LRB Diary for 2026

John Aubrey, the 17th-century antiquary, archaeologist, folklorist, natural philosopher, writer and gossip, is also regarded by many as the inventor of the modern biography. The LRB Diary for 2026 is our tribute to Brief Lives, his pioneering biographical work, in Aubrey’s quatercentenary year. Its premise is that the LRB and Aubrey share a belief that a single, often salacious anecdote can describe a life better than any exhaustive series of facts. Aubrey’s Brief Lives began as an index of 55 notable contemporaries. Alongside a weekly planner for 2026 and the usual useful features, we’ve therefore selected 55 excerpts from the thousands of biographical pieces contained in the LRB archive. You’ll find some of Aubrey’s acquaintances and subjects, various recurring preoccupations of the LRB, and a few curveballs, in the manner of Brief Lives – all captured with a single, slightly reckless flourish.

Read more about John Aubrey in a piece from the LRB archive by Adam Smyth.

The diary features original artwork by Alexander Gorlizki, including a fold-out centre spread that has to be seen to be believed.

Size: 15.5 cm x 21.5 cm