The Diary of Ruth Leigh Aged Fifty Eight and Three Quarters

by Ruth Leigh

308 pages, Paperback

Published August 30, 2025

Reviews

[Miki · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful collection of blogs to incite many emotions in the reader. What a delight! Often whimsical, sometimes informative and occasionally sad, but always ‘keeping it real’. The blogs about technology and the final one in the book in particular made me laugh.

There’s also lots of tidbits for Smugge enjoyers to get some deeper perspective on where some ideas (including the entire origin of the series) came from!

[Paul Trembling · Rating 5 out of 5]

In every job I’ve done (and there’s been a few) people have enjoyed ‘talking shop’ – exchanging stories, advice, warnings and so on. I’ve found this to be especially true of writers: perhaps because we spend so much of our working time on our own, alone with our own stories and our own thoughts. It’s great to hear someone else's!

So this collection of blogs was of special interest to me as a writer. I’m familiar with Ruth’s work, and it was fascinating to get a Ruth’s-eye view of her writing process and to be able to compare her experience with mine. Since we write very different things, it’s not surprising that we do things very differently, and I was in awe of the enthusiasm with which she tackles not just writing but life itself! Though, having met her in person, I’m not surprised by it. (A whirlwind of energy in a floaty dress).

But this has to be put in context. She shows the balance of her life. As well as writing and selling books, there’s school runs and elderly parents and the frustrating trivia of life. She frequently and amusingly compares herself to her best known fictional character, the influencer and top blogger Isabella M Smugge – the perfect Mum with her perfect life. Ruth makes it clear that she is not that person! (Actually, neither is Isabella as it turns out, but you’ll have to read the books if you want to know about that).

All the same, I was left slightly breathless by the sheer pace of her life and writing. How does she pack so much in? Perhaps for that reason, my favourite blog in the collection was ‘Go Compare! (Or better yet, don’t!)’, where she shows from her own life and family experience how making comparisons between people doesn’t work. ‘Comparison is the thief of joy’ she quotes. Definitely food for thought.

As is the whole book. Often funny, sometimes poignant, vividly described and always honest (except where she exaggerates for comic effect, but she does admit to that), this is a wonderful look at life through her eyes. Not just fascinating for writers like me, but I expect for readers as well.

[Ben Jeapes · Rating 4 out of 5]

An edited collection of blog posts over five years on three different platforms by Ruth Leigh, scattered and varied but with an overall theme of how she became a novelist, and what happened next. There is no definitively "right" way to become a writer, other than to write and see what else happens. This can be an annoyingly vague answer to give anyone who wants to know how to become a writer but it's the only honest one a writer can give. However it is helpful to see how any writer tackled the "see what else happens" and that is what you get here - how the author acquired a portmanteau freelance writing that almost accidentally led to her becoming the creator of Isabella M. Smugge. And as she always writes interestingly and movingly, and has a very dry sense of humour, then even if you're not that interested in the writing career, chances are you will be entertained.