The Diary of Vaslav Nijinsky

The Diary of Vaslav Nijinsky by Romola Nijinsky. Published by University of California Press, Berkeley, CA, 1968. 2nd Edition 9th Printing. Paperback. Size 8vo (up to 9-1/2'' tall). 187 Pgs. Condition: Nr Fine. Orig owners name in ink inside front cover. Stain on back cover, content excellent. ISBN 0520009452. LCCN 68-124626. This diary of one of the greatest dancers and choreographers of the 20th century reveals as much (or more) about the mechanisms of madness as it does about dance. Nijinsky developed schizophrenia shortly after World War I, and in his diary he shows the symptoms of both his nearly total delusion and his unmistakable genius. Even as he is identifying himself with God, ruminating at length on bodily functions, and raving about sex, Nijinsky's writing slips in and out of poetry. This edition of the diary includes the sections that Nijinsky's wife removed from her earlier edition, and includes an introduction by The New Yorker dance critic Joan Acocella. A New York Times Notable Book in 1999. Description text copyright 2006 www.BooksForComfort.com. Item ID 10967.