When Helen Garner won the Baillie Gifford Prize for nonfiction, she was 16,000 kilometers away in Melbourne, watching the event unfold on a live stream. Just as they announced her name, the feed froze. In disbelief, she and her friend panicked, laughing at the absurdity of the moment. Garner, 82, had just won £50,000 (around A$100,000) for her remarkable collection, How to End a Story, which includes candid entries from her diaries written between 1978 and 1998.
Shortly after the announcement, Garner still seemed in a daze. “I’m a stunned mullet,” she shared, wrapped in a lilac shawl in her study. She hadn’t expected to win at all.
Remarkably, this prize marks a high point in her career. Despite being overlooked for years, she’s gained a new audience. Her work has even caught the attention of celebrities like Dua Lipa, who featured Garner’s This House of Grief in her book club. Garner expressed joy over this newfound recognition, saying, “My street cred has gone through the roof!”
Garner’s journey began in 1977 with Monkey Grip, a novel that drew heavily from her life. Critics were harsh at the time, branding it an autobiography rather than a proper novel. “I defended myself; writing a diary isn’t sloppy,” she replied, countering the accusations about her work’s authenticity.
Fast forward nearly 50 years, and her diaries have gained serious accolades, now proudly categorized as nonfiction. How to End a Story presents intricate slices of her life, starting with the birth of her daughter Alice and her tumultuous relationships.
The diaries reveal a younger Garner, filled with self-doubt, crying out for validation. Yet, she also captures life’s fleeting beauty, like a “spring night” thick with scents of grass and blooming flowers. Her humor shines throughout, with anecdotes of quirky dinners alongside sharp observations.
Garner’s writing often reflects her anger—an emotion she argues women typically suppress. “I’m not surprised when I read about women snapping,” she says, hinting at societal pressures that often silence them. She believes that revealing this anger is crucial for understanding women’s complex lives.
This shift in society’s acceptance is noteworthy. In the past, Garner felt her works were deemed too personal and unimportant, a view often rooted in sexism. As she states, “Back in the 70s, women writers were criticized for being too narrow.” Yet now, she points out that such voices are gaining more power and recognition.
Interestingly, her diaries have evolved. At first, she burned earlier entries, deeming them unworthy, but upon revisiting later diaries, she realized their value. She set strict rules for herself: edit out the mundane but keep her raw, honest voice intact. Garner even reached out to friends featured in her writings, ensuring transparency.
Today, she continues to keep a diary, writing with a fountain pen, finding freedom in her reflections. Though she admits to noticing some cognitive decline, she remains fascinated by the passage of time and the world around her. “I can’t imagine finding life boring,” she asserts.
Garner’s story isn’t just about winning a prize; it’s about resilience, recognition, and the power of honest storytelling.
How to End a Story: Collected Diaries by Helen Garner is available through various outlets.
For more insights on writers and their personal stories, you can explore The New York Times or The Guardian.
