Page "Kenneth Williams" Paragraph 15

Posthumous publication of his diaries and letters, edited by Russell Davies, caused controversy — particularly Williams's caustic remarks about fellow professionals — and revealed bouts of despair, often primed by feelings of personal isolation and professional failure.

Williams wrote his diaries from the age of 14 in 1940 until his death 48 years later, although the earliest to survive to publication was for 1942 when he reached 16.

Williams kept pocket-sized diaries for 1942 and 1947 ( he kept no diaries for 1943 to 1946 as he was touring the Far East in the army ); a desk diary for 1948 ; pocket-sized diaries for 1949 and 1950 ; desk diaries for 1951 to 1965 ; standard edition desk diaries for 1966 to 1971, and finally A4-sized executive desk diaries for 1972 to 1988.

He claimed that writing in his diaries eased the loneliness he often felt.