A diary gives us an intimate glimpse of the writer, his feelings and the workings of his mind. A diary may even be a sort of historical record if the writer has noted down events of national importance. Such, for instance was the diary of Samuel Pepys, a writer who lived in the second half of the seventeenth century. His famous diary gives us a picture of contemporary events like the coronation of the king, the Great Plague and the Great Fire of London. It is of great interest and importance to students of English literature and history.
During the Second World War a diary kept by a little Jewish girl became famous. It is called "The Diary of Anne Frank," and was later published in the form of a book. It is a historical record of sufferings endured by the Jewish people who had to go into hiding on account of the persecution by Hitler and his Nazis. The cruelty with which they were treated in the concentration camps and the misery and pathos of their lives is aptly reflected in this diary. This diary is therefore an important document, showing us the inhumanity of the Germans and the deplorable lot of the Jews in Europe during the Second World War.
Apart from these extraordinary diaries, keeping an ordinary diary has its own advantages. A diary can be of great assistance to a busy man who has a number of engagements to keep every day. How can he remember at what time precisely he has given someone an appointment unless he refers to his diary? His diary is an indispensable companion and friend. Suppose someone seeks an appointment or