First published in 1900, 'The Diary of a Chambermaid' is a decadent novel written by Octave Mirbeau. It was originally published as a serial between from 1891-2, and was later reworked and polished into a novel. It is presented as the diary of a chambermaid called Mademoiselle Célestine R. whose professional life is continually disrupted and diverted by the desires of her various employers. Octave Mirbeau (1848 - 1917) was a French playwright, travel writer, journalist, pamphleteer, art critic, and novelist whose work has been translated into thirty languages. Mirbeau became famous in Europe and enjoyed immense popularity, while simultaneously remaining appealing to the literary and artistic avant-garde. Other notable works by this author include: 'Sébastien Roch' (1890), 'Dans le ciel' (1893-1989), and 'Le Jardin des supplices' (1899). Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in a modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially commissioned new introduction on the history of erotic literature.