Šie dienoraščiai yra Jono Meko literatūrinis magnum opus, prilygstantis jo filmams, kuriuos kartu su broliu Adolfu pradėjo kurti atvykę į Niujorką. 1954 m. jiedu įkuria ir redaguoja kino žurnalą „Film Culture“, o nuo 1958 m. Jonas Mekas redaguoja žurnalo „The Village Voice“ skyrių „Movie Journal“. Būtent šiuo laikotarpiu Meko raštai, filmai ir smalsus domėjimasis menu ėmė formuoti jį kaip Amerikos avangardinio kino pradininką ir Niujorko meno scenos barometrą.

The first volume of this magnum opus, covering the period from 1950–69, appears posthumously one year after Jonas Mekas death. It stands on an equal footing with his cinematic oeuvre, which he initially developed together with his brother Adolfas after their arrival in New York. In 1954, the two brothers founded "Film Culture" magazine, and in 1958 Jonas began writing a weekly column for "The Village Voice". It was in this period that his writing, films, and unflagging commitment to art began to establish him as a pioneer of American avant-garde cinema and the barometer of the New York art scene.