Robert Shields (diarist)
Encyclopedia
Reverend Robert Shields (May 17, 1918 – October 15, 2007) was a former Minister and high school English teacher who lived in Dayton, Washington
, USA, who, after his death, left behind a diary
of 37.5 million words chronicling every five minutes of his life from 1972 until a stroke
disabled him in 1997. Shields's diary was longer than those kept by the journalist Edward Robb Ellis
(21 million words), the poet Arthur Crew Inman
(17 million words), and perhaps the most famous diarist of all, Samuel Pepys
(1.25 million words).
, an overwhelming urge to write. He once said "Maybe by looking into someone's life at that depth, every minute of every day, they will find out something about all people." He also left behind samples of his nose hair for future study
.
Shields's self-described "uninhibited", "spontaneous" work was astonishing in its mundaneness, and now fills 94 cartons in the collections of Washington State University
, to whom he donated the work in 1999. In a May 2000 interview he said "I've written 1200 poems and at least five of 'em are good." He also claimed to have written the story base for Elvis Presley
's film Love Me Tender
based on the Reno Gang
of Seymour, Indiana
where Robert William Shields was born. Copies of the manuscript are at the Kansas State Historical Society, E P Lamborn collection. Shields based his manuscript on John Reno's 1879 autobiography
.
July 25, 1993 :7 am: I cleaned out the tub and scraped my feet with my fingernails to remove layers of dead skin.
April 18, 1994 :6:30-6:35: I put in the oven two Stouffer's
macaroni and cheese at 350°.
Wheelwriter making entries for the diary.6.50-7.30: I ate the Stouffer's macaroni and cheese and Cornelia ate the other one. Grace decided she didn't want one.
7.30-7.35: We changed the light over the back stoop since the bulb had burnt out.
August 13, 1995 :8.45 am: I shaved twice with the Gillette Sensor blade[and] shaved my neck behind both ears, and crossways of my cheeks, too.
Dayton, Washington
Dayton is a city in and the county seat of Columbia County, Washington, United States. The population was 2,526 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, USA, who, after his death, left behind a diary
Diary
A diary is a record with discrete entries arranged by date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other period. A personal diary may include a person's experiences, and/or thoughts or feelings, including comment on current events outside the writer's direct experience. Someone...
of 37.5 million words chronicling every five minutes of his life from 1972 until a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
disabled him in 1997. Shields's diary was longer than those kept by the journalist Edward Robb Ellis
Edward Robb Ellis
Edward Robb Ellis was a diarist and journalist who worked in New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Chicago, and New York City.Born in Kewanee, Illinois, Ellis also worked as a newspaper reporter in Chicago and New York City...
(21 million words), the poet Arthur Crew Inman
Arthur Crew Inman
Arthur Crew Inman was a reclusive and unsuccessful American poet whose 17-million word diary, extending from 1919 to 1963, is one of the longest English language diaries on record....
(17 million words), and perhaps the most famous diarist of all, Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys FRS, MP, JP, was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament who is now most famous for the diary he kept for a decade while still a relatively young man...
(1.25 million words).
Contents
Believing that discontinuing his diary would be like "turning off my life", he spent four hours a day in the office on his back porch, in his underwear, recording his body temperature, blood pressure, medications, describing his urination, and slept for only two hours at a time so he could describe his dreams. It is believed that Shields suffered from hypergraphiaHypergraphia
Hypergraphia is an overwhelming urge to write. It is not itself a disorder, but can be associated with temporal lobe changes in epilepsy and mania in the context of bipolar disorder.-Causes:...
, an overwhelming urge to write. He once said "Maybe by looking into someone's life at that depth, every minute of every day, they will find out something about all people." He also left behind samples of his nose hair for future study
Genetic fingerprinting
DNA profiling is a technique employed by forensic scientists to assist in the identification of individuals by their respective DNA profiles. DNA profiles are encrypted sets of numbers that reflect a person's DNA makeup, which can also be used as the person's identifier...
.
Shields's self-described "uninhibited", "spontaneous" work was astonishing in its mundaneness, and now fills 94 cartons in the collections of Washington State University
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
, to whom he donated the work in 1999. In a May 2000 interview he said "I've written 1200 poems and at least five of 'em are good." He also claimed to have written the story base for Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
's film Love Me Tender
Love Me Tender (1956 film)
Love Me Tender is a 1956 American black-and-white CinemaScope motion picture directed by Robert D. Webb, and released by 20th Century Fox on November 21, 1956. The film, named after the song, stars Richard Egan, Debra Paget, and Elvis Presley in his film debut. It is in the Western genre with...
based on the Reno Gang
Reno Gang
The Reno Brothers Gang, also known as the Reno Gang and The Jackson Thieves, were a group of criminals that operated in the Midwestern United States during and just after the American Civil War. Though short-lived, they carried out the first three peacetime train robberies in U.S. history...
of Seymour, Indiana
Seymour, Indiana
Seymour was the site of the World's First Train Robbery, committed by the local Reno Gang, on October 6, 1866 just east of town. The gang was put into prison for the robbery, and later hanged at Hangman's Crossing outside of town....
where Robert William Shields was born. Copies of the manuscript are at the Kansas State Historical Society, E P Lamborn collection. Shields based his manuscript on John Reno's 1879 autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
.
Excerpts
Under the terms of the donation of his diary to Washington State University, the diary may not be read or subjected to an exact word count for 50 years from his death. However, many excerpts have appeared, including the following:July 25, 1993 :7 am: I cleaned out the tub and scraped my feet with my fingernails to remove layers of dead skin.
- 7.05 am: Passed a large, firm stool, and a pint of urine. Used five sheets of paper.
April 18, 1994 :6:30-6:35: I put in the oven two Stouffer's
Stouffer's
Stouffer's is a brand of frozen prepared foods available in the United States and Canada. Stouffer's is known for such popular fare as meatloaf, salisbury steak, lasagna, macaroni and cheese, and ravioli. It also produces a line of reduced-fat products under the banner Lean...
macaroni and cheese at 350°.
- 6:35-6:50:
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
Wheelwriter making entries for the diary.
August 13, 1995 :8.45 am: I shaved twice with the Gillette Sensor blade
External links
- Scanned pages from the April 1994 diary: Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. NPR Sound Portraits
- Radio interview (RealAudioRealAudioRealAudio is a proprietary audio format developed by RealNetworks and first released in April 1995. It uses a variety of audio codecs, ranging from low-bitrate formats that can be used over dialup modems, to high-fidelity formats for music. It can also be used as a streaming audio format, that is...
format) on Michael Feldman's Whad'Ya Know?Michael Feldman's Whad'Ya Know?Whad'Ya Know? is an American comedy, interview, and quiz radio show. Hosted by Michael Feldman, it was created in 1985. It is produced by Wisconsin Public Radio and distributed weekly by Public Radio International...
, May 6, 2000.
