The Diary

A very quick read about how love conquers all. The story begins with a woman dying in a nursing home and her daughters finding her diary from before she married their father. As the daughters read on they believe that their mother was in love with another man before their father and they try to find out more about the story. Nicely done. A tender and touching tale.

So this is how I picked up The Diary, by Eileen Goudge. A couple of months ago, my husband and I were walking through a bookstore, and I was craving something, something interesting, anything to satisfy the girlish side of my literary delights...everything that my hand brushed through on the shelves just didn't seem engaging, and I was starting to get concerned. Would I actually walk out of a bookstore with nothing in my hands? NOTHING? Is it 2012 already?

My husband found the book. The hubby, you say? Yes, I speak the truth - my husband listened to what I wanted, and voila! Can you believe it? I wanted something fun, responding to my inner girl! I took this from him, read the back, and thought, YES! This will work!

I read this book in a show more day because I needed to know how it ended, I just had to know. The scenes quietly whispered the events to me, and my hands fluttered through the pages, desperate to drink in just a little more of what was going to happen. It's told from two perspectives -- from Elizabeth's daughters during current day and from Elizabeth as a young woman through the events recorded in her diary. The two sisters have come across it as they clear their parent's house -- their mother, Elizabeth, has suffered a severe stroke and is placed into a nursing home. Their father has already passed and they feel that their mother may not survive her stroke either. The diary is written when their mother, Elizabeth, has a choice between two men -- one who is considered to be the all around perfect guy and a real catch, and another who is from the wrong side of the tracks. Not to mention, Elizabeth also has a dominating mother who is into pretense and image who she constantly struggles with.

At first blush to hear the premise, you may think it's a story told before, but I can assure you that there is quite a difference with Eileen Goudge's writing -- once you dive into the flow of the words, the beauty and suspense becomes quite a treat. It was a perfect excuse to get caught up in another world, thinking about what the choices and experiences of a young woman in the 1950s may go through. It was a sweetly told book, the kind that as I read, I was begging for it to start to rain outside, simply because it's just one of those books to curl up with. Quite honestly, I have visions of this being a movie, and maybe with someone like Sandra Bullock as Elizabeth in the 1950s? (I do realize that Sandra Bullock is a little older than the character, but I am firmly Team Sandra, and I think she can play any role). Okay, maybe Maggie Gyllenhaal? I've been loving the roles that she's been in lately.

Has there ever been a book that you've read that as you are moving through the story, you can just see someone from Hollywood taking the role? And the book is written so well that you can see each scene play out? That's what The Diary did for me! I've got it all mapped out... show less

When Elizabeth Marshall's two grown daughters - Emily and Sarah - discover their mother's old diary stored in her attic, they are stunned to learn that their mother's true love wasn't their father. By reading Elizabeth's private thoughts and feelings about her life, a whole host of questions are kindled in their minds: is all as it seems? This is the mystery that Emily and Sarah must unravel as they stay up late reading the words penned by Elizabeth so many years ago.

Unfortunately, Elizabeth can't give her daughters the answers they so desperately seek. After suffering a massive stroke, she now lies mute and near death in a nursing home. Only the pages of her diary can provide clues as to what really happened.

In a richly detailed show more journey into the past, young Elizabeth Harvey loses her heart to one man while remaining devoted to another. Finally, she must choose between the devoted and steadfast Bob - who represents loyalty and stability...and the electrifying and unpredictable A. J. - who holds Elizabeth's heart, and who spent time in juvenile detention as a teenager. When a suspicious fire in the neighborhood is linked to A. J., Elizabeth faces another dilemma: she's the only one who can clear A. J.'s name, but to step forward would ruin her reputation. Surprisingly, it is Bob who eventually comes to her rescue, forcing Elizabeth to make perhaps the most painful decision of her life...

The Diary by Eileen Goudge is an intricate love story. However, it is also the story of the unshakable bond of love between a mother and her daughters. This is actually the third book by Eileen Goudge that I've read, and I must say that in my opinion, she really is an excellent writer. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, as I like stories about families; and specifically stories about relationships between mothers and daughters. I appreciated that Ms. Goudge's characters were so vulnerable - they each really resonated with me, and I found myself sympathizing with all of them. I give this book an A+! and look forward to reading more from this author in the future. show less

Emily and Sarah have to clean out the family home after their mother is debilitated by a stroke. They find her diary and are stunned to find that the story of their parents' lives together is not what they thought it was. While their mother is not able to clarify or add to what her daughters learn, they are able to resolve the mystery. This reminds me of Bridge of Clay and how all parents hold back pieces of their real lives from their children. Also, it is about how we do come to a point in our maturity when it is gratifying to learn who our parents really are. Reminds me to be transparent and honest even when that is painful and it is easier to cover up the "messy" parts of life.

Sisters Emily and Sarah discover the diary of their mother while cleaning out their mother's attic. Their mother, Elizabeth, has had a stroke and is in a nursing home close to death. The sisters begin reading the diary and are surprised to find that their mother had fallen in love with another man, her true love, not their father. Both are shocked and begin to question all that they have known about their parents...and about themselves.

This is a sweet, sweet story from one of my very favorite authors. It is a quick read, but one that will melt your heart. I do think we all forget that our own parents were once young and madly in love-this story reminds us. The Diary tells two stories; the past through Elizabeth's diary and the present show more through sisters Emily and Sarah. I only wish this book had told us more, I wanted more details and I wanted more about Elizabeth and her husband. The ending is a lovely surprise, an unexpected gift. show less

Bridges of Madison County redux. I haven't read any of her other books but I would hope that they aren't all recycled from others' ideas. But it does redeem itself near the end and takes a path of its own and away from Bridges. It turned out to be a very pleasant read and a bittersweet tale. I liked it more the farther I got into it; It could have been fleshed out and been an even better story.

As Elizabeth’s two grown daughters are clearing out her house they come upon a diary their mother kept as a young woman. Knowing they probably should not read it, curiosity gets the better of them and they delve into their mother’s past. Soon enough the work around them is forgotten as their mother’s words transport them (and the reader) back to 1951. Discovering that their mother had a “love of her life” that apparently was not their father comes as a shock. Who was this mystery man their mother had fallen head over heals for?

This was a good, fast read. Very enjoyable and, an interesting surprise in the last few pages.