Barbara Burghart-Perreault kept journals throughout her life. The diary from age 11-12 focuses on visiting friends and seeing movies. A 1952 sexual assault is briefly described and mentioned in later journals. The 1967-1977 journals are mainly travelogs.

Beginning in 1978, journal entries are on loose pages that Burghart labeled as Books I-VII with some divided into sections. Photocopies of the envelopes that listed sections are included. Based on... these lists, it appears that Book IV sections 2 and 3 are missing along with Book V, covering March 16 - October 15, 1981. Typed portions of this 1978-1983 group of journals are titled The Orient Express.

The dream journals begin in 1975 with dreams written or marked in red and therapy or interpretation in black, a convention that carries on throughout the journals on loose pages. In 1993, the journals are in bound volumes and dreams are often on printed sheets pasted into the journal, along with emails and photographs. Drawings of dreams are also included.

The themes that run through the 1970-2013 journals are a sense of oppression in Topeka with her parents; dependance on male approval; self-hatred or a sense of deserving punishment and a desire to leave the darkness; wanting to live a passionate, authentic life; creating a comfortable home; attaining financial stability; and finding opportunities to travel. A focus on relationships and self improvement are consistent throughout and quotes from books are often present.