Introduction
An introductory discussion takes stock of previous studies of the diary, establishes the distinct approach for the present work, and sets out some useful critical concepts. This book will reconsider some of the historical landmarks identified by previous studies, and address certain gaps in the historical account (particularly the decades after the Second World War). It adopts a more sensitive and flexible approach to fictivity than previous studies. The important concept of otherness in the diary is discussed with reference to Jacques Lacan. The author-figure and the œuvre are to be treated as products of literary discourse with a complex relationship to reality (discussed with reference to Michel Foucault). The concept of the supplement (following Jacques Derrida) will be useful in examining the marginal and subversive role of the diary. Finally, the role of gender in the history of diary-writing is addressed.