Why keep a diary...

One of my few prized possessions is this 70-page autobiographical book by my great-grandfather who was born in 1902 and was a farmer in France. Only a few copies were printed. His chapter titles are truly amazing, each is about 1-2 pages: - I saw the beginning of electrification - I saw the first cars - I saw the first airplanes - I smoked my first cigarette at 7 years old - I saw a total solar eclipse - The telephone - 1914: The war - I had the Spanish flu