Alan Rickman’s Diaries to Be Published as a Book

The diaries of the late Alan Rickman, who played Severus Snape in the Harry Potter films, are set to be published in fall 2022 by British publisher Canongate.

Rickman wrote the diaries from 1992 until his death in 2016, with the intention for them to be published. The diaries comprise 27 volumes that will be edited into a single book, and they include a vast trove of his thoughts and experiences about his career and life. He starred in a variety of hit films during this period, including Harry Potter, Love Actually, Sense and Sensibility, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and Galaxy Quest.

Most interesting to Potter fans will be entries that provide insight into how he felt the Snape of the Potter films was not living up to the Snape of the books, as well as conversations he had with a young Daniel Radcliffe.

They also feature his thoughts on acting and politics, reviews of plays he attended, and insights into his friendship circles – he was known to be acquainted with such powerful figures as Prince Charles, Tony Blair, and Bill Clinton, as well as being close with fellow actors such as Emma Thompson (Sybill Trelawney).

Rickman’s partner, Rima Horton, whom he’d been with since 1965, says, “I’m delighted that Canongate will be publishing Alan’s diaries […] The diaries reveal not just Alan Rickman the actor, but the real Alan – his sense of humour, his sharp observation, his craftsmanship and his devotion to the arts.”

The book’s editor, Alan Taylor, says Rickman’s diaries are “anecdotal, indiscreet, witty, gossipy and utterly candid; they make compulsive reading and offer a peerless insight into the daily life of a remarkable actor who was as beloved in the US as he surely was in the UK.”

Back in 2018, we reported that Rickman’s personal archive was acquired by Neil Pearson Rare Books and was being auctioned. The archive included an incredible collection of not just diaries but also letters, including from J.K. Rowling and David Heyman, and annotated scripts, including all eight Harry Potter scripts. We’re ecstatic to hear that some of this information will now be made available to the public, even though we may have to wait another two years for it.

 

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Catherine Lai

I have been a fan of Harry since 2000, a fan of MuggleNet since 2005, and a MuggleNet team member since 2013. I believe in the power of stories to bring people together, and nothing does that quite like Harry Potter. I live in Toronto, Canada.