Diaries are a medium of communication used by all sorts of people across the globe, from young girls to... well, no, that’s pretty much it. I’m not saying that guys can’t write diaries, but if you do, it’s probably time you sat your parents down and told them the truth.
Some diaries manage to achieve the equivalent of celebrity status in the literary world. But why? How do they differ from your pathos evoking attempts to document your mundane life. This answer is: they don’t.
5. Adolph Hitler
It is hard to even mention the name Hitler without being branded an inconsiderate scumbag or a racist bigot (Thanks, mum) and so one must tread very carefully. Others, however, feel no pity, which has lead to the the creation of the most inappropriate portmanteaus in human history. ‘Lolocaust’ is one, ‘Lmaoschwitz’ another. Personally I don’t approve of such crass juxtapositions, as they really make me feel outside of Mein Kampfort zone...
...which leads me nicely on to the next diary on the list. Can you guess what it is yet? Yup, Hitler wrote an autobiography / account of his political ideologies whilst in prison for his part in the Beer Hall Putsch, which sounds more like a barn-stomping line dance than a heinous crime. Well, Hitler didn’t actually write it himself, he dictated (should have seen that one coming) to a friend who was allowed to stay with him in prison. This was just one of the many luxuries Hitler was granted including unrestricted visits from guests and his dog, his own clothes to wear, and countless gifts. All this from a man who had the audacity to name his book ‘My Struggle’.
Hitler needed someone to write for him because he didn’t really have a way with words. He wanted to call his book ‘Viereinhalb Jahre (des Kampfes) gegen Lüge, Dummheit und Feigheit’, which doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. And let’s take a look at a classic quote from Hitler himself:
“The personification of the devil as the symbol of all evil assumes the living shape of the Jew.”
Now I don't really need to point out that the above quote sounds like something straight out of Mr. Sagdiyev’s mouth. Furthermore, an experienced newspaper editor called the book “a boring tome that I have never been able to finish” and also said Hitler’s beliefs are “little more than commonplace cliches”.
What? How could anyone be so nonchalant when discussing Hitler’s theories of Ubermenschen and an Aryan Race? You would have to be, like, the heartless creator of fascism or something!
Oh wait, that was Benito Mussolini, the heartless creator of fascism.
...
The rest of this article will be available on the website. Stay Tuned.
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