Reading a Man’s Diary

Do men keep diaries? And do they call them diaries?

I can’t be sure, but as someone who keeps a journal, which is just another word for diary, the idea of what might be in other people’s diaries intrigues me. Lives may not be all that interesting in general–not everyone has major drama–but the way in which our perspective shapes events is fascinating to me.

Plus, who wouldn’t want the chance to peek inside a crush’s diary to see if they mention you?

One of my Jane Austen hero crushes is Colonel Brandon from Sense and Sensibility. Don’t hate me, but he is my favorite. So when I picked up a copy of Colonel Brandon’s Diary by Amanda Grange you can imagine my anticipation. Even though I fully expected him never to mention me I was prepared to forgive him the oversight and allow myself to be caught up in his expression of his first love, the tragic circumstances of their separation, his nobility and sense of honor, and of course, his falling in love again.

I was not disappointed.

Amanda Grange managed to make my crush an all out adoration. She gave him a voice–one I heard in my mind with the glorious inflections of Alan Rickman. I swooned all over again.

This is definitely the book for Colonel Brandon fans and it also provided a nice possible insight to Marianne’s frame of mind for accepting Colonel Brandon’s advances after the humiliating, and near fatal pining over, Willoughby’s betrayal. Rebound it may have been, but I like how Grange shows Colonel Brandon as sincere and not mercenary.

Who is your Austen hero crush? Would you like to read his diary? 

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