Elias Canetti diaries to be published in English for first time

The private notebooks of Nobel laureate Elias Canetti are to be published in English for the first time. The collection, titled 'A Fear of Touching: Reflections on British Life and Letters', will offer readers Canetti's personal insights and sharp commentary on British society during his years in the UK.

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Born in Bulgaria, Canetti arrived in Hampstead in 1939, fleeing Nazi persecution. He became a British citizen in 1952 and lived for a period at 8 Thurlow Road. During his time in Hampstead, he sought to replicate the intellectual atmosphere of Viennese coffee houses, observing and recording the conversations and habits of those around him. He was known as a Central European sage, though many were unaware he was documenting their lives in his private notebooks.

The diaries contain character sketches, aphorisms about English life, and meditations on his long quest for recognition in his adopted country. They also include Canetti's reflections on his interactions with significant cultural figures and his impressions of British society. His unease with Margaret Thatcher's political direction prompted him to leave England permanently in 1988.

Publication details

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The title, 'A Fear of Touching: Reflections on British Life and Letters', is drawn from Canetti's observations of social distance at London parties. The translation into English has been undertaken by Jack Arscott and Julian Preece. Canetti, who died in Zurich in 1994, requested that his notebooks remain unpublished for 30 years following his death. This publication adheres to that request, with the 30-year embargo ending in 2024.

The forthcoming collection is expected to be as provocative and insightful as previous fragments of his work, such as those released in 'Party in the Blitz', which reignited discussions about his legacy and his critical portrayals of figures like novelist Iris Murdoch.