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The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister: Vol. 1: I Know My Own Heart
Discover the extraordinary diaries of the real Anne the inspiration for
Gentleman Jack
and Emma Donoghue's novel
Learned By Heart
.
When this volume of Anne Lister's diaries was first published in 1988, it was hailed as a vital piece of lost lesbian history. The editor, Helena Whitbread, had spent years painstakingly researching and transcribing Lister's extensive journals, much of which were written in an elaborate code - what Lister called her 'crypthand', which allowed her to record her life in intimate, and at times, explicit, detail. Until then, Anne Lister's lesbianism had been supressed or hinted at; this was the first time her story had been told. Anne Lister defied the role of nineteenth century she was bold, fiercely independent, a landowner, industrialist, traveller and lesbian - a woman who lived her life on her own terms.
These diaries include the years 1816-1824.
When this volume of Anne Lister's diaries was first published in 1988, it was hailed as a vital piece of lost lesbian history. The editor, Helena Whitbread, had spent years painstakingly researching and transcribing Lister's extensive journals, much of which were written in an elaborate code - what Lister called her 'crypthand', which allowed her to record her life in intimate, and at times, explicit, detail. Until then, Anne Lister's lesbianism had been supressed or hinted at; this was the first time her story had been told. Anne Lister defied the role of nineteenth century she was bold, fiercely independent, a landowner, industrialist, traveller and lesbian - a woman who lived her life on her own terms.
These diaries include the years 1816-1824.
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First published August 1, 1992
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About the author
Anne Lister
15 books160 followersAnne Lister (1791–1840) was a well-off Yorkshire landowner, diarist and traveller. Throughout her life she kept diaries which chronicled the details of her everyday life, including her lesbian relationships, her financial concerns, her industrial activities and her work improving Shibden Hall. Her diaries contain more than 4,000,000 words and about a sixth of them—those concerning the intimate details of her romantic and sexual relationships—were written in code. The code, derived from a combination of algebra and Ancient Greek, was deciphered in the 1930s. Lister is often called "the first modern lesbian" for her clear self-knowledge and openly lesbian lifestyle. Called "Fred" by her lover and "Gentleman Jack" by Halifax residents, she suffered from harassment for her sexuality, and recognised her similarity to the Ladies of Llangollen, whom she visited.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 203 reviews
September 13, 2014
I first found out about Anne Lister when I saw ads on the BBC a while back for a TV adaptation of her story. I'm very interested in the lives of queer people throughout history, so I was naturally quite interested to find out more about her. Sarah Waters (long a favorite of mine) also had some words to say about Anne Lister's life, so that definitely helped pique my curiosity.
I found this book very interesting, and something I could just sit back and take in. For a lot of people, it's bound to be considered quite boring because she never intended this to ever be read by anyone and a lot of it is her listing off what she did that day, what she bought, etc. So, it's definitely not for everyone. If you're looking for a page turner, I wouldn't recommend picking this one up. But, if you're interested in the lives of unconventional people in history, especially women and/or queer people and have a love for jumping back in time, it's worth a read.
I was particularly impressed with the nerve she had to be so masculine presenting during the hyper-feminine Regency era. She experienced a lot of ridicule and struggled mightily throughout her life for being who she was, despite the fact that she was the member of gentry. She was also quite a snob and really had a problem with "vulgar" people. I found it particularly interesting that at that time, close female friends (not lovers, but just friends) didn't seem to have a problem with discussing matters of sexuality, especially in regards to homosexuality. There was much more knowledge of homosexuality at that time than I think modern people realize. It was surprising to hear her make mention of how she openly admitted to most people that she knew (including her aged aunt and uncle) that she was not interested in men, but wanted female companionship.
It's a slice-of-life book. While not riveting, it is definitely interesting to a specific reader interested in history, queer lives, women's lives, or all of the above.
I found this book very interesting, and something I could just sit back and take in. For a lot of people, it's bound to be considered quite boring because she never intended this to ever be read by anyone and a lot of it is her listing off what she did that day, what she bought, etc. So, it's definitely not for everyone. If you're looking for a page turner, I wouldn't recommend picking this one up. But, if you're interested in the lives of unconventional people in history, especially women and/or queer people and have a love for jumping back in time, it's worth a read.
I was particularly impressed with the nerve she had to be so masculine presenting during the hyper-feminine Regency era. She experienced a lot of ridicule and struggled mightily throughout her life for being who she was, despite the fact that she was the member of gentry. She was also quite a snob and really had a problem with "vulgar" people. I found it particularly interesting that at that time, close female friends (not lovers, but just friends) didn't seem to have a problem with discussing matters of sexuality, especially in regards to homosexuality. There was much more knowledge of homosexuality at that time than I think modern people realize. It was surprising to hear her make mention of how she openly admitted to most people that she knew (including her aged aunt and uncle) that she was not interested in men, but wanted female companionship.
It's a slice-of-life book. While not riveting, it is definitely interesting to a specific reader interested in history, queer lives, women's lives, or all of the above.
July 18, 2023
Genuinely one of the most interesting things I've ever read. Everybody should read this.
June 12, 2022
I owe a good deal to this journal. By unburdening my mind on paper I feel, as it were, in some degree to get rid of it; it seems made over to a friend that hears it patiently, keeps it faithfully, and by never forgetting anything, is always ready to compare the past and present and thus to cheer and edify the future…..I seem to live my life over again. If I have been unhappy, it rejoices me to have escaped it; if happy, it does me good to remember it.
Having avidly watched Gentleman Jack on TV, Anne Lister’s diaries (1816-24) are utterly fascinating to read. A recent visit to Shibden Hall motivated me to read this first volume and I was transfixed. One of the most interesting aspects for me is the insight into life for women with too high a social rank to work but with little or no income to allow them to live independently. For most, marriage was the only prospect for future security. For a woman with such a thirst for knowledge and adventure as Anne Lister (1791-1840), this resulted in often stultifying boredom as she made the necessary rounds of social calls that measured out the days of these women’s lives, single and married.
Anne, who came from one of Halifax’s oldest families, was a social snob and a social climber. Society at that time had rigid rules about who one may or should call on and she wouldn’t call on anyone she considered her social inferior. She refused all invitations to parties and didn’t join in most of the social activities. She would drop people quickly if they used words or behaved in ways she considered vulgar or, heaven forfend, they looked like mercantile people! Some of her own family members were an embarrassment to her. My father is so desperately vulgar.. She would feel wretchedly ashamed to meet anyone she knew when she was with him. She thought her sister, Marian, who lived with her father, was vulgar too. They didn’t fit in with her social aspirations which were only met by her regular trips to York and London, and later to Paris and Europe.
What a horror, I thought! She is pompous, self opinionated, egotistical, a social and intellectual snob and often cruelly judgemental, but she knew what she wanted from life and disciplined herself to achieve it. She spends a lot of time trying to shape herself into what she considers an ideal. In her mid 20s, she resolved to wear only black which made her stand out from her contemporaries. She is very intelligent and studied the sciences, languages including Greek, Latin and Hebrew, philosophy, religion and literature. She tried to choose her reading carefully. …I have, still, more romance than can let me bear the stimulus, the fearful rousing, of novel reading. I must not indulge in it. I must keep to graver things and strongly occupy myself with other thoughts and perpetual exertions. This after crying for several hours over one! She had the stamina to walk long distances at a remarkable pace and often travelled on top of the carriage with the coachman on her journeys - not the behaviour of a ‘lady’ at all! In Halifax, she is ridiculed behind her back. She knows it’s happening and it must have been hurtful, particularly the comments about her masculine appearance. Her friends elsewhere are much more accepting of her differences which is another reason she enjoys her visits away so much. Her hard exterior masked a much softer centre but she chose to keep it hidden to all but her closest friends. She could obsess for months over a hurtful comment or perceived slight.
She longs for female companionship, a life partner, but women are expected to marry and sexuality is hidden and, to a point, forbidden. She was attractive to many women, however, and was rarely without at least one sexual partner, and very often more than one simultaneously. She was an outrageous flirt and had she been a man would have been considered a Lothario. She was lonely though. Oh, that I had some kindred spirit and by whom, BE loved. I have none and feel desolate.….my heart longs after a companion…. This desperation led her to shape often unsuitable women to fit her romantic ideal. Miss Walker, who would eventually become her life companion, is initially described as vulgar….deadly stupid.
Surprisingly, or perhaps not, she was not a feminist. In 1819, when government reform was a hot topic, she ranted against the idea of women having the vote. What will not these demagogues advance, careless what absurdity or ruin they commit! Oh, Anne! She is an intellectual and yet ….I am not an admirer of learned ladies. They are not the sweet, interesting creatures I should love. She was an incorrigible manipulator of people in general and I suspect she only got away with it because she had charisma.
I would have enjoyed Anne Lister’s company, I think, but I would not have looked for a close relationship with her. She is too judgemental and friends often struggled to meet the expectations she had of them. She was a fascinating woman though and reportedly an excellent conversationalist due to the broad field of her studies and her travels abroad. This volume of her diaries is transcribed (much is encrypted) and edited by the excellent Helena Whitbread. I look forward to the second volume which will cover more closely the period dramatised on tv. Having read these diaries, I feel sure that Sally Wainwright and Suranne Jones have managed to capture the essence of Anne Lister perfectly.
Having avidly watched Gentleman Jack on TV, Anne Lister’s diaries (1816-24) are utterly fascinating to read. A recent visit to Shibden Hall motivated me to read this first volume and I was transfixed. One of the most interesting aspects for me is the insight into life for women with too high a social rank to work but with little or no income to allow them to live independently. For most, marriage was the only prospect for future security. For a woman with such a thirst for knowledge and adventure as Anne Lister (1791-1840), this resulted in often stultifying boredom as she made the necessary rounds of social calls that measured out the days of these women’s lives, single and married.
Anne, who came from one of Halifax’s oldest families, was a social snob and a social climber. Society at that time had rigid rules about who one may or should call on and she wouldn’t call on anyone she considered her social inferior. She refused all invitations to parties and didn’t join in most of the social activities. She would drop people quickly if they used words or behaved in ways she considered vulgar or, heaven forfend, they looked like mercantile people! Some of her own family members were an embarrassment to her. My father is so desperately vulgar.. She would feel wretchedly ashamed to meet anyone she knew when she was with him. She thought her sister, Marian, who lived with her father, was vulgar too. They didn’t fit in with her social aspirations which were only met by her regular trips to York and London, and later to Paris and Europe.
What a horror, I thought! She is pompous, self opinionated, egotistical, a social and intellectual snob and often cruelly judgemental, but she knew what she wanted from life and disciplined herself to achieve it. She spends a lot of time trying to shape herself into what she considers an ideal. In her mid 20s, she resolved to wear only black which made her stand out from her contemporaries. She is very intelligent and studied the sciences, languages including Greek, Latin and Hebrew, philosophy, religion and literature. She tried to choose her reading carefully. …I have, still, more romance than can let me bear the stimulus, the fearful rousing, of novel reading. I must not indulge in it. I must keep to graver things and strongly occupy myself with other thoughts and perpetual exertions. This after crying for several hours over one! She had the stamina to walk long distances at a remarkable pace and often travelled on top of the carriage with the coachman on her journeys - not the behaviour of a ‘lady’ at all! In Halifax, she is ridiculed behind her back. She knows it’s happening and it must have been hurtful, particularly the comments about her masculine appearance. Her friends elsewhere are much more accepting of her differences which is another reason she enjoys her visits away so much. Her hard exterior masked a much softer centre but she chose to keep it hidden to all but her closest friends. She could obsess for months over a hurtful comment or perceived slight.
She longs for female companionship, a life partner, but women are expected to marry and sexuality is hidden and, to a point, forbidden. She was attractive to many women, however, and was rarely without at least one sexual partner, and very often more than one simultaneously. She was an outrageous flirt and had she been a man would have been considered a Lothario. She was lonely though. Oh, that I had some kindred spirit and by whom, BE loved. I have none and feel desolate.….my heart longs after a companion…. This desperation led her to shape often unsuitable women to fit her romantic ideal. Miss Walker, who would eventually become her life companion, is initially described as vulgar….deadly stupid.
Surprisingly, or perhaps not, she was not a feminist. In 1819, when government reform was a hot topic, she ranted against the idea of women having the vote. What will not these demagogues advance, careless what absurdity or ruin they commit! Oh, Anne! She is an intellectual and yet ….I am not an admirer of learned ladies. They are not the sweet, interesting creatures I should love. She was an incorrigible manipulator of people in general and I suspect she only got away with it because she had charisma.
I would have enjoyed Anne Lister’s company, I think, but I would not have looked for a close relationship with her. She is too judgemental and friends often struggled to meet the expectations she had of them. She was a fascinating woman though and reportedly an excellent conversationalist due to the broad field of her studies and her travels abroad. This volume of her diaries is transcribed (much is encrypted) and edited by the excellent Helena Whitbread. I look forward to the second volume which will cover more closely the period dramatised on tv. Having read these diaries, I feel sure that Sally Wainwright and Suranne Jones have managed to capture the essence of Anne Lister perfectly.
December 18, 2011
‘I owe a great deal to this diary’.
Anne Lister (3 April 1791 - 22/9/1840) was a member of a family of prominent land owners: the Listers of Shibden Hall in Halifax (West Yorkshire, UK). In 1813, when her surviving brother accidentally drowned, Anne became heir to Shibden Hall. During her lifetime, Anne kept a diary which runs to some four million words. Thanks to this diary, we have access to a lot of detail about Anne's life: her sexual and emotional relationships with women; the minutiae of upper-class 18th century daily life; and the castes and customs of life in a provincial town.
In this book, Helena Whitbread has concentrated on the years from 1816 to 1824: this is the period during which Anne's two most significant relationships - with Mariana Lawton (nee Belcombe) and Isabella Norcliffe - developed and are chronicled in significant detail.
`I love, and only love, the fairer sex and thus beloved by them in turn, my heart revolts from any love but theirs.' - (from 29 January 1821)
In her introduction, Ms Whitbread writes that Anne Lister began her diaries in 1806, with entries becoming more detailed from 1808. But as the entries became more detailed, Anne developed a code (which she refers to as `crypthand') which gave her the freedom to describe her life in great detail. After all, no-one else would be able to understand the code, would they?
The story of how the diaries were discovered, decrypted, then hidden because of their contents and then finally partially published is fascinating. So is the content - especially (but by no means exclusively) to those interested in women's and lesbian history. Anne Lister's account of 18th century life, of the detail of routine life and of her activities and aspirations is absorbing. Some of her views and opinions would seem quite archaic to many of us today but then she never intended for us to be reading them. Now that I have read this book, I am keen to know more about Anne Lister's life. Particularly after 1826 when she became the owner of the Shibden estate.
Apparently, many of Anne's neighbours saw her as an eccentric, a bluestocking who learned Latin, Greek and Geometry and who discussed politics. Anne Lister was the first woman to be elected to the Halifax Literary and Philosophical Society. The BBC has made a documentary drama about Anne Lister which I've not yet seen. If you are interested in the social history of this era, from less conventional perspective, you may enjoy reading this book. I did.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Anne Lister (3 April 1791 - 22/9/1840) was a member of a family of prominent land owners: the Listers of Shibden Hall in Halifax (West Yorkshire, UK). In 1813, when her surviving brother accidentally drowned, Anne became heir to Shibden Hall. During her lifetime, Anne kept a diary which runs to some four million words. Thanks to this diary, we have access to a lot of detail about Anne's life: her sexual and emotional relationships with women; the minutiae of upper-class 18th century daily life; and the castes and customs of life in a provincial town.
In this book, Helena Whitbread has concentrated on the years from 1816 to 1824: this is the period during which Anne's two most significant relationships - with Mariana Lawton (nee Belcombe) and Isabella Norcliffe - developed and are chronicled in significant detail.
`I love, and only love, the fairer sex and thus beloved by them in turn, my heart revolts from any love but theirs.' - (from 29 January 1821)
In her introduction, Ms Whitbread writes that Anne Lister began her diaries in 1806, with entries becoming more detailed from 1808. But as the entries became more detailed, Anne developed a code (which she refers to as `crypthand') which gave her the freedom to describe her life in great detail. After all, no-one else would be able to understand the code, would they?
The story of how the diaries were discovered, decrypted, then hidden because of their contents and then finally partially published is fascinating. So is the content - especially (but by no means exclusively) to those interested in women's and lesbian history. Anne Lister's account of 18th century life, of the detail of routine life and of her activities and aspirations is absorbing. Some of her views and opinions would seem quite archaic to many of us today but then she never intended for us to be reading them. Now that I have read this book, I am keen to know more about Anne Lister's life. Particularly after 1826 when she became the owner of the Shibden estate.
Apparently, many of Anne's neighbours saw her as an eccentric, a bluestocking who learned Latin, Greek and Geometry and who discussed politics. Anne Lister was the first woman to be elected to the Halifax Literary and Philosophical Society. The BBC has made a documentary drama about Anne Lister which I've not yet seen. If you are interested in the social history of this era, from less conventional perspective, you may enjoy reading this book. I did.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
June 9, 2019
She was such a twat, I love everything about her. What a delight.
Read
May 24, 2021These selections from the four million words of coded diary Lister wrote over the course of her life reinforce the notion that gay and lesbian life was very much a thing all along, but people dared not talk about it other than to their journal, or to a very trusted few.
Anne Lister had coded words within coded words. Such as 'kiss' meant sex or orgasm. None of the terms people used then got handed down because everyone had to live two lives, and the secret life was seldom detailed the way Lister does here.
She was born to the upper level of the gentry, though the family was running out of money. Through the diaries I gained the impression of a woman very proud of her class, and who thought of herself as a woman--but at the same time she thought nothing of getting out there with the men to do hard labor around the estate. And she ordered, and wore, masculine garments, such as a leather waistcoat, etc. She liked to dress male, and she also loved her femme finery.
She was also a staunch member of her church, and some entries indicate her inner struggle to reconcile to societal expectations, but she finally resolved that God made her that way, so it had to be okay, and anyway, most of the biblical references against same sex were aimed at men, not women. Because she was upfront to the aunt and uncle she lived with: she would never marry, and she "liked the ladies."
What's more, she had no trouble finding ladies who liked her, and who were willing to experiment, at least a little. She carried on an affair with a married woman--the woman having to marry because however else would she live? The choices were so few, and most of them pretty bleak if you did not have family money.
Anne Lister also struggles with crushing on women of a lower class. She is conservative, proud of her rank in life--a snob, in our terms, but at the same time she was gender-fluid in a way that many assume reserved for the 21st century. There are plenty of other Anne Listers through history, their voices just aren't heard for various reasons.
The rest of the diary is about her daily doings. She was not famous for anything, she created no great things, but she was clear-eyed about her own life, and how she wanted to live it. She also records how local men reacted to her, sometimes following her to offer themselves as a husband, and once, a man asked if she had a male member. So we get glimpses of how she was viewed in the community (she was known as "Gentleman Jack"), which again makes it clear that at the local level, gender fluidity was shrugged off in her particular community. This particular woman lived an otherwise ordinary life, suggesting that many others did as well. They just had to do it in secret.
Anne Lister had coded words within coded words. Such as 'kiss' meant sex or orgasm. None of the terms people used then got handed down because everyone had to live two lives, and the secret life was seldom detailed the way Lister does here.
She was born to the upper level of the gentry, though the family was running out of money. Through the diaries I gained the impression of a woman very proud of her class, and who thought of herself as a woman--but at the same time she thought nothing of getting out there with the men to do hard labor around the estate. And she ordered, and wore, masculine garments, such as a leather waistcoat, etc. She liked to dress male, and she also loved her femme finery.
She was also a staunch member of her church, and some entries indicate her inner struggle to reconcile to societal expectations, but she finally resolved that God made her that way, so it had to be okay, and anyway, most of the biblical references against same sex were aimed at men, not women. Because she was upfront to the aunt and uncle she lived with: she would never marry, and she "liked the ladies."
What's more, she had no trouble finding ladies who liked her, and who were willing to experiment, at least a little. She carried on an affair with a married woman--the woman having to marry because however else would she live? The choices were so few, and most of them pretty bleak if you did not have family money.
Anne Lister also struggles with crushing on women of a lower class. She is conservative, proud of her rank in life--a snob, in our terms, but at the same time she was gender-fluid in a way that many assume reserved for the 21st century. There are plenty of other Anne Listers through history, their voices just aren't heard for various reasons.
The rest of the diary is about her daily doings. She was not famous for anything, she created no great things, but she was clear-eyed about her own life, and how she wanted to live it. She also records how local men reacted to her, sometimes following her to offer themselves as a husband, and once, a man asked if she had a male member. So we get glimpses of how she was viewed in the community (she was known as "Gentleman Jack"), which again makes it clear that at the local level, gender fluidity was shrugged off in her particular community. This particular woman lived an otherwise ordinary life, suggesting that many others did as well. They just had to do it in secret.
March 9, 2016
I came to learn of Anne Lister through the BBC's version of her diaries. I thought that she sounded very interesting and wanted to know more about her. So after buying this book, I looked forward to it hoping it would be just as good.
Sadly I was disappointed. The time that the book covers doesn't include her later life when she found Miss Walker. Though she writes about the women who were in her life such as Marina and Miss Browne, you don't hear much about Miss Walker.
This book just didn't interest me and I found it quite boring. Anne seemed strong and clever, but she also comes across as a snob. I thought this because of what she wrote about Miss Browne, who is someone who is of a lower class.
It was interesting to learn about what life was like in the 1800's and how hard it was for women.
Overall If your interested in women's lives in history then I would recommend this book.
Sadly I was disappointed. The time that the book covers doesn't include her later life when she found Miss Walker. Though she writes about the women who were in her life such as Marina and Miss Browne, you don't hear much about Miss Walker.
This book just didn't interest me and I found it quite boring. Anne seemed strong and clever, but she also comes across as a snob. I thought this because of what she wrote about Miss Browne, who is someone who is of a lower class.
It was interesting to learn about what life was like in the 1800's and how hard it was for women.
Overall If your interested in women's lives in history then I would recommend this book.
June 11, 2019
The story of Anne Lister and Shibden Hall
Theme song by O'Hooley & Tidow - Gentleman Jack. Is this The First Tango In Halifax? Mr Projectionist is getting this other than from the beeb - we are waiting for episode 5 tonight. (20.5.19)
May 12, 2020
This book is hilarious and eye-opening. I read it because Id watched Gentleman Jack but this is all set in the period of her life where she's younger (and far more beefy) before the TV series starts. It was cool in general to get such a good look at the life and views of another person living in a different time and how different her concerns were. The lesbian stuff was also astonishing because she wasn't just a sad lonely lesbian (although at times that is a theme); she slept with loads of women and really doesn't seem to have found it that hard to find people. At one point she even got a lesbian bff and they openly discussed being a lesbian?? And this is all in a rural village in Yorkshire. The townspeople don't seem to have had any problem and were far more concerned about her snobbishness. Just amazing. Also from a gossip point of view her life is WILD. The beef is constant. It's like Jane Austen but more beefy and real and also gay.
July 5, 2019
Amazing woman! What a life she had!
July 31, 2021
DNF at 65%. Interesting to read a piece of monumental LGBTQ+ history unfolding, but found it quite difficult to like or relate to Anne. I couldnt look past her arrogance or the way she spoke about the women she was affiliated with. Great insight into what it was like to live in the early 1800’s.
February 20, 2022
Reading this filled me with so much joy, I won’t be able to adequately put it into words or a rating. All I can say is that I cannot recommend these diaries enough, especially if you’re a lesbian. This should be essential reading! I feel so grateful for Anne Lister and for the fact that we are actually able to read her diaries. Her confidence and sense of self is so inspiring, again I truly cannot put into words how much this book means to me (thank you to Helena Whitbread as well!)
If you’re intimidated by reading journals or worried they will be dry don’t be, Anne is such a character and her life was insane (lots of lesbian drama it’s true). The language is very accessible and Anne is genuinely so relatable in some instances. When reading this it really hit me how universal the human experience is. Anne is a testament to the strength of lesbians and of women in general, and we are so lucky to get to know about her.
If you’re intimidated by reading journals or worried they will be dry don’t be, Anne is such a character and her life was insane (lots of lesbian drama it’s true). The language is very accessible and Anne is genuinely so relatable in some instances. When reading this it really hit me how universal the human experience is. Anne is a testament to the strength of lesbians and of women in general, and we are so lucky to get to know about her.
Read
May 9, 2020(This covers both editions of Anne Lister's diaries.)
One of the oddities about reading Anne Lister is gaining an insight into someone who created an identity entirely sui generis and how that is to be compared to how we see sexuality and gender now. That identity is certainly striking, amounting to a frank declaration that Lister only loved women and that the thought of sexual attraction to men was repulsive to her. If her sexuality is clear enough, her gender is perhaps less so. A plaque placed at a church where she and Ann Walker had pledged themselves to each other drew criticism for calling her 'gender non-conforming'and omitting the word 'lesbian' but there's no real way to be certain whuch description is more accurate. Lister certainly presented as masculine (with one lover being uncomfortable with the presence of a moustache) while Frued would have relished statements like 'If I had a penis, tho’ of but small length, I should surely break the ice some of these times.' This comes up on multiple occasions as when she is 'Thinking of Mrs Milne. Fancying I had a penis & was intriguing with her in the downstairs water-closet at Langton before breakfast, to which she would have made no objection.' Earlier she contemplates 'Supposing myself in men’s clothes & having a penis, tho’ nothing more.' The converse is also true, that she had an aversion to 'anything that reminded me of my petticoats.'
The pictures continues to be complex when one considers the social and political context. Lister was a landowner and accordingly held distinctly conservative views at a time when rioting and dissent were far from uncommon in Yorkshire. As well as being opposed to reform, she can equally be something of a prude, writing that a theatrical performance was 'beyond anything I could have imagined it possible to bring forward on the stage, particularly the Thèâtre Français. Certainly not a scene for English ladies.' A modern reader can't help but find it odd that a conversation between Lister and one of the Ladies of Llangollen consisted of decrying Lucretius on the grounds that 'He was a deistical writer... she knew he was heterodox. I observed that she might think all the classics objectionable.' The most striking comment is her denunciation of a man on the grounds that 'To me his voice is so feminine as to be distressing – the more striking because his appearance is not [at] all so.' The sole concession to liberalism in the diaries is an endorsement of the view that girls could be educated to the same capacity as boys, especially given that somuch of the diaries consist of Lister's autodidactism. Quite frequently she sees her relationships as essentially that of man and wife (although if this is how Maria Barlow saw it she was nonetheless relegated to the role of mistress). As such, Lister writes 'In plain English, she was too much like a mistress. She was not my wife.... On returning up the new bank, a man said, ‘Are them man & wife?’ Marianna & I both coloured but she laughed & said she did not mind it, nor do I think she did.'
One of the oddities about reading Anne Lister is gaining an insight into someone who created an identity entirely sui generis and how that is to be compared to how we see sexuality and gender now. That identity is certainly striking, amounting to a frank declaration that Lister only loved women and that the thought of sexual attraction to men was repulsive to her. If her sexuality is clear enough, her gender is perhaps less so. A plaque placed at a church where she and Ann Walker had pledged themselves to each other drew criticism for calling her 'gender non-conforming'and omitting the word 'lesbian' but there's no real way to be certain whuch description is more accurate. Lister certainly presented as masculine (with one lover being uncomfortable with the presence of a moustache) while Frued would have relished statements like 'If I had a penis, tho’ of but small length, I should surely break the ice some of these times.' This comes up on multiple occasions as when she is 'Thinking of Mrs Milne. Fancying I had a penis & was intriguing with her in the downstairs water-closet at Langton before breakfast, to which she would have made no objection.' Earlier she contemplates 'Supposing myself in men’s clothes & having a penis, tho’ nothing more.' The converse is also true, that she had an aversion to 'anything that reminded me of my petticoats.'
The pictures continues to be complex when one considers the social and political context. Lister was a landowner and accordingly held distinctly conservative views at a time when rioting and dissent were far from uncommon in Yorkshire. As well as being opposed to reform, she can equally be something of a prude, writing that a theatrical performance was 'beyond anything I could have imagined it possible to bring forward on the stage, particularly the Thèâtre Français. Certainly not a scene for English ladies.' A modern reader can't help but find it odd that a conversation between Lister and one of the Ladies of Llangollen consisted of decrying Lucretius on the grounds that 'He was a deistical writer... she knew he was heterodox. I observed that she might think all the classics objectionable.' The most striking comment is her denunciation of a man on the grounds that 'To me his voice is so feminine as to be distressing – the more striking because his appearance is not [at] all so.' The sole concession to liberalism in the diaries is an endorsement of the view that girls could be educated to the same capacity as boys, especially given that somuch of the diaries consist of Lister's autodidactism. Quite frequently she sees her relationships as essentially that of man and wife (although if this is how Maria Barlow saw it she was nonetheless relegated to the role of mistress). As such, Lister writes 'In plain English, she was too much like a mistress. She was not my wife.... On returning up the new bank, a man said, ‘Are them man & wife?’ Marianna & I both coloured but she laughed & said she did not mind it, nor do I think she did.'
August 20, 2022
Thank god its been decoded Anne lead a very interesting life for an Upper middle class Georgian lady
July 23, 2019
This is a very well researched book and contains numerous footnotes for those who wish to study further. Don’t assume that it bears much resemblance to the television dramatization which doesn’t start until after this section of the diaries – though you may find you have Suranne Jones in mind when reading it. I found it a brilliant window on the 1820s with Anne noting the prices of the things she bought, some of which seemed very expensive for the times. It also shows Anne’s snobbery as she even finds her own father and sister vulgar on occasion. It serves as a social history document as much as anything, and, although the ‘secret’ part was translated from Anne’s own code, it often refers to cleaning her stays so isn’t at all titillating. If you’re looking for more of the TV drama, wait for the next series. If you’re looking for a well-researched history of the north of England in the early nineteenth century, this is the book you need to read. Extremely interesting.
March 1, 2018
It’s not a particularly bad book, just no great literary work. Primarily, of course, it is a diary, and unlike earlier, Renaissance texts, Anne Lister’s diaries were not meant to be read by others. This clearly shows in the writing as the entries are extremely straightforward and not overly given to description. That being said, Anne Lister had a good eye for detail and provides a very thorough account of her daily comings and goings, even if she does lean towards listing (nominative determinism perhaps?) The edition that I read is edited by Helena Whitbread and despite the hard work it took me to get through what she has provided, I would have liked a little more. There are a few good summaries of intervening periods of Anne’s life which are not included, as well as explanations of what is happening in certain entries. However, Whitbread has chosen to end the book when Anne goes on a trip to Paris, and from there she provides a summary of Anne’s life and then some obituaries. Perhaps it is the historian in me, but I would dearly have loved for this book to be a complete translation of Anne’s diaries, rather than just providing a window into a section of her life. I suppose now there is nothing for it but to go to England and translate her code myself, as this edition seems to be the only one available commercially.
Anne Lister was not a particularly nice person, which may have been part of why her diaries were so hard to read. She is extremely elitist and holds both herself and others to very high standards, looking down on those who don’t meet them as “vulgar”. If I had a dollar for every time Anne describes someone as “vulgar” I would be very rich right now. She does seem like a worthwhile friend to have and it seems that, while they held her interest, she was quite attentive to her few female friends and lovers. She does appear to have been reasonably fickle however and her feelings could cool quite rapidly. She was an extraordinarily accomplished and well-read woman who spoke several languages and helped run much of her family’s estate. What I found most interesting about the diary entries however, is that Anne herself does not seem to feel any religious concern over her sexuality. She attends church for both social and religious reasons and, while she does not appear particularly devout, she frequently describes herself praying and seeking forgiveness of her sins. Her sexuality is never described by her as a sin. Anne’s main struggle with her sexuality is the gossip that she must suffer because of it, as well as the heartbreak it causes – something that happens whatever your sexuality.
I firmly believe in the studying of history and the power of knowing where we, as a people come from. For that reason, The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister is a worthwhile read, as it gives us a peek into a woman’s everyday life. As a literary diversion however, the diaries are seriously lacking, and if you are looking for something fun to read you will probably want to look elsewhere.
October 3, 2020
DNF at 40% I tried over 5 days without ever really getting into it.
Anne Lister is exceptionally off-putting to me. I can respect her place in LGBTQ+ history and that like so many others she was nearly lost to history because of sensibilities. I can also respect her ability to be completely honest with herself and others but dear lord she is also annoying. Elitist and with an ability to accept flaws in others. Honestly, she comes across as a bit of a Georgian man in the body of a woman. She owned her own land and her own income but she did want to control her life partner as a husband would. It surprised me that Halifax and certainly her immediate family knew and accepted her and her preference for women (with Halifax seeing it as a way to get their daughters/female relatives ahead in the world).
I want to address want is a bit of an elephant in the room. Censorship. Anne Lister wrote in her diary every day for most of her life. What is missed in the way that Helena Whitbread edited? What did she deem irrelevant to her chosen narrative? Editing was necessary but I can't help but question what is missing especially on a couple of the "plot" lines.
The choice to put the ciphered/coded section in italics and indent the commentary where the diary entries are not included are both good decisions.
December 11, 2012
Interesting. Good commentary, but I wish it covered a longer period of her life (she wrote her diaries for much longer than the years that are covered in this book). It's weird, reading someone's diary. It feels like someone you know now. I got a bit low over the fact that the part of her life that was covered in this volume was so dull and fruitless. For a woman of that class, without enough money, life was, basically, shit. It was perhaps better for those she termed "vulgar" and to "low" for her - they generally had more money and were less self conscious. It is funny, though, because I had no problems at all with the fact that she wasn't very nice. We gererally aren't, if you were to read our secret thoughts or diaries, but a while ago I started to read Tomalins excellent book on Pepys and after a while I had to put it down, because he was such a piece of shit. Maybe I was more frustrated with him because he had opportunities and money enough etc, but still couldnt do any good.
Anne Lister wasn't, as I said, very nice, but she was perhaps also more like me than I would like to admit. Brilliant way of understanding the period better.
I hope she liked the later part of her life better.
Anne Lister wasn't, as I said, very nice, but she was perhaps also more like me than I would like to admit. Brilliant way of understanding the period better.
I hope she liked the later part of her life better.
September 7, 2019
Finished her. Dead sea scrolls of lesbian history and basis of HBO/BBC's Gentleman Jack. Can't believe I'd never heard of her before. When I was a teenager I'd read The Well Of Loneliness or whatever and you'd have to intuit from some oblique reference to a lunar occurrence that an orgasm had somehow been had. This would have been far more illuminating. She is impressively busy. Never got a knock back. But it's tragic too. Women couldn't afford to be lesbians then. Men held the pursestrings. She's a massive snob and conservative and hard to like, dresses as she pleases and refuses to bend to society's constraints and easy to like. It does hurt her, but she rises above it. Many long passages about scraping out her teeth with a palette knife, venereal pus and an obsession with health which can make her seem neurotic when you forget that these were times when you could drop dead of a cold. Nice account of Lord Byron's death. I can't say I loved this. I might have preferred a biography. But altogether someone I'm glad to have found out about.
June 11, 2020
Great editing. Everything remained interesting. Anne's love successes and failures, her trips, her family life, her pursuit of education, her devouring of cold veal.
Reading the raw diaries can be extremely tedious, so having this format is a godsend. Thank you, Helena!
Reading the raw diaries can be extremely tedious, so having this format is a godsend. Thank you, Helena!
August 15, 2021
Wonderful translation of a great woman. Hard going in terms of the 19th Century sentence structure/grammar/Anne's inability to use paragraphs but so worth it.
Looking forward to reading from 1824 onwards.
Looking forward to reading from 1824 onwards.
October 3, 2019
This is a fascinating look into Anne Lister's life, but I'm glad I read it after watching the show and reading the companion book, which gave me better context for this. There's something weird and wonderful about reading words someone wrote 200 years ago and knowing they lived and breathed just as surely as I do now. I thought about that a lot as I read. And Anne came across as so confident in the previous media I'd consumed that glimpsing her insecurities and flaws was humanizing.
June 26, 2019
I cannot overstate the importance of this volume, which contains just a small selection of the diaries of our early nineteenth-century Shane. Anne Lister wanted to be a gentleman rogue, and she did quite well for herself, despite the odds. Anne conquered many a “straight” woman in her day, but she really just longed for a lifelong companion. She really absolutely is the most lesbian of all lesbians. I do wish this selection of her voluminous diaries was a bit more expansive, but I understand why it’s not. I am sure an enterprising woman is currently working on a gay-stuff-only volume, which we all will buy the moment it is published.
January 15, 2020
‘Burnt Mr Montagu’s farewell verses that no trace of any man’s admiration may remain. It is not meet for me. I love and only love the fairer sex and thus, beloved by them in turn, my heart revolts from any other love than theirs.’
Loved it, loved it, loved it.
Having watched the show Gentleman Jack and fallen in love with Anne, I knew I would want to read the diaries that inspired it. This first account, taken from the years 1816-1824, and therefore long before the show even begins, tells us so much about the woman Anne was, the woman she was becoming, her triumphs and her disappointments and the loves in her life. Historical lesbian romance is my favourite genre, being a lesbian who loves romance novels and history and seeing oneself in books. And though this is obviously not a romance, it still satisfied so very deeply the part of me that just... LOVES seeing this type of love and knowing that it has always existed, no matter what other people think/say on the subject. Seeing her desire women, yearn to be loved by them in return, the way she presented, the way she reacted when encountering other lesbian women out in the wild... I loved it so much!
I couldn't help but compare it to the show, and I really think that in casting and writing they did a perfect job of bringing life to this fascinating, accomplished, intelligent, deeply flawed woman. And I do mean deeply flawed; Anne is no candidate for lesbian of the year. She was extremely classist, a monarchist to the bone, could be selfish and manipulative, super obsessed with upward advancement and how she was seen by 'good society', had some whack ideas about women (she was totally against universal suffrage). But she was also kind and loving and generous and gallant and very fair minded in a way I didn't expect. She took absolutely no shit from men (and they tried to give her a lot; the harassment that she faced for acting and dressing the way she did was horrendous) and was super clever and voracious about learning.
This selection from her journals covers a period after Mariana was already married, but they were still closely attached, and details her entanglements with Mariana Lawton, Anne Belcombe, Isabella Norcliffe, her infatuation with Maria Browne, and a wealth of details about her family relationships and the friends and acquaintances she cultivated. Ann doesn't appear very much, but appear she does! It was also very interesting just as a historical read, to get to learn little things about the time period: food, culture, money matters, travelling, etc.
Great great read, I really look forward to reading the other volumes.
However, I will never fear. Be firm. Learn to have nerve to protect myself & make the best of all things. [...] Pray against this & for God’s protection & blessing, & then face the days undaunted.
Loved it, loved it, loved it.
Having watched the show Gentleman Jack and fallen in love with Anne, I knew I would want to read the diaries that inspired it. This first account, taken from the years 1816-1824, and therefore long before the show even begins, tells us so much about the woman Anne was, the woman she was becoming, her triumphs and her disappointments and the loves in her life. Historical lesbian romance is my favourite genre, being a lesbian who loves romance novels and history and seeing oneself in books. And though this is obviously not a romance, it still satisfied so very deeply the part of me that just... LOVES seeing this type of love and knowing that it has always existed, no matter what other people think/say on the subject. Seeing her desire women, yearn to be loved by them in return, the way she presented, the way she reacted when encountering other lesbian women out in the wild... I loved it so much!
I couldn't help but compare it to the show, and I really think that in casting and writing they did a perfect job of bringing life to this fascinating, accomplished, intelligent, deeply flawed woman. And I do mean deeply flawed; Anne is no candidate for lesbian of the year. She was extremely classist, a monarchist to the bone, could be selfish and manipulative, super obsessed with upward advancement and how she was seen by 'good society', had some whack ideas about women (she was totally against universal suffrage). But she was also kind and loving and generous and gallant and very fair minded in a way I didn't expect. She took absolutely no shit from men (and they tried to give her a lot; the harassment that she faced for acting and dressing the way she did was horrendous) and was super clever and voracious about learning.
This selection from her journals covers a period after Mariana was already married, but they were still closely attached, and details her entanglements with Mariana Lawton, Anne Belcombe, Isabella Norcliffe, her infatuation with Maria Browne, and a wealth of details about her family relationships and the friends and acquaintances she cultivated. Ann doesn't appear very much, but appear she does! It was also very interesting just as a historical read, to get to learn little things about the time period: food, culture, money matters, travelling, etc.
Great great read, I really look forward to reading the other volumes.
However, I will never fear. Be firm. Learn to have nerve to protect myself & make the best of all things. [...] Pray against this & for God’s protection & blessing, & then face the days undaunted.
February 14, 2020
I'm done!! Finally!! That felt like it took forever. Not sure how to rate this. 3? 4? my rating scale is only calibrated for fiction.
Definitely recommend if you're interested in first person accounts of wlw life in the early 1800s. Anne herself I found mostly unlikable. She's unsatisfied with her place in life (which is a pretty good place!), dislikes most of the other families in town, snubs them and then is upset when they don't keep up the friendship. Anytime anyone gets something wrong, she writes in her diary that she feels /she/ would've done it much better. Anyone she doesn't like is vulgar, and she'll write things down like "I assured so-and-so of us always being great friends, but I intend to never visit her again if I can help it".
The first hand account of 1800s lesbianism is unparalleled. She thinks (and at least per her diary she seems to be right) that she can have pretty much any woman she wants, and has several flings in among some long term lovers. She writes frequently of her need for a female companion to live out her life with. She did have plans for this, but the woman in question married, and though they are still in correspondence and planning to eventually be their own household, the husband is a problem. Once she gets a venereal disease things slow down a bit, but not before she's passed it on!
The parts I really enjoyed were the little bits of life in such a different time. There's a leech-woman, who Anne requests for bleeding separate from the local doctor. She descales her teeth with a pen-knife but also mentions buying tooth brushes several times. Clock time wasn't standardized, so she will sometimes mention by what clock she's noting the time and how it differs compared to say, the church tower. She walks SO MUCH, and seems to only eat two meals a day, plus sometimes tea.
I do recommend it if you're interested in LGBTQ history of the time period. The footnotes are in the back (ugh!! I know it's standard but I hate it) and seemed targeted at an academic reader interested specifically in 1830s Halifax, not a lay person such as myself - I didn't find them very useful. I also could've used a quick-reference character guide, as the recurring Halifax families started to get confusing. But the editor includes occasional summations of changes in Anne's life, her travel plans, etc, that help keep things easy to follow.
Definitely recommend if you're interested in first person accounts of wlw life in the early 1800s. Anne herself I found mostly unlikable. She's unsatisfied with her place in life (which is a pretty good place!), dislikes most of the other families in town, snubs them and then is upset when they don't keep up the friendship. Anytime anyone gets something wrong, she writes in her diary that she feels /she/ would've done it much better. Anyone she doesn't like is vulgar, and she'll write things down like "I assured so-and-so of us always being great friends, but I intend to never visit her again if I can help it".
The first hand account of 1800s lesbianism is unparalleled. She thinks (and at least per her diary she seems to be right) that she can have pretty much any woman she wants, and has several flings in among some long term lovers. She writes frequently of her need for a female companion to live out her life with. She did have plans for this, but the woman in question married, and though they are still in correspondence and planning to eventually be their own household, the husband is a problem. Once she gets a venereal disease things slow down a bit, but not before she's passed it on!
The parts I really enjoyed were the little bits of life in such a different time. There's a leech-woman, who Anne requests for bleeding separate from the local doctor. She descales her teeth with a pen-knife but also mentions buying tooth brushes several times. Clock time wasn't standardized, so she will sometimes mention by what clock she's noting the time and how it differs compared to say, the church tower. She walks SO MUCH, and seems to only eat two meals a day, plus sometimes tea.
I do recommend it if you're interested in LGBTQ history of the time period. The footnotes are in the back (ugh!! I know it's standard but I hate it) and seemed targeted at an academic reader interested specifically in 1830s Halifax, not a lay person such as myself - I didn't find them very useful. I also could've used a quick-reference character guide, as the recurring Halifax families started to get confusing. But the editor includes occasional summations of changes in Anne's life, her travel plans, etc, that help keep things easy to follow.
August 9, 2021
I spent a few days with Anne Lister notes translated by Helena Witbread. It is not easy to read diaries which were written almost 200 years ago. It is a completely different language, reality and attitudes. Nevertheless, some things described by Miss Lister are still the same: emotions, feelings and society's reaction to oddity.
Helena Witbread did an excellent job of choosing the most important parts of Anne Lister's life to translate for us. I have learnt pretty much about life in Britain in the Gregorian era, which was famous for many industrial and social changes. Also, getting to know, now worldly known, Anne Lister herself is exquisite for me. She was an incredibly interesting woman. With such boldness and entrepreneurship, she would still be outstanding even 200 years later. It appears that some virtues are immortal to become an extraordinary character.
Helena Witbread did an excellent job of choosing the most important parts of Anne Lister's life to translate for us. I have learnt pretty much about life in Britain in the Gregorian era, which was famous for many industrial and social changes. Also, getting to know, now worldly known, Anne Lister herself is exquisite for me. She was an incredibly interesting woman. With such boldness and entrepreneurship, she would still be outstanding even 200 years later. It appears that some virtues are immortal to become an extraordinary character.
January 28, 2020
Not a page turner by far, but on the whole very interesting as a personal account of a life in the 1800s. Although the 1824 section drags on for ages because nothing of significance happens, and even the editor points this out (which doesn't help).
May 31, 2020
This has been fascinating, but how to score it or even if we should be reading it is a question. Although it's fascinating and well worth a read, I think you've got to be interested in particular angles - women's history, Victoriana, Yorkshire, LGBT History, Diary and journal writing etc for it to be of interest, and then it is great, but I wouldn't say it's a read that's going to grab everyone. And then there's the point of these being diaries. When Anne Lister wrote these, she wasn't thinking of publication. They were for her own use, and she even comments more than once how writing things down brings solace to her. So should we be reading them even? Or do we read a point where they are historical documents rather than personal writings? One thing to bear in mind is that diary writing catches you in all moods, feeling sorry for yourself, being angry with the world... and in venting you can express yourself in ways you wouldn't when calm. And as you're expecting no one else to read the diary, you will be very blunt. I'm not saying Anne Lister wasn't an elitist snob, and certainly an intellectual one, but when reading what she writes about people, I think these things need to be kept in mind. As Bridget Jones once said, everyone knows diaries are just full of shit.
To read about a woman's life in Yorkshire in the first half of the 1800s, and to acknowledge that women wanted to learn and develope themselves, wanted to travel, explore, manage their own lives and estates AND, that they could have zero interest in men but love women, ought not to be shocking, but it comes out of the mould for what we imagine of a Victorian woman with reasonable family and money so that she didn't have to work for a living but could indulge herself. It's also interesting to see how she changes and developes. It's almost a teenage longing for a girlfriend at the start, and getting excited over woman after woman all the time. But not of them live up. Then her major love, Mariana, even letting her down and admitting that Anne's appearence and demeanour embarasses her, and we read just how much this hurts Anne. Towards the end she is becoming disillushioned, perhaps a little more realistic about love, but also full of curiosity and wanting to see the wider world. This volume cover from 1816 to 1824, at which point she's looking to spread her wings, finishing on a trip around the Lake District, including Anne off moutaineering over the fells (not the genteel ladies you might imagine enjoying a view from the carriage) and plans of going to Paris. For anyone who has only come across Anne Lister through television, this is all pre the tv series.
And for anyone who knows nothing, Anne Lister lived in Halifax, specifically Shibden Hall, in the first half of the 1800s. Although she was born over at Market Weighton in East Yorkshire, she spent increasing amounts of time at Shibden and did eventually inherit the estate on her uncle's death. She never married, did eventually get her life partner and travelled extensively. Another aspect I love about this, is that, living in Yorkshire, I know all of the places she travels about to, visiting and staying with friends, taking holidays etc. It makes it all the more relevant.
To read about a woman's life in Yorkshire in the first half of the 1800s, and to acknowledge that women wanted to learn and develope themselves, wanted to travel, explore, manage their own lives and estates AND, that they could have zero interest in men but love women, ought not to be shocking, but it comes out of the mould for what we imagine of a Victorian woman with reasonable family and money so that she didn't have to work for a living but could indulge herself. It's also interesting to see how she changes and developes. It's almost a teenage longing for a girlfriend at the start, and getting excited over woman after woman all the time. But not of them live up. Then her major love, Mariana, even letting her down and admitting that Anne's appearence and demeanour embarasses her, and we read just how much this hurts Anne. Towards the end she is becoming disillushioned, perhaps a little more realistic about love, but also full of curiosity and wanting to see the wider world. This volume cover from 1816 to 1824, at which point she's looking to spread her wings, finishing on a trip around the Lake District, including Anne off moutaineering over the fells (not the genteel ladies you might imagine enjoying a view from the carriage) and plans of going to Paris. For anyone who has only come across Anne Lister through television, this is all pre the tv series.
And for anyone who knows nothing, Anne Lister lived in Halifax, specifically Shibden Hall, in the first half of the 1800s. Although she was born over at Market Weighton in East Yorkshire, she spent increasing amounts of time at Shibden and did eventually inherit the estate on her uncle's death. She never married, did eventually get her life partner and travelled extensively. Another aspect I love about this, is that, living in Yorkshire, I know all of the places she travels about to, visiting and staying with friends, taking holidays etc. It makes it all the more relevant.
August 21, 2019
Sometimes you read the diary of the first modern lesbian* or the prison letters of the most famous gay man of all time and all you can do is say “dang, you should break up with loser, all they do is torture you emotionally.” Stars: they’re just like us!
Eight years of diaries have been edited very slyly by Helen Whitbread, with the coded passages thankfully translated so we can understand all the parts about affairs of the heart, venereal disease, and clothing (idk, Anne was very private about her clothes I guess). The whole thing is worth a read but if you, as I confess I sometimes did, get bored by the minutiae of how many walnuts one ate after dinner, the italicized parts are what was originally written in code and generally the juicier parts, easily visually distinguishable so you can skip to them if you please. There’s even a kind of plot structure to the book, even though it’s true to life— Anne goes from heartbroken about her lover’s recent marriage and debating changing her style of dress in 1816 to self-assuredly limiting her romantic involvement with said lover and embracing her masculine appearance by 1824.
The book ends years before she sets her eye on Ann Walker, so heads-up if you’re looking for a feel-good lesbian love story: you will not find it in these years. These years are all about Mariana, who kind of sucks, although that’s fitting because Anne also kind of sucks; at one point, Anne expresses of another woman that she’s too educated to make a good companion because Anne liked her girlfriends feminine and silly, which is reductive and kind of mean, especially considering Anne valued her own education highly. Anne also constantly calls people vulgar in a way that invites the reader to consider that Anne is as judgmental of others as they are of her!
It’s really fun, though. I’ve had a good time walking through this history, and am grateful to the journal-keepers of the world, of which I am not one, that things like this can exist.
*I’m not the queer historian who made this claim about what lesbianism is and who was and wasn’t one and I’m not going to argue with anyone about it
Eight years of diaries have been edited very slyly by Helen Whitbread, with the coded passages thankfully translated so we can understand all the parts about affairs of the heart, venereal disease, and clothing (idk, Anne was very private about her clothes I guess). The whole thing is worth a read but if you, as I confess I sometimes did, get bored by the minutiae of how many walnuts one ate after dinner, the italicized parts are what was originally written in code and generally the juicier parts, easily visually distinguishable so you can skip to them if you please. There’s even a kind of plot structure to the book, even though it’s true to life— Anne goes from heartbroken about her lover’s recent marriage and debating changing her style of dress in 1816 to self-assuredly limiting her romantic involvement with said lover and embracing her masculine appearance by 1824.
The book ends years before she sets her eye on Ann Walker, so heads-up if you’re looking for a feel-good lesbian love story: you will not find it in these years. These years are all about Mariana, who kind of sucks, although that’s fitting because Anne also kind of sucks; at one point, Anne expresses of another woman that she’s too educated to make a good companion because Anne liked her girlfriends feminine and silly, which is reductive and kind of mean, especially considering Anne valued her own education highly. Anne also constantly calls people vulgar in a way that invites the reader to consider that Anne is as judgmental of others as they are of her!
It’s really fun, though. I’ve had a good time walking through this history, and am grateful to the journal-keepers of the world, of which I am not one, that things like this can exist.
*I’m not the queer historian who made this claim about what lesbianism is and who was and wasn’t one and I’m not going to argue with anyone about it
December 27, 2019
Anne Lister's diaries are remarkable. Remarkable that they survived at all, that they were deciphered, that she wrote so much, and that they are so astonishingly frank. It's like reading an R-rated Jane Austen novel, complete with leeches, STDs, bowel complaints and lesbian seduction. Faced with such a volume of work, Whitbread focuses on a few formative years in Anne's life and highlights both her day-to-day life and her relationships with her lovers and the people in her home town of Halifax. I really appreciated her interjections that put the diary entries into a bit of context for the reader.
It's absolutely fascinating both as a memoir and as a historical document, and Anne emerges as a wonderfully complex woman: practical, sexual, intelligent and more than a little bit of a snob (I am convinced that she would find me very vulgar company indeed). I would happily read a second volume that explores her relationship with Anne Walker (I, too, discovered Anne through the TV series). I would also love to read about what some of the people she interacted with regularly thought of this singular woman.
It's absolutely fascinating both as a memoir and as a historical document, and Anne emerges as a wonderfully complex woman: practical, sexual, intelligent and more than a little bit of a snob (I am convinced that she would find me very vulgar company indeed). I would happily read a second volume that explores her relationship with Anne Walker (I, too, discovered Anne through the TV series). I would also love to read about what some of the people she interacted with regularly thought of this singular woman.
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