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The Diary of a Lost Girl
The 1929 Louise Brooks film, Diary of a Lost Girl, is based on a controversial and bestselling book first published in Germany in 1905. Though little known today, the book was a literary sensation at the beginning of the 20th century. Spirited debate and lawsuits followed its publication. By the end of the Twenties, it had sold more than 1,200,000 copies - ranking it among the bestselling books of its time.
Was it - as many believed - the real-life diary of a young woman forced by circumstance into a life of prostitution? Or a sensational and clever fake, one of the first novels of its kind? This contested work - a work of unusual historical significance as well as literary sophistication - inspired a sequel, a play, a parody, a score of imitators, and two silent films. The best remembered of these is the often revived G.W. Pabst film starring Louise Brooks.
This new edition of the original English language translation brings this important book back into print after more than 100 years. It includes an introduction by Thomas Gladysz, Director of the Louise Brooks Society, detailing the book's history and relationship to the 1929 film. This special "Louise Brooks Edition" also includes more than three dozen vintage illustrations.
Was it - as many believed - the real-life diary of a young woman forced by circumstance into a life of prostitution? Or a sensational and clever fake, one of the first novels of its kind? This contested work - a work of unusual historical significance as well as literary sophistication - inspired a sequel, a play, a parody, a score of imitators, and two silent films. The best remembered of these is the often revived G.W. Pabst film starring Louise Brooks.
This new edition of the original English language translation brings this important book back into print after more than 100 years. It includes an introduction by Thomas Gladysz, Director of the Louise Brooks Society, detailing the book's history and relationship to the 1929 film. This special "Louise Brooks Edition" also includes more than three dozen vintage illustrations.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1905
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 11 reviews
February 24, 2017
One of my favorite silent films is 1929's DIARY OF A LOST GIRL starring Louise Brooks. It is the story of a young woman who is abandoned by her family when she becomes pregnant out of wedlock. The movie follows her brutal fall and redemptive triumph.
I could see in the film's credits that it was based on a book, THE DIARY OF A LOST GIRL, written by Margarete Bohme in 1905 and then had fallen out of print. Although very curious about it, I didn't want to pay the "rare book" price and consequently forgot about it until my next viewing of the movie.
Recently, I discovered that a paperback edition has been made available by The Louise Brooks Society. It not only has the complete text, but it also features photographs from the film. Sold.
Not surprisingly from the title, the book is written in a diary format. It was interesting to learn that it was a highly controversial publication at the time and that it became an international best-seller. Readers were not only shocked by the content of a young woman forced into a life of prostitution ... but, it was also purported to come from an actual diary. In other words, this was presented as non-fiction.
To my knowledge, the writer never tried to dispel that rumor. However, the writing style is much too mature for the "lost girl" in question, often adding literary comments and sweeping poetical observations that we would be unlikely to find in the writings of a troubled teen at the turn of the century. Also, there are some "soap opera" occurrences that conveniently heighten the dramatic impact.
Does that mean that it's not worth reading? Not at all. THE DIARY OF A LOST GIRL is a very involving book. What I found amazing was how far the movie veered away from the book's plot ... especially when PANDORA'S BOX by the same director and with the same star adhered closely to the play that was its source.
The book couldn't be considered salacious at all in today's reading environment. No graphic scenes of sexual depravity are depicted and the language is polite throughout. Prurient interest could only be stirred by visualizing the downfall and degradation of an innocent.
What was especially surprising was that the movie ended with the central character's redemption and triumph. Although the story is different, when that point is reached in this book, that is not nearly the end of the tale. Plenty more will happen.
Throughout the work is a sense of a world that will not forgive. Mention is made on multiple occasions of how the "lost" or "fallen" would do almost anything to find a way back to decency and self-respect. However, time and again, society will not allow it. Those who have sinned must be ostracized. Over and over again, the elite and proper people are the most uncharitable when it would be easy for them to help. Consequently, those who succeeded in climbing back from a low station have to be very, very careful that their past is not uncovered ... it would undo everything they've accomplished.
A critic by the name of Hall Caine said that the book was a "poignant story of a great-hearted girl who kept her soul alive amidst all the mire that surrounded her poor body." I certainly couldn't say it better. Highly recommended.
I could see in the film's credits that it was based on a book, THE DIARY OF A LOST GIRL, written by Margarete Bohme in 1905 and then had fallen out of print. Although very curious about it, I didn't want to pay the "rare book" price and consequently forgot about it until my next viewing of the movie.
Recently, I discovered that a paperback edition has been made available by The Louise Brooks Society. It not only has the complete text, but it also features photographs from the film. Sold.
Not surprisingly from the title, the book is written in a diary format. It was interesting to learn that it was a highly controversial publication at the time and that it became an international best-seller. Readers were not only shocked by the content of a young woman forced into a life of prostitution ... but, it was also purported to come from an actual diary. In other words, this was presented as non-fiction.
To my knowledge, the writer never tried to dispel that rumor. However, the writing style is much too mature for the "lost girl" in question, often adding literary comments and sweeping poetical observations that we would be unlikely to find in the writings of a troubled teen at the turn of the century. Also, there are some "soap opera" occurrences that conveniently heighten the dramatic impact.
Does that mean that it's not worth reading? Not at all. THE DIARY OF A LOST GIRL is a very involving book. What I found amazing was how far the movie veered away from the book's plot ... especially when PANDORA'S BOX by the same director and with the same star adhered closely to the play that was its source.
The book couldn't be considered salacious at all in today's reading environment. No graphic scenes of sexual depravity are depicted and the language is polite throughout. Prurient interest could only be stirred by visualizing the downfall and degradation of an innocent.
What was especially surprising was that the movie ended with the central character's redemption and triumph. Although the story is different, when that point is reached in this book, that is not nearly the end of the tale. Plenty more will happen.
Throughout the work is a sense of a world that will not forgive. Mention is made on multiple occasions of how the "lost" or "fallen" would do almost anything to find a way back to decency and self-respect. However, time and again, society will not allow it. Those who have sinned must be ostracized. Over and over again, the elite and proper people are the most uncharitable when it would be easy for them to help. Consequently, those who succeeded in climbing back from a low station have to be very, very careful that their past is not uncovered ... it would undo everything they've accomplished.
A critic by the name of Hall Caine said that the book was a "poignant story of a great-hearted girl who kept her soul alive amidst all the mire that surrounded her poor body." I certainly couldn't say it better. Highly recommended.
January 9, 2017
Sittenroman.... so nannte man das damals. Ein Mädchen wird sozusagen schon von zuhause aus auf den unsittlichen Weg gebracht, womit ihr der Weg in ein normales Leben versperrt wird. Die Geschichte ist in Tagebuchform, man hat den Eindruck, dass sie echt ist, und der Autorin lediglich übermittelt wurde. Die Autorin hat sich selbst in die Geschichte hineingedichtet. Die Authenzitität, die dadurch erwirkt wird, ist faszinierend. Ich habe auch versucht, den dazugehörigen Stummfilm auf Youtube anzuschauen, aber ist nicht mein Ding.
July 1, 2025
La primera mitad está bien, pero luego es aburrido porque ya no pasa nada más que su vida “protegida” por algún amante. Entiendo que fuera interesante en su época por tratar el tema de una “perdida”, pero no hay mucho más.
January 8, 2022
The writing made this a difficult read. I recommend watching the movie to get the feel of the era.
January 16, 2022
One of the very few books that actually made me cry. It's not a real diary, just pure fiction. But, still!!
January 8, 2025
An interesting read, particularly considering the time that it was written.
November 17, 2025
læser en dansk udgave fra 1906, men den er åbenbart for underground til Goodreads
October 26, 2013
By today's standards, this book is by no means scandalous. But it's easily understandable why the book caused such an outrage when it was first published.
Read my complete review at www.mybookstrings.com.
Read my complete review at www.mybookstrings.com.
February 7, 2013
Definitely to be filed under so-bad-it's-good. Victorian fallen women cliches R us.
July 3, 2017
Loved it, very moving!!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 11 reviews