Pierre Loti (pseudonym of Julien Viaud) was a true bestseller in his time. An officer in the French Navy and the perfect embodiment of the Romantic writer, his novels—Aziyadé, Loti's Marriage, Novel of a Spahi—set in the exotic countries he visited, captivated the public and even created trends, such as greeting each other in Tahitian or lovers exchanging flower garlands. In this intimate diary, which charmingly combines thoughts and correspondence, we enjoy the years when Loti began to write, still a sailor with love affairs in every port, and always drawn to his poignant and melancholic way of experiencing these adventures.