A Journal of Impossible Things (Human Nature)

A Journal of Impossible Things (Human Nature)

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A Journal of Impossible Things
Type:	Book
Place of origin:	John Smith
Appearances:	DW: Human Nature / The Family of Blood DW: The End of Time VG: TARDIS

The Journal of Impossible Things was a journal kept by John Smith of his strange dreams - actually memories from his life as the Doctor's tenth incarnation, with some memories of previous incarnations' appearances. All but Martha Jones believed these to be products of John Smith's imagination.

History

With John Smith

After turning human to hide from the Family of Blood, John Smith began to experience dreams of his adventures as the Doctor.

The time between this and Human Nature/The Family of Blood was at least 185 adventures as the episode number is 185. The number is not mentioned in the episode, but as there is pictures and writing about the first incarnation of the Doctor it must go back to his childhood on Gallifrey.

After John Smith

John Smith gave the book to Joan Redfern, who apparently annotated it with a detailed chronicle of her love story with a strange visitor from beyond the stars. In the 21st century, this annotated version of the book fell in possession of her great grand daughter, Verity Newman, who published it, again titled Journal of Impossible Things as a partial biography of Joan herself. The Doctor, slowly dying from radiation sickness, attended a book signing by Newman, giving away his identity by naming himself as "The Doctor" (Verity recognized the name used by John Smith). He then asked Verity about Joan, going away to meet his final fate after being assured of Joan's ultimate happiness in life. (DW: The End of Time) He then kept the book in his TARDIS's drawing room. (VG: TARDIS)

Illustrations

Among the many illustrations Smith made in his journal were:

The TARDIS The TARDIS Console Steaming TARDIS Console Sonic screwdrivers TARDIS Crystal New Gallifreyan words Torchwood Institute logo Empty People Gas Mask Dalek Top Dalek Saucer Dalek Cybermen Cyberman Faceplate Vortex Reapers The Doctor's first nine incarnations Rose Tyler Family of Blood Fob Watch The Moxx of Balhoon Wired-People Autons Raxacoricofallapatorian Big Ben Raxacoricofallapatorian Inter-Stellar Transporter

References to the Doctor's family Mighty Jagrafess of the Holy Hadrojassic Maxarodenfoe Satellite Five (The Game Station) Cat Nurses Lupine-Wavelength-Haemovariform K9 Clockwork Droid Martha Jones Joan Redfern Dalek Emperor Anne Droid Captain Jack Harkness Pilot fish Fadros Pallujikaa London Eye London Eye Capsule Rose's face on television set Ood The Beast Toby Zed Tenth Doctor Nottingham? Empire State Building William Shakespeare

Behind the scenes

• An actual, intricately-illustrated prop book was created for the filming. Later, Character Options, which held some of the rights to release toys and merchandise based upon the series, issued a faux leather-bound reproduction of the book. The CO journal it is not as big as the one in the episode.
• The images of the Doctor appearing in the journal were taken from a collage of past incarnations used as the illustration for the Wikipedia article on the Doctor, though they were inverted. [1]