It is a pity that so few of these treasures survive because they provide such rich insights into the times in which our ancestors lived, their observations and reactions to events, and some of their innermost thoughts. When I think of diaries, I recall the discussions we had of our female classmates in the 1950s and 1960s and the precious diaries whose secrets they guarded so carefully. I'm afraid that may have been too common a fate for many of these documents.
Diaries are an important chronological presentation of the life of the writer.
First, it is the day by day account of the life of a Jewish Family and their friends. Second it is a biting commentary of the depths of suffering that men can impose on other men. The diaries that survive provide us with intimate details of individuals' lives and perspectives on events as experienced by these contemporary citizens. There are a good number of diary transcriptions on the Web these days that provide fascinating reading and a better understanding of the periods that they describe. The account of his voyage is a thrilling tale.