| Arthur Crew Inman | 17 million | 44 years | 1919-1963 | |
| John Gadd | 4 million[3] | 45 years | 1975-2020 | Started in 1947[4] but kept consistently from 1975[5] |
| Ernest Achey Loftus | Unknown | 91 years | 1896-1987 | Guinness World Record for longest kept diary[6] |
| William Lyon Mackenzie King | Unknown | 57 years | 1893-1950 | Word count not stated; the manuscript exceeds 50,000 pages[7] |
References
- ^ Martin, Douglas (29 October 2007). "Robert Shields, Wordy Diarist, Dies at 89". New York Times. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
- ^ Anastas, Benjamin. "The Most Ambitious Diary in History". The New Yorker. No. 1 November 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
- ^ Eckersall, Faith (3 November 2013). "150 volumes and 33,000 pictures: meet John Gadd, the man who's written Britain's biggest personal diary". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
- ^ Evans, Mike. "Meet Mr. Gadd, 83, of Fontwell Magna in Dorset". Retrieved 8 September 2022.
- ^ de Bruxelles, Simon (10 August 2013). "Diaries record a life in mind numbing detail". The Times. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
- ^ "Longest kept diary". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
- ^ "Diaries of William Lyon Mackenzie King". Library and Archives Canada. Library and Archives Canada. February 28, 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2018.