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Diary
by
Misty Wilmot has had it. Once a promising young artist, she’s now stuck on an island ruined by tourism, drinking too much and working as a waitress in a hotel. Her husband, a contractor, is in a coma after a suicide attempt, but that doesn’t stop his clients from threatening Misty with lawsuits over a series of vile messages they’ve found on the walls of houses he remodele
...more
Paperback, 262 pages
Published
September 14th 2004
by Anchor
(first published August 26th 2003)
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Liking Chuck Palahniuk's books must be akin to a Fear Factor challenge for most readers. And sometimes I can't help but wonder, what if THAT is what exactly Palahniuk wants the readers to feel about his works? Feel challenged by it, dislike it, feel disgusted or insulted by it--all of these by hurling the naked truths of human nature to the face of people in the harshest possible way?
My first Palahniuk book is Choke, and I was sort of culture shocked when I read it--a multitude of f-bombs being ...more
My first Palahniuk book is Choke, and I was sort of culture shocked when I read it--a multitude of f-bombs being ...more
Jul 24, 2013
Salymar
added it
“It's so hard to forget pain, but it's even harder to remember sweetness. We have no scar to show for happiness. We learn so little from peace.”
― Chuck Palahniuk, Diary
― Chuck Palahniuk, Diary
Yes, and?
The way this narrative was a dairy while also describing a diary was an amazing idea. The setting and the characters were the right type of people in the right place but something about it all made it sort of gross to read. And that was probably the point and I probably missed that but I wish it was more of an actual diary. I started reading with that idea and am a huge fan of epistolary fiction. My favorite of which is The Sorrows of Young Mike.
Very slow to begin with.
A little confusing at times but the end was great.
A little confusing at times but the end was great.
no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
NO. NO.
This book is ridiculous.
I've never found it exactly difficult to get through a Chuck Palahniuk book because he's one of the greatest, most complex writers I know of, but this book... it was such a drag. I prefferred babysitting over reading Diary.
I had to pull myself through it each and every day. I get anxious if I don't finish a book so I couldn't toss it aside. The only reason I completely forced myself through it in less than a month is because I was so exci ...more
NO. NO.
This book is ridiculous.
I've never found it exactly difficult to get through a Chuck Palahniuk book because he's one of the greatest, most complex writers I know of, but this book... it was such a drag. I prefferred babysitting over reading Diary.
I had to pull myself through it each and every day. I get anxious if I don't finish a book so I couldn't toss it aside. The only reason I completely forced myself through it in less than a month is because I was so exci ...more
Like all of Palahniuk’s other work, Diary is vivid, disturbing, grotesque, and a bit supernatural. If his descriptions don’t leave you feeling at least somewhat squeamish, then you must have no imagination whatsoever. He is like a painter who makes the simplest object look hideously grotesque, who can look at a common scene and envision it in the twisted way only a serial killer might. Only, the serial killers in his novels don’t kill for pleasure; they kill for reasons much more creative than t
...more
Hey, goodreads. Remember how seriously I used to take you? I would tell you every time I finished a book, and then I would tell you about the book. I guess I haven't been doing that as much lately. Kind of like how Chuck Palahniuk has been phoning it in for three books now, huh?
Because look, this was the last one of his books I hadn't read. Now I have read all of them. And Chuck? The only reason I didn't give this one five stars is because it wasn't Rant, which I have built up in my head to be ...more
Because look, this was the last one of his books I hadn't read. Now I have read all of them. And Chuck? The only reason I didn't give this one five stars is because it wasn't Rant, which I have built up in my head to be ...more
This was my first selection to our book group -- and it definitely shook things up a bit.
I love Palahniuk, and this is actually my favourite of his. Fight Club comes second, so if you hate Fight Club, I can't think you'll like this. The style is still there -- short, choppy ideas repeated until you wonder why, a vocabulary that makes you double take from time to time. One of our book groupies actually read it with a dictionary to hand because she wanted to know what every word meant. Which, give ...more
I love Palahniuk, and this is actually my favourite of his. Fight Club comes second, so if you hate Fight Club, I can't think you'll like this. The style is still there -- short, choppy ideas repeated until you wonder why, a vocabulary that makes you double take from time to time. One of our book groupies actually read it with a dictionary to hand because she wanted to know what every word meant. Which, give ...more
My absolute favorite Chuck book so far. It spoke to me bring an artist wit the theme of artists suffering. Original storyline as usual, he does not disappoint... but rather brings it... fully (more so then any other book he has written, in my opinion).
Suffering = living. Suffering = true feeling. Suffering = emotions. Emotions = Open mind. Open mind = creativity. Creativity = Artistic excellence. (Or something along those lines).
This book made me realize why (as an artist) I go through dry spe ...more
Suffering = living. Suffering = true feeling. Suffering = emotions. Emotions = Open mind. Open mind = creativity. Creativity = Artistic excellence. (Or something along those lines).
This book made me realize why (as an artist) I go through dry spe ...more
The Correspondents #4
Dear MJ,
Received your letter via Patrick. There are several things a man can do to attract a woman. I present a series of options for perusal in the following numerically partitioned sentences. 1) Kidnap. All you need for this is a car and a popular secluded late-night environs. Prowl lanes and nooks for bait. Once you have kidnapped your selected woman she will hate and fear you: the best qualities for a woman to have in any relationship. 2) Wear Down. Works best with frien ...more
Dear MJ,
Received your letter via Patrick. There are several things a man can do to attract a woman. I present a series of options for perusal in the following numerically partitioned sentences. 1) Kidnap. All you need for this is a car and a popular secluded late-night environs. Prowl lanes and nooks for bait. Once you have kidnapped your selected woman she will hate and fear you: the best qualities for a woman to have in any relationship. 2) Wear Down. Works best with frien ...more
I have read over 8 books by this author and the only reason i gave him two stars was because i love fight club so much. honestly, i thought the movie was better than the book, but ill give it to him anyway. in an effort to be edgy and controversial, chuck loses sight of important literary necessities like continuity, concept, intelligence, character development, and so on. his books sometimes feel like i'm in someone else's bad acid trip. but of course, this is all probably intentional because h
...more
ETA: So I bought this edition because apparently I'm in love with the book.
But I didn't know that the front cover is like this:
I'm so happy because the gimmick is awesome. I appreciate it.
I'm sad because this is for my collection of all Chuck Palahniuk and I'd like to wrap it in a plastic cover. How would I be able to do that if the edges are uneven?
So Charlie the Wallflower, unlike you, I know why I'm both happy and sad at the same time...
2nd reading review:
Just for the record, the weather toda ...more
But I didn't know that the front cover is like this:
I'm so happy because the gimmick is awesome. I appreciate it.
I'm sad because this is for my collection of all Chuck Palahniuk and I'd like to wrap it in a plastic cover. How would I be able to do that if the edges are uneven?
So Charlie the Wallflower, unlike you, I know why I'm both happy and sad at the same time...
2nd reading review:
Just for the record, the weather toda ...more
كيف يمكنك أن لا تقع في حبّ كتاب بدأ بهذا السطر ؟
هل تريد ان تصبح رسام ، هل تخليت عن احلامك ، هل هناك من يستغل موهبتك ؟
من ضمن خطط قراءتي لعام 2015 كانت اكمال قراءة باقي اعمال تشاك بولانيك
و قد وقع اختياري للبدء علي هذه الروايـة
المذكرة
بالتأكيد السبب الرئيسي للبدء بهذا الكتاب لان بطلته رسامة
لان هذا الكتاب ، للرساميـن ، الفنانين ، لكل شخص له رغبه في الابتكار و الفن
لان هذا الكتاب يتكلم
،
عن الالهام
"By the time you read this you'll be older than you remember "
هل تريد ان تصبح رسام ، هل تخليت عن احلامك ، هل هناك من يستغل موهبتك ؟
من ضمن خطط قراءتي لعام 2015 كانت اكمال قراءة باقي اعمال تشاك بولانيك
و قد وقع اختياري للبدء علي هذه الروايـة
المذكرة
بالتأكيد السبب الرئيسي للبدء بهذا الكتاب لان بطلته رسامة
لان هذا الكتاب ، للرساميـن ، الفنانين ، لكل شخص له رغبه في الابتكار و الفن
لان هذا الكتاب يتكلم
،
عن الالهام
...more
"Who knows where an idea comes from ,
there was very little i enjoyed about this book. palahniuk has a flair for quirky juxtaposition in his imagery, something i appreciate -- and probably the only thing i really appreciated in diary.
just for the record, the 'just for the record' repeating business was super annoying. i don't mind an occasional repeat - the cadence can be quite charming at times. but repetition of this and other phrases, plus the penchant for describing people's musculature in action, it all felt pretentious instea ...more
just for the record, the 'just for the record' repeating business was super annoying. i don't mind an occasional repeat - the cadence can be quite charming at times. but repetition of this and other phrases, plus the penchant for describing people's musculature in action, it all felt pretentious instea ...more
Some strange shit. Always the strange shit, Chuck.
This novel tackled art in a very weird way. How it was used to save a cheesy named Island. How an artist was brought to a master plan by a strange group of Island people, to do her art, convince her to do her art and fulfill the prophecy of saving the Island. Enriching it. Nurturing it.
Though some parts of the book were tough for me to handle, I consider this an easy read. Especially towards the ending. It felt like it was shortened and brought ...more
This novel tackled art in a very weird way. How it was used to save a cheesy named Island. How an artist was brought to a master plan by a strange group of Island people, to do her art, convince her to do her art and fulfill the prophecy of saving the Island. Enriching it. Nurturing it.
Though some parts of the book were tough for me to handle, I consider this an easy read. Especially towards the ending. It felt like it was shortened and brought ...more
Oct 03, 2007
Amanda
rated it
really liked it
Recommends it for:
Palahniuk fans/people who like strange twists
I'm always struck by just how weird Palahniuk's novels are. In the case of this one, I really thought I had it figured out. Turns out, I didn't. I should probably just give up trying and enjoy the story. Which I usually do.
Misty lives on Waytansea Island with a husband in a coma and a mother in law who seems bent on pushing her to be the famous artist everyone seems to think she is. While Misty went to school for art, she takes it as an insult that everyone thinks she, a poor white trash girl, ...more
Misty lives on Waytansea Island with a husband in a coma and a mother in law who seems bent on pushing her to be the famous artist everyone seems to think she is. While Misty went to school for art, she takes it as an insult that everyone thinks she, a poor white trash girl, ...more
Il miglior libro di Palahniuk che io abbia letto.
E diciamo che li ho letti quasi tutti, ormai.
Misty vive su un'isola di cui ha sognato e ritratto le case e i luoghi per tutta la vita, prima di vederli. Ha un marito, una figlia, pensava di poter vivere felice rinunciando al sogno di diventare un'artista, solo grazie alla gioia domestica della famiglia che aveva creato.
Ma c'è qualcuno che non la pensa così: Misty deve diventare un'artista, e sarà una grande artista, e chiunque attorno a lei la inv ...more
E diciamo che li ho letti quasi tutti, ormai.
Misty vive su un'isola di cui ha sognato e ritratto le case e i luoghi per tutta la vita, prima di vederli. Ha un marito, una figlia, pensava di poter vivere felice rinunciando al sogno di diventare un'artista, solo grazie alla gioia domestica della famiglia che aveva creato.
Ma c'è qualcuno che non la pensa così: Misty deve diventare un'artista, e sarà una grande artista, e chiunque attorno a lei la inv ...more
I met a guy in a coffee shop while reading this.
Guy: Is this your first time reading this?
Me: First? Why, have you read it more than once?
Guy: Nah, once was enough.
What he should have said was NOT AT ALL was enough.
The back had a review comparing Palahniuk to Vonnegut. No. No, no, no. If anything, Palahniuk is a slightly sour rip off of Pynchon's Lot 49.
A lot of the book seemed unnecessary to the story, which is why I was able to finish it so quickly. Skimming, skimming, skimming. The story is t ...more
Guy: Is this your first time reading this?
Me: First? Why, have you read it more than once?
Guy: Nah, once was enough.
What he should have said was NOT AT ALL was enough.
The back had a review comparing Palahniuk to Vonnegut. No. No, no, no. If anything, Palahniuk is a slightly sour rip off of Pynchon's Lot 49.
A lot of the book seemed unnecessary to the story, which is why I was able to finish it so quickly. Skimming, skimming, skimming. The story is t ...more
I think this may be my favorite of his to date. It's twisted and spooky, and made me feel a little sick to my stomach on more than one occasion. Hmmm...that doesn't sound like a glowing review, but if you're into Palahniuk, you know what I mean. It reminded me of Dunn's _Geek Love_ a little, in that I felt both entranced and disgusted by the characters in the stories, and I just knew that the outcome wouldn't be good...had that nagging, sinking dread feeling while reading the entire thing; yet,
...more
I found this in a so-called open library. A public bookshelf where you can give or take books for free.
As I read, I kept noticing little dots or lines penciled in beside the text. I got to wondering what they meant. Did they point out an interesting passage? Did indicate some text the reader didn't understand?
For most of the book I was more intrigued by this mystery than by the book itself.
Nevertheless, the last 20% of the book was unputdownable, so that more or less makes up for the slow start. ...more
As I read, I kept noticing little dots or lines penciled in beside the text. I got to wondering what they meant. Did they point out an interesting passage? Did indicate some text the reader didn't understand?
For most of the book I was more intrigued by this mystery than by the book itself.
Nevertheless, the last 20% of the book was unputdownable, so that more or less makes up for the slow start. ...more
Chuck always has that mysterious way of introducing his character, from all the personal traits to surprise twist flashback and current personalities, the plot itself already a twist to me but reading Diary in a form of a diary from a narrator that seems not really a narrator was kind of clever yet weird. The first few chapters was okay to me, I got curious about Peter and Misty, Wilmot family in general-- quite intriguing. Love the plot idea, but somehow the development not as fun and enjoyable
...more
My summary of opinions of this book? So young! So angry!
Anytime you see so many varying opinions of a book, it's worth picking up, even if you'll just be taking part in a literary car accident: you just HAVE to look to see why everyone is slowing down. I'll bet Chuck's airbags went off after this book, but I think it's possible that it's just a fender bender.
I think a lot of Palahniuk's work is like a drunk guy shooting arrows at a bunch of children lined up against a wall with apples on their h ...more
Anytime you see so many varying opinions of a book, it's worth picking up, even if you'll just be taking part in a literary car accident: you just HAVE to look to see why everyone is slowing down. I'll bet Chuck's airbags went off after this book, but I think it's possible that it's just a fender bender.
I think a lot of Palahniuk's work is like a drunk guy shooting arrows at a bunch of children lined up against a wall with apples on their h ...more
I think Palahniuk is a lot like Vonnegut (and some might disagree with me here). He is an absurdist. He takes serious issues (like class and love and why is art always schtick) and mocks our human nature to exploit everything for our own pleasure in a serious tone but in a totally ridiculous way. Many people read Palahniuk's stuff and are disgusted and/or horrified. I laugh. Seriously, I think he is one of the funniest guys around. It is not quite laugh-out-loud, but definitely chuckle under my
...more
2006 notebook: a run of disappointing books: David Peace's 1977 disappointing; Palahniuk's Diary about disappearing bathrooms a disappointment. Sophisticated Boom Boom, a growing-up-in- Eniskillen-in-the-punk-era a disappointment.
Dec 31, 2009
Booklover Butterfly
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
Those looking to step out of their reading comfort zone and try something new
Shelves:
contemporary-literature
Misty Wilmot was a promising young artist back in her youth. She met Peter in art school, married him, had his daughter, and somewhere along the line her talent seemed to dry up. Her husband’s unsuccessful suicide attempt has left him in a coma, and Misty is turning to alcohol to get her through the days. Peter was a contractor, and now his former clients are threatening lawsuits at Misty because rooms in their houses have disappeared and there are disturbing messages on the walls. Amidst all of
...more
La novela funciona. Tiene congruencia, un poco de pretensión aderezado con una historia macabra: un bebé de Rosemary del arte. El complot de una sociedad en virtud del continuum cíclico de un modus viviendi que nada tiene de romántico ni de sensible.
Misty es un engendro creado por un grupo de lunáticos que pretenden sobrevivir con su estilo de vida anquilosado por años, sangrando a el arte: la pintura y lo que mucho, poco o nada pueda decir al mundo.
De acuerdo, Palahniuk tiene buenas ideas. Un t ...more
Misty es un engendro creado por un grupo de lunáticos que pretenden sobrevivir con su estilo de vida anquilosado por años, sangrando a el arte: la pintura y lo que mucho, poco o nada pueda decir al mundo.
De acuerdo, Palahniuk tiene buenas ideas. Un t ...more
Novel ini perihalnya tentang seorang ibu tunggal (suaminya koma setelah cubaan bunuh diri yang gagal) yang berbakat seni melukis diekploitasi supaya menghasilkan sebuah karya agung oleh keluarga suaminya semata-mata mahu mengubah taraf hidup setiap empat generasi keluarga dan sekolektif penduduk di sebuah pulau yang menjadi hamba konsumer rentetan lambakan kehadiran pelancong luar ke pulau mereka yang telah dikomersialkan.
Mereka percaya sesebuah karya agung hanya mampu diterjemahkan melalui peny ...more
Mereka percaya sesebuah karya agung hanya mampu diterjemahkan melalui peny ...more
This is my first Palahniuk's book...
It's creatively written, I do quite enjoy the book as the writing style is very unique and easily get drowned to it, he (Palahniuk) could be a "Tarantino in literature" (hmmm... i might be wrong...). At first I annoyed with all the dates, but then, i ignored them, maybe that's another point which make this book unique, it's a diary anyway... playing with dates, days, and times... I have to re-read the beginning of the book for few times, when it's talking abo ...more
It's creatively written, I do quite enjoy the book as the writing style is very unique and easily get drowned to it, he (Palahniuk) could be a "Tarantino in literature" (hmmm... i might be wrong...). At first I annoyed with all the dates, but then, i ignored them, maybe that's another point which make this book unique, it's a diary anyway... playing with dates, days, and times... I have to re-read the beginning of the book for few times, when it's talking abo ...more
I think Chuck Palahniuk is one of those authors I just don't and am not going to get. I tried to read another book of his years ago and it left me the same way as this one -- weird, with intriguing ideas, but the writing style just doesn't work for me. Too much nihilism and odd, uncomfortable scenes that make me squirm, not in a good way.
Diary is ostensibly the diary of a Misty Wilmot, whose husband is in a coma after a suicide attempt. She was an art student before she married her schlub of a h ...more
Diary is ostensibly the diary of a Misty Wilmot, whose husband is in a coma after a suicide attempt. She was an art student before she married her schlub of a h ...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How to Stay Into a Book?! | 4 | 18 | Jan 11, 2017 08:00PM | |
| Goodreads Librari...: Please add cover for Diary: A Novel | 3 | 15 | Apr 02, 2016 11:50PM | |
| Mrs.Shiels' Honor...: It's Not Over | 3 | 28 | Jun 01, 2014 05:21PM | |
| Bookworm Buddies: Diary by chuck palahnuik | 7 | 40 | Oct 16, 2013 09:24PM | |
| Reader Rendezvous: Further Discussion of Diary | 1 | 15 | Oct 13, 2013 10:37AM |
Written in stolen moments under truck chassis and on park benches to a soundtrack of The Downward Spiral and Pablo Honey, Fight Club came into existence. The adaptation of Fight Club was a flop at the box office, but achieved cult status on DVD. The film’s popularity drove sales of the novel. Chuck put out two novels in 1999, Survivor and Invisible Monsters. Choke, published in 2001, became Chuck’
...more
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“It's so hard to forget pain, but it's even harder to remember sweetness. We have no scar to show for happiness. We learn so little from peace.”
—
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“We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will.”
—
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