The article discusses the responsibilities of literary executors, particularly the sensitive task of handling a writer’s private diaries upon their death. The author reflects on a friend’s request for them to destroy her diaries, emphasizing that many diarists prefer their innermost thoughts to remain private. The public reaction to Joan Didion's therapy journals is explored, revealing unease and discomfort about publishing deeply personal writings. The piece also considers the balance between preserving remarkable literary contributions and respecting privacy, drawing comparisons with notable authors like Helen Garner and Sylvia Plath.
"Many diarists feel that way: Sheila Hancock wrote about destroying decades' worth of hers: Maybe this vicious, verging-on-insane woman is the real me, but if it is I don't want my daughters to find out."
"Her assistant, Cory Leadbeater, described their publication as a deeply uncomfortable thing. There is a sense of violation - what is it doing out there, in public?"
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