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The Diary of Anne Frank: The Revised Critical Edition
The only complete collection of writings by Anne Frank, this impressive volume contains three of the extant versions of her Diary (including pages that came to light in 1998), Tales from the Secret Annex (he lesser known short stories, fables, and personal reminiscences), and Cady's Life (her unfinished novel), along with the latest, most definitive scholarly research into Frank's life.
Anne Frank's diary has become a modern classic. It stands alone as the moving testimony of a young girl whose world collapsed around her in the nightmare of Hitler's Final Solution. Published in the United States in 1952, Anne Frank: A Diary of a Young Girl has been translated from the Dutch into nearly seventy languages, and millions of people the world over continue to respond to her extraordinary voice. The Diary of Anne Frank: The Revised Critical Edition presents the most fascinating, comprehensive study of that diary in existence.
Prepared by the Netherlands Institute for War Documentation, this monumental work allows the reader to compare the three versions of the diary itself: Anne's original entries; the diary as she herself edited it in the hiding place of the "Secret Annex"; and the version most popularly known, as edited by Anne's father, Otto Frank, and a Dutch publishing house after World War II, when they removed certain family and sexual references. Every aspect of the diary--including Anne's handwriting and the paper used--is meticulously examined, providing compelling proof and historical of its poignant testament. Absorbing biographical information on the Frank family enhances Anne's personal perceptions, and a summary of critical events during and after the family's arrest--including how the Nazi authorities learned about the Franks and their secret hiding places--adds a new dimension to this tragic, still resonant story.
Illustrated throughout with black-and-white photographs, the Diary of Anne Frank: The Revised Critical Edition is an invaluable contribution to our awareness of the Holocaust and a stirring tribute to the author's impressionable spirit.
Anne Frank's diary has become a modern classic. It stands alone as the moving testimony of a young girl whose world collapsed around her in the nightmare of Hitler's Final Solution. Published in the United States in 1952, Anne Frank: A Diary of a Young Girl has been translated from the Dutch into nearly seventy languages, and millions of people the world over continue to respond to her extraordinary voice. The Diary of Anne Frank: The Revised Critical Edition presents the most fascinating, comprehensive study of that diary in existence.
Prepared by the Netherlands Institute for War Documentation, this monumental work allows the reader to compare the three versions of the diary itself: Anne's original entries; the diary as she herself edited it in the hiding place of the "Secret Annex"; and the version most popularly known, as edited by Anne's father, Otto Frank, and a Dutch publishing house after World War II, when they removed certain family and sexual references. Every aspect of the diary--including Anne's handwriting and the paper used--is meticulously examined, providing compelling proof and historical of its poignant testament. Absorbing biographical information on the Frank family enhances Anne's personal perceptions, and a summary of critical events during and after the family's arrest--including how the Nazi authorities learned about the Franks and their secret hiding places--adds a new dimension to this tragic, still resonant story.
Illustrated throughout with black-and-white photographs, the Diary of Anne Frank: The Revised Critical Edition is an invaluable contribution to our awareness of the Holocaust and a stirring tribute to the author's impressionable spirit.
851 pages, Hardcover
Published February 1, 2003
32 people are currently reading
993 people want to read
About the author
Anne Frank
242 books6,039 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Annelies Marie Frank was a German-born Jewish girl who kept a diary documenting her life in hiding amid Nazi persecution during the German occupation of the Netherlands. A celebrated diarist, Frank described everyday life from her family's hiding place in an Amsterdam attic. She gained fame posthumously and became one of the most-discussed Jewish victims of the Holocaust with the 1947 publication of The Diary of a Young Girl (originally Het Achterhuis in Dutch, lit. 'the back house'; English: The Secret Annex), which documents her life in hiding from 1942 to 1944. It is one of the world's best-known books and has been the basis for several plays and films.
Frank was born in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1929. In 1934, when she was four-and-a-half, Frank and her family moved to Amsterdam in the Netherlands after Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party gained control over Germany. By May 1940, the family was trapped in Amsterdam by the German occupation of the Netherlands. Frank lost her German citizenship in 1941 and became stateless. Despite spending most of her life in the Netherlands and being a de facto Dutch national, she never officially became a Dutch citizen. As persecutions of the Jewish population increased in July 1942, the family went into hiding in concealed rooms behind a bookcase in the building where Frank's father, Otto Frank, worked. The hiding place is notably referred to as the "secret annex". Until the family's arrest by the Gestapo on 4 August 1944, Frank kept and regularly wrote in a diary she had received as a birthday present in 1942.
Following their arrest, the Franks were transported to concentration camps. On 1 November 1944, Anne Frank and her sister, Margot, were transferred from Auschwitz to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, where they died (presumably of typhus) a few months later. They were estimated by the Red Cross to have died in March, with Dutch authorities setting 31 March as the official date. Later research has alternatively suggested that they may have died in February or early March.
Otto, the only Holocaust survivor in the Frank family, returned to Amsterdam after World War II to find that Anne's diary had been saved by his secretaries, Miep Gies and Bep Voskuijl. Moved by his daughter's repeated wishes to be an author, Otto Frank published her diary in 1947. It was translated from its original Dutch version and first published in English in 1952 as The Diary of a Young Girl, and has since been translated into over 70 languages.
Annelies Marie Frank was a German-born Jewish girl who kept a diary documenting her life in hiding amid Nazi persecution during the German occupation of the Netherlands. A celebrated diarist, Frank described everyday life from her family's hiding place in an Amsterdam attic. She gained fame posthumously and became one of the most-discussed Jewish victims of the Holocaust with the 1947 publication of The Diary of a Young Girl (originally Het Achterhuis in Dutch, lit. 'the back house'; English: The Secret Annex), which documents her life in hiding from 1942 to 1944. It is one of the world's best-known books and has been the basis for several plays and films.
Frank was born in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1929. In 1934, when she was four-and-a-half, Frank and her family moved to Amsterdam in the Netherlands after Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party gained control over Germany. By May 1940, the family was trapped in Amsterdam by the German occupation of the Netherlands. Frank lost her German citizenship in 1941 and became stateless. Despite spending most of her life in the Netherlands and being a de facto Dutch national, she never officially became a Dutch citizen. As persecutions of the Jewish population increased in July 1942, the family went into hiding in concealed rooms behind a bookcase in the building where Frank's father, Otto Frank, worked. The hiding place is notably referred to as the "secret annex". Until the family's arrest by the Gestapo on 4 August 1944, Frank kept and regularly wrote in a diary she had received as a birthday present in 1942.
Following their arrest, the Franks were transported to concentration camps. On 1 November 1944, Anne Frank and her sister, Margot, were transferred from Auschwitz to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, where they died (presumably of typhus) a few months later. They were estimated by the Red Cross to have died in March, with Dutch authorities setting 31 March as the official date. Later research has alternatively suggested that they may have died in February or early March.
Otto, the only Holocaust survivor in the Frank family, returned to Amsterdam after World War II to find that Anne's diary had been saved by his secretaries, Miep Gies and Bep Voskuijl. Moved by his daughter's repeated wishes to be an author, Otto Frank published her diary in 1947. It was translated from its original Dutch version and first published in English in 1952 as The Diary of a Young Girl, and has since been translated into over 70 languages.
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August 16, 2014
This book should probably be listed as separate from the rest of Anne Frank's works (though it does contain all of them) as it contains so much more. In 1986 the "critical edition" was published after the authenticity of the diary was confirmed (the procedure being deemed necessary as Holocaust-deniers were loud and vociferous with their assertion that the diary had been faked); in 2003 the editors published this "revised critical edition," one reason being that five pages originally held back at the request of the Frank family (Anne's father Otto and, after Otto's death, his widow) were released for publication. Three of these pages are perceptive reflections on Anne's parents' marriage; the other two are Anne's revised beginning for her diary.
The entries of the three versions of the diary (Anne's original entries; the diary as she herself edited it; and the version most popularly known, edited by Otto Frank and a Dutch publishing house) are laid out on one page so any differences can be readily seen. A version can be read straight across if one desires, though the reader will find this volume physically unwieldy as it also contains all of Anne's other writings (tales, sketches, fables, reminiscences and an unfinished novel); notes and explanations about the authentication process; and essays about the Frank family's background, Otto's business, the arrest of the occupants of the annex and who might have reported them to the police, what happened to the former occupants of the annex and their helpers after the arrest, the sometimes contentious life of the diary itself and the aftermath of its publication.
This book is for someone with a deep interest in Anne Frank and her writings. I admit to acquiring it because of those five 'new' pages. I didn't reread the whole diary at this time (I'd read The Diary of a Young Girl: The Definitive Edition not too long ago, not to mention my uncounted readings when I was a young girl of the first published version), but did read anything that was noted as being 'different.' These differences are not of enough interest for anyone with just a passing (or 'normal') interest in the diary.
A few words in a few sentences are duly noted as being omitted at the request of the person Anne was writing about, though in one of these instances it is noted that the elision consists of twenty-four words. The editors refer twice to a "page xiii." No such page exists: I believe page ix is what is meant.
The entries of the three versions of the diary (Anne's original entries; the diary as she herself edited it; and the version most popularly known, edited by Otto Frank and a Dutch publishing house) are laid out on one page so any differences can be readily seen. A version can be read straight across if one desires, though the reader will find this volume physically unwieldy as it also contains all of Anne's other writings (tales, sketches, fables, reminiscences and an unfinished novel); notes and explanations about the authentication process; and essays about the Frank family's background, Otto's business, the arrest of the occupants of the annex and who might have reported them to the police, what happened to the former occupants of the annex and their helpers after the arrest, the sometimes contentious life of the diary itself and the aftermath of its publication.
This book is for someone with a deep interest in Anne Frank and her writings. I admit to acquiring it because of those five 'new' pages. I didn't reread the whole diary at this time (I'd read The Diary of a Young Girl: The Definitive Edition not too long ago, not to mention my uncounted readings when I was a young girl of the first published version), but did read anything that was noted as being 'different.' These differences are not of enough interest for anyone with just a passing (or 'normal') interest in the diary.
A few words in a few sentences are duly noted as being omitted at the request of the person Anne was writing about, though in one of these instances it is noted that the elision consists of twenty-four words. The editors refer twice to a "page xiii." No such page exists: I believe page ix is what is meant.
March 4, 2017
I believe the critical edition is the only way to read this, as it includes the version Anne wrote for herself (v.a), the version she edited for a wartime record she heard announced over the radio (v.b), and the version her father released(v.c).
I read, comparatively, versions a and b, while omitting c.
In a stroke of luck, after starting reading the Critical Edition I now have an opportunity to spend 2 days in Amsterdam, where we will go to The Secret Annex, which is now a museum.
This is one of those books that, like the writing or not, it is a perspective of our history that should not be ignored. Anne's aspirations for life after the war are heartbreaking, knowing that she will never see them to fruition. It's wonderful, as a diarist myself, seeing the same observations about life as a young woman, trying to gain independence from her parents, though under the very peculiar circumstances of not being able to get away from them physically, while in hiding under risk of death.
I have always felt strongly about the events of WWII, and this personal account serves to cement my feelings that people were more resilient back then.
I read, comparatively, versions a and b, while omitting c.
In a stroke of luck, after starting reading the Critical Edition I now have an opportunity to spend 2 days in Amsterdam, where we will go to The Secret Annex, which is now a museum.
This is one of those books that, like the writing or not, it is a perspective of our history that should not be ignored. Anne's aspirations for life after the war are heartbreaking, knowing that she will never see them to fruition. It's wonderful, as a diarist myself, seeing the same observations about life as a young woman, trying to gain independence from her parents, though under the very peculiar circumstances of not being able to get away from them physically, while in hiding under risk of death.
I have always felt strongly about the events of WWII, and this personal account serves to cement my feelings that people were more resilient back then.
December 8, 2008
This is the book that had the most impact on my life. I read it when I was 13, watched several movies and many documentaries on Anne Frank's life since then and collected lots of other books about her short life.
I did visit the Anne Frank House on Prinsengracht in Amsterdam 3 times and spent an entire day at the new Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., in October 1998.
Every student should read this touching diary at school so that another holocaust of any sort will be prevented in the future...unfortunately human mankind does not seem to learn from history and it's failures.
I did visit the Anne Frank House on Prinsengracht in Amsterdam 3 times and spent an entire day at the new Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., in October 1998.
Every student should read this touching diary at school so that another holocaust of any sort will be prevented in the future...unfortunately human mankind does not seem to learn from history and it's failures.
October 1, 2009
Anne was a gifted writer whose words reach through the page and touch the reader, as if she's speaking only to him or her. Real life gave her some great material, and she made the most of it. This edition of her diary gives you Anne in raw form, unedited.
October 14, 2020
This book had kept on appearing before me time and again, and I do not know why I did not pick it up earlier.
This is one of the books that expands your mind, adds a new dimension to it which cannot be retracted. As I knew what had happened to Anne Frank and her family, everything felt heavy, especially all the times Anne writes about her plans for the future, what kind of person she would become. And she comes out strikingly clear about what she wanted to do. There is no doubt that she would have been best of anything she chose to become (It was either a Journalist or a writer as per the book)
One of the notable things is how the writing style keeps on maturing throughout the diary entries, and by the last entries, you are impressed by the depth of her thoughts, especially coming from a fifteen-year-old girl. Oh, I wish she had survived.
I recommend this book to every reader, not only for the story but also for the lesson, the things we should never forget.
This is one of the books that expands your mind, adds a new dimension to it which cannot be retracted. As I knew what had happened to Anne Frank and her family, everything felt heavy, especially all the times Anne writes about her plans for the future, what kind of person she would become. And she comes out strikingly clear about what she wanted to do. There is no doubt that she would have been best of anything she chose to become (It was either a Journalist or a writer as per the book)
One of the notable things is how the writing style keeps on maturing throughout the diary entries, and by the last entries, you are impressed by the depth of her thoughts, especially coming from a fifteen-year-old girl. Oh, I wish she had survived.
I recommend this book to every reader, not only for the story but also for the lesson, the things we should never forget.
October 30, 2023
It's difficult to review diaries or other firsthand accounts from the Holocaust, as "review" is not really the right word for it. Discussion? Thoughts? Impressions?
In this case, the task is perhaps a little less difficult because The Diary of Anne Frank: The Revised Critical Edition is not a straightforward printing of Anne's written diaries but an essential analysis of the history of the Frank family, the history of how the diary came to be written, the history of the editorial process that saw the diary published in various forms and languages; and finally a history of the authenticity challenges towards the diary and an informational guide to why and how the diary was authenticated scientifically.
This revised critical edition was published in 2003, shortly after several pages that were initially withheld by Otto Frank were finally made available to the public. This was almost 20 years ago, and one thing that I said to myself even before I was 20 pages in was: "We desperately need a new edition of this." So much has happened since this version's publication. Not only do we have some new material (the pages pasted over that contained some jokes Anne wanted covered) but there is now so much more misinformation about The Diary of Anne Frank that
One thing that I learned was that Otto Frank did not personally edit out many of the passages that I'd been told he did for years, by academics, well-established authors, etc. Yet not only did Otto Frank not censor these passages, he addressed this and proved he had no issues with these passage by pointing out that they were published in German; it was the original Dutch publisher who requested certain cuts, which he agreed with, but did not personally make himself initially.
I also had no knowledge of the existence of Transcripts I and II, transcripts created by Otto Frank. Transcript II in particular was what prospective publishers saw, at least a prospective Dutch publisher before 1947. It was this Transcript II which was later edited into the first publication of Anne's Diary.
Unfortunately, the text of these Transcripts is not included in this book. They really need to be, because it would dispel a lot of the mythos about what Otto Frank did and didn't edit from Anne's words on his own, before the interference of publishers. But perhaps at the time, the publishers did not have access to these "Transcripts" editions as they were kept in the Frank family.
If you are interested in reading the different versions of what Anne wrote, I recommend looking for one of the "collected works" publications that presents Diary A (her original bound diaries) and Diary B (what she was editing when she was interested in later having her work published) in full. The Revised Critical edition presents each paragraph of Diary A, B and then Version C (the standard edition) so that they can be compared. This is fine for academic analysis but I think if you're interested in reading Anne's work on their own merit, a work which doesn't split up the writing almost line-by-line is better.
I recommend this book for anyone interested in an academic history of Anne's writing, the detailed results of the authenticity analysis, and a critical look at the different primary versions of the Diary.
I do hope that a new Revised Critical edition updated for the 2020s will be on its way in the future.
In this case, the task is perhaps a little less difficult because The Diary of Anne Frank: The Revised Critical Edition is not a straightforward printing of Anne's written diaries but an essential analysis of the history of the Frank family, the history of how the diary came to be written, the history of the editorial process that saw the diary published in various forms and languages; and finally a history of the authenticity challenges towards the diary and an informational guide to why and how the diary was authenticated scientifically.
This revised critical edition was published in 2003, shortly after several pages that were initially withheld by Otto Frank were finally made available to the public. This was almost 20 years ago, and one thing that I said to myself even before I was 20 pages in was: "We desperately need a new edition of this." So much has happened since this version's publication. Not only do we have some new material (the pages pasted over that contained some jokes Anne wanted covered) but there is now so much more misinformation about The Diary of Anne Frank that
One thing that I learned was that Otto Frank did not personally edit out many of the passages that I'd been told he did for years, by academics, well-established authors, etc. Yet not only did Otto Frank not censor these passages, he addressed this and proved he had no issues with these passage by pointing out that they were published in German; it was the original Dutch publisher who requested certain cuts, which he agreed with, but did not personally make himself initially.
I also had no knowledge of the existence of Transcripts I and II, transcripts created by Otto Frank. Transcript II in particular was what prospective publishers saw, at least a prospective Dutch publisher before 1947. It was this Transcript II which was later edited into the first publication of Anne's Diary.
Unfortunately, the text of these Transcripts is not included in this book. They really need to be, because it would dispel a lot of the mythos about what Otto Frank did and didn't edit from Anne's words on his own, before the interference of publishers. But perhaps at the time, the publishers did not have access to these "Transcripts" editions as they were kept in the Frank family.
If you are interested in reading the different versions of what Anne wrote, I recommend looking for one of the "collected works" publications that presents Diary A (her original bound diaries) and Diary B (what she was editing when she was interested in later having her work published) in full. The Revised Critical edition presents each paragraph of Diary A, B and then Version C (the standard edition) so that they can be compared. This is fine for academic analysis but I think if you're interested in reading Anne's work on their own merit, a work which doesn't split up the writing almost line-by-line is better.
I recommend this book for anyone interested in an academic history of Anne's writing, the detailed results of the authenticity analysis, and a critical look at the different primary versions of the Diary.
I do hope that a new Revised Critical edition updated for the 2020s will be on its way in the future.
July 6, 2014
The only reason that I didn't rate this book five stars is that at times I felt a little uncomfortable reading this young woman's private diary. I know that she had hoped to have it read by others and worked to revise it, but even still, I felt a little funny about it. But if you can get over that, it is indeed an incredible work documenting her life in hiding and her dreams and desires. I hope that it serves to help us "never forget".
June 2, 2019
I was once at an Improv comedy show in Coconut Grove, Florida. The comedian didn't know history and was making fun of Anne Frank because he thought she was skinny. We must keep telling the true story to as many people as possible, so that the Holocaust does not repeat itself.
January 1, 2020
You cannot rate or review a work of this significance. After visiting the Anne Frank House yesterday, I was blown away by how sombre the place is and how reverent a monument it is to the tragedy beyond modern reckoning. A must read once in your life.
April 27, 2013
The RCE contains a lot of other material including some history, the process for validation of the documents, three versions of the diary and the anecdotes and stories Anne titled, Verhaaltjes en gebeurtenissen uit het Achterhuis.
This was a fabulous experience and very deeply personal for me. It wouldn't be the same for everyone, however I highly recommend one version or another of the diary for anyone struggling with being a teenager, and for their parents as well. To quote Otto Frank, "You do not know your child."
If you are at a college level or above and have an interest in WWII literature in general, I suggest considering the RCE, or one of the other more definitive collections.
If you just love Anne, I recommend some version of the stories in Het Achterhuis.
About the diary: Anne Frank was as bright and contemplative as I ever was in any of my diaries to the age of sixteen. For what they were... quite simply one of the most articulate teenage diaries you could ever hope to read. I focused primarily on her original version because it was written more spontaneously. A radio broadcast she heard while in hiding inspired her to go back and rewrite a good deal of what she'd written believing that it would be published if she survived the war.
There are many things in the diary that are obviously intended as fiction, and I believe there is probably a certain fictitious view Anne had of real events that make the exact authenticity of some of her emotional commentary somewhat exaggerated. It's true of all of us to a degree and I know her diary sounds just like mine and it was true of me. If she's as much like me as I think she is, she used facts as accurately as possible to make her "story" more believable. So that's just me on authenticity, which I think is the biggest question for some of you.
If you leave this diary bickering over what the Nazis did or didn't do, or teary eyed over a romance that came about for a desperate soul, you are on opposite ends of the read-what-you-want-to-read spectrum. Neither of those was written here. What was written here was a girl discovering herself through the time of puberty as we all do, but in a unique situation, where nature and freedom have been taken from her just as quickly as her childhood body is. She's already in prison, and she isn't allowed to smell the air or make a move without caution for more than two years. Read it for what she wrote.
Anne was a woman, more than I was at her age for sure, and I thought I was one at 14. She was trapped in a teenage body as surely as she was trapped in her Achterhuis. She writes the experience more eloquently than I could write it now if I could take my vocabulary back with me and write it all over again.
The historical data in the book I will just leave at this: No one knows all the facts. Some people even insist there was no holocaust. I know how a smart girl sounds when she writes to her diary at 12-16. I believe what Anne wrote was what she heard, based on the way she wrote it. And I believe these are her words. What she heard was always biased to one side or another of a very bloody war. Her account of it was biased by her heart. If you take sides, you will miss the value of what she wrote, just as assuredly as if you take her side over her mother's. I believe she was wise enough to realize that and tried hard to write it.
Finally, Het Achterhuis. These stories are straight from the diary. That's been widely recognized, and that is why the published version of her diary has some blanks filled in from these tales. Anne categorized them (and I include Cady's Life) by whether they were anecdotal, fictitious, or reflective. I submit that those three work together in everything Anne Frank wrote and the categories are superfluous. I know it's true of me in both my diaries and my stories. From Eva's Dream to the Sausages, everything here is stories - very well written stories - that are based on a reality that belonged inside the mind of a very talented and very prolific author.
Whatever you read of Anne... find the hope, the strength, the identity, and the conviction that she felt in every word she put to paper. Please.
This was a fabulous experience and very deeply personal for me. It wouldn't be the same for everyone, however I highly recommend one version or another of the diary for anyone struggling with being a teenager, and for their parents as well. To quote Otto Frank, "You do not know your child."
If you are at a college level or above and have an interest in WWII literature in general, I suggest considering the RCE, or one of the other more definitive collections.
If you just love Anne, I recommend some version of the stories in Het Achterhuis.
About the diary: Anne Frank was as bright and contemplative as I ever was in any of my diaries to the age of sixteen. For what they were... quite simply one of the most articulate teenage diaries you could ever hope to read. I focused primarily on her original version because it was written more spontaneously. A radio broadcast she heard while in hiding inspired her to go back and rewrite a good deal of what she'd written believing that it would be published if she survived the war.
There are many things in the diary that are obviously intended as fiction, and I believe there is probably a certain fictitious view Anne had of real events that make the exact authenticity of some of her emotional commentary somewhat exaggerated. It's true of all of us to a degree and I know her diary sounds just like mine and it was true of me. If she's as much like me as I think she is, she used facts as accurately as possible to make her "story" more believable. So that's just me on authenticity, which I think is the biggest question for some of you.
If you leave this diary bickering over what the Nazis did or didn't do, or teary eyed over a romance that came about for a desperate soul, you are on opposite ends of the read-what-you-want-to-read spectrum. Neither of those was written here. What was written here was a girl discovering herself through the time of puberty as we all do, but in a unique situation, where nature and freedom have been taken from her just as quickly as her childhood body is. She's already in prison, and she isn't allowed to smell the air or make a move without caution for more than two years. Read it for what she wrote.
Anne was a woman, more than I was at her age for sure, and I thought I was one at 14. She was trapped in a teenage body as surely as she was trapped in her Achterhuis. She writes the experience more eloquently than I could write it now if I could take my vocabulary back with me and write it all over again.
The historical data in the book I will just leave at this: No one knows all the facts. Some people even insist there was no holocaust. I know how a smart girl sounds when she writes to her diary at 12-16. I believe what Anne wrote was what she heard, based on the way she wrote it. And I believe these are her words. What she heard was always biased to one side or another of a very bloody war. Her account of it was biased by her heart. If you take sides, you will miss the value of what she wrote, just as assuredly as if you take her side over her mother's. I believe she was wise enough to realize that and tried hard to write it.
Finally, Het Achterhuis. These stories are straight from the diary. That's been widely recognized, and that is why the published version of her diary has some blanks filled in from these tales. Anne categorized them (and I include Cady's Life) by whether they were anecdotal, fictitious, or reflective. I submit that those three work together in everything Anne Frank wrote and the categories are superfluous. I know it's true of me in both my diaries and my stories. From Eva's Dream to the Sausages, everything here is stories - very well written stories - that are based on a reality that belonged inside the mind of a very talented and very prolific author.
Whatever you read of Anne... find the hope, the strength, the identity, and the conviction that she felt in every word she put to paper. Please.
July 18, 2010
I'm glad to have waited until this edition came out to finally read this book- the introduction explains what was cut from earlier editions and why, and it's understood, one would not want to hear a very young lady talking about sex back then...but now... I'm thrilled they included all of her thoughts and notes she added later to edit things, etc. It truly brought out a depth of character that I doubt I would have fully grasped in the edited versions of it.
What an amazing young woman she was, too. Her sense of self and introspective nature are intriguing, her ability to portray the delicate and often crude interactions amongst members of the Annex are astounding for such a young writer. It's hard to believe that someone else didn't sharpen it up a bit in editing, but it is purported to be word for word in translation. She really is just that talented.
What happily stunned me about the book was that, given the time and circumstances, I was afraid it would be entirely morbid, but it wasn't. In fact, Ms. Frank's ability to rise above the drama of the household and drama of the war and still have the energy for such deep reflections and musings on the adults around her and how she fits in, what her place is in her family, in the Annex, in the world, is nothing less than astounding.
Near the end of the book she was looking out the attic window at the blue sky and thinking of the advice her mother gave her, something to the extent of "think of all the less fortunate people suffering and be grateful" and Anne decides that that advice is simply not for her. Instead, she takes solace in knowing that she can still look at the sky and feel a sense of overwhelming joy, and says something about knowing that if she can find that feeling, her heart is still alive, and she'll be ok.
I wish there were more novels by Anne Frank. The world would have loved to hear more of what she had to say, at least I know I would have. Alas...
What an amazing young woman she was, too. Her sense of self and introspective nature are intriguing, her ability to portray the delicate and often crude interactions amongst members of the Annex are astounding for such a young writer. It's hard to believe that someone else didn't sharpen it up a bit in editing, but it is purported to be word for word in translation. She really is just that talented.
What happily stunned me about the book was that, given the time and circumstances, I was afraid it would be entirely morbid, but it wasn't. In fact, Ms. Frank's ability to rise above the drama of the household and drama of the war and still have the energy for such deep reflections and musings on the adults around her and how she fits in, what her place is in her family, in the Annex, in the world, is nothing less than astounding.
Near the end of the book she was looking out the attic window at the blue sky and thinking of the advice her mother gave her, something to the extent of "think of all the less fortunate people suffering and be grateful" and Anne decides that that advice is simply not for her. Instead, she takes solace in knowing that she can still look at the sky and feel a sense of overwhelming joy, and says something about knowing that if she can find that feeling, her heart is still alive, and she'll be ok.
I wish there were more novels by Anne Frank. The world would have loved to hear more of what she had to say, at least I know I would have. Alas...
August 21, 2018
This was even more eye opening than the original edited version that we’re so accustomed too. It had most of her original entries, which while some were very personal, they also gave you extra meaning into the war and the fact that this was just a girl in the middle of awful times.
Original review withstanding, everyone should read this.
Original review withstanding, everyone should read this.
February 4, 2026
A book that I've read and re-read throughout my life. If you ever feel like things couldn't be worse, read this book. Anne Frank's optimism in the light of the darkest time in human history is uplifting and refreshing, and a catalyst for self reflection. I can only imagine what she would have done with her life if someone had not extinguished her flame so young.
March 4, 2025
This is a comprehensive scholarly edition of Anne Frank's Diaries. It includes all three versions -- her first draft, the version she edited herself, and the "C" version her father had compiled and edited. The "C" version became widely known and sold millions of copies, but it's interesting to compare it to Anne's original drafts.
November 2, 2010
I'm glad I read only her complete version. Even though I struggled, because I'm not a fast reader and parts of it seemed tedious, I was determined to honor her by reading every word. They didn't deserve the nightmare, and it should matter to us what happened to so many innocent people.
April 20, 2007
Moving and vital: speaks to the holocaust in the best way by illuminating one precocious girl's story.
February 17, 2026
I had only read the shoter version in highschool. This was my first time reading the whole unabridged version. There was a lot in this one that wasn’t in the original. (Yes, I know that technically this is the original.. but you know what I mean). Like the struggle she felt with her relationship with her mother. I did understand why some of those entries were cut, but it does show personal growth of an adolescent that has been locked up from the world for two years.
March 2, 2026
A must read for any age.
March 6, 2021
I am still reading The Diary of Anne Frank: The Revised Critical Edition. I had read her diary when I was thirteen years old, and afterwards I had a very intense interest in WWII and the Holocaust, and now that I’m reading this “definitive” edition of her diary, it has renewed my interest on the topic again. The diary part of the book is kind of hard to read, it is not in sequence (except for edition C) because this book is published for a scholarly perspective instead.
Anyway, the information about the family and the diary really makes the book very interesting. I’ve already ordered two more books on Amazon about Anne Frank, one is a biography, and the other one is Miep Gies’ memoir about the Franks. Yesterday I also rented on Amazon’s streaming videos Anne Frank Remembered for $3 (you can stream it for 24 hours)… I’ve also finished reading the book (same title) by Miep Gies that this documentary is based on.
I was hoping that I would be able to find a video on Otto Frank, he has become an interest of mine, more so than Anne. I think Otto Frank is just the ideal father that every daughter wants, and really I wish I had a father like him. Anyway, I wasn’t able to find a video online to stream, although there is a documentary on Otto Frank available on Amazon for $15… and that documentary is actually on YouTube (but not in English, of course!), so I was really bum about that; but on YouTube they had a movie starring Ben Kingsley as Otto Frank in Anne Frank: The Whole Story, which I saw briefly when I was younger on TV (it aired on the ABC network, I believe). I downloaded the YouTube channel on my Roku player and I actually watched the movie on YouTube (it was over three hours!), and surprisingly the quality of the video was very good.
I didn’t think the movie itself was very good, and I don’t think that Ben Kingsley or Hannah Taylor-Gordon (Anne Frank) did a very good job; which was kind of a surprise because I think Kingsley is an excellent actor (I loved him in Schindler’s List). However, I thought that Lili Taylor (Miep Gies) and Tatjana Blacher (Edith Frank) was very good in their roles, especially Blacher — I thought she was excellent (and I found out she is actually German!). The music score was excellent also, I’ll have to do a Google search on the movie to see who the composer was (it sounds like Hans Zimmer, I love all of his works)… hmmm, okay, according to IMDb the composer was a guy from New Zealand named Graeme Revell (never heard of him!), but like I said, the music is excellent. Oh, and also the cinematography was excellent as well.
I didn’t think Kingsley did a very good job because he seemed very reserved, especially with Anne — I think that’s what ruined it for me; from Anne’s diary she doted on Otto, and I was surprise that he wasn’t more affectionate with her as I thought that was what his character was lacking in the movie. It seem really stiff to me (especially the part in the beginning of the movie when she goes to visit her father’s office and he pats her on the head — very stiff!). I also felt the movie was way too dramatized for my liking… it made Mrs. van Pels really vain and obnoxious… although, she might have really been like that in real life, I don’t know.
Of course I cried so much during the movie though — the fact that it’s based on real people and events made me very emotional. I always cry whenever I watch (most) Holocaust movies… although there’s also been some that I found just completely awful too! My favorite movies about that era are Schindler’s List and The Pianist — I cried a lot in those movies too. In Anne Frank: The Whole Story, the most upsetting part for me was when all of the little children arrived in Auschwitz and was walking down the train tracks to their death… it was the saddest thing because the children were so very young. I always get very emotional and sentimental when I see children in wars… like that infamous picture of naked children crying in the streets of Vietnam during the Vietnam War, I get such bad anxiety whenever I accidentally see that picture while I Google Image something.
It’s so sad… I think universal peace is a utopian concept that can never be a reality. That might be pessimistic, but when has the world ever seen peace!? Not even in biblical times has there ever been any peace… I mean, if you’re into the Christian concept of the world and whatever, the “son of God” couldn’t even bring peace… but as the famous quote goes, evil prevails when good men do nothing.
Anyway, the information about the family and the diary really makes the book very interesting. I’ve already ordered two more books on Amazon about Anne Frank, one is a biography, and the other one is Miep Gies’ memoir about the Franks. Yesterday I also rented on Amazon’s streaming videos Anne Frank Remembered for $3 (you can stream it for 24 hours)… I’ve also finished reading the book (same title) by Miep Gies that this documentary is based on.
I was hoping that I would be able to find a video on Otto Frank, he has become an interest of mine, more so than Anne. I think Otto Frank is just the ideal father that every daughter wants, and really I wish I had a father like him. Anyway, I wasn’t able to find a video online to stream, although there is a documentary on Otto Frank available on Amazon for $15… and that documentary is actually on YouTube (but not in English, of course!), so I was really bum about that; but on YouTube they had a movie starring Ben Kingsley as Otto Frank in Anne Frank: The Whole Story, which I saw briefly when I was younger on TV (it aired on the ABC network, I believe). I downloaded the YouTube channel on my Roku player and I actually watched the movie on YouTube (it was over three hours!), and surprisingly the quality of the video was very good.
I didn’t think the movie itself was very good, and I don’t think that Ben Kingsley or Hannah Taylor-Gordon (Anne Frank) did a very good job; which was kind of a surprise because I think Kingsley is an excellent actor (I loved him in Schindler’s List). However, I thought that Lili Taylor (Miep Gies) and Tatjana Blacher (Edith Frank) was very good in their roles, especially Blacher — I thought she was excellent (and I found out she is actually German!). The music score was excellent also, I’ll have to do a Google search on the movie to see who the composer was (it sounds like Hans Zimmer, I love all of his works)… hmmm, okay, according to IMDb the composer was a guy from New Zealand named Graeme Revell (never heard of him!), but like I said, the music is excellent. Oh, and also the cinematography was excellent as well.
I didn’t think Kingsley did a very good job because he seemed very reserved, especially with Anne — I think that’s what ruined it for me; from Anne’s diary she doted on Otto, and I was surprise that he wasn’t more affectionate with her as I thought that was what his character was lacking in the movie. It seem really stiff to me (especially the part in the beginning of the movie when she goes to visit her father’s office and he pats her on the head — very stiff!). I also felt the movie was way too dramatized for my liking… it made Mrs. van Pels really vain and obnoxious… although, she might have really been like that in real life, I don’t know.
Of course I cried so much during the movie though — the fact that it’s based on real people and events made me very emotional. I always cry whenever I watch (most) Holocaust movies… although there’s also been some that I found just completely awful too! My favorite movies about that era are Schindler’s List and The Pianist — I cried a lot in those movies too. In Anne Frank: The Whole Story, the most upsetting part for me was when all of the little children arrived in Auschwitz and was walking down the train tracks to their death… it was the saddest thing because the children were so very young. I always get very emotional and sentimental when I see children in wars… like that infamous picture of naked children crying in the streets of Vietnam during the Vietnam War, I get such bad anxiety whenever I accidentally see that picture while I Google Image something.
It’s so sad… I think universal peace is a utopian concept that can never be a reality. That might be pessimistic, but when has the world ever seen peace!? Not even in biblical times has there ever been any peace… I mean, if you’re into the Christian concept of the world and whatever, the “son of God” couldn’t even bring peace… but as the famous quote goes, evil prevails when good men do nothing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2011
After a recent trip to Frankfurt, where I saw Anne Frank's part of the Jewish Memorial Wall, I decided to re-read this book. I remember reading the book in elementary school and then taking a class field trip to see the play, but I didn't remember many details.
When searching for the book I discovered there are MANY different versions of her diaries published. (Apparently Anne started editing her diary for publication herself, then her father Otto edited out many passages before he had them published and then he passed away and the diaries came under the care of a war memorial organization in the Netherlands...) I decided to read the "critical edition" because it claimed to be the one that most closely matched her exact diary, without even her own edits she made when she decided she might eventually publish her diary after the war.
I was surprised by this book on a few levels. Firstly, I was struck by how this was not really all that much about the war. It wasn't even that much about the suffering about being in hiding or the fear of arrest. Those things were definitely touched on, but Anne's diary is about, well, Anne. It is the musings, philosophical and introspective, of a young teenage girl. Her situation is unique, but it's hard to tell how much of this situation affected her writing.
The second thing I was struck by was exactly that- her writing. She began writing at thirteen, and the first few entries are a bit hard to get through as her childishness certainly comes through. But as she continues on (and furiously edits) it is actually quite remarkable how intelligent and well-written her entries become. She has some amazing insight into human nature, especially her own, and I had to frequently remind myself that she was only fourteen or barely fifteen when she wrote it.
Anne talks about her life in hiding and her personal relationships with those in hiding with her. These are interesting, but you get the feeling that she would have had similar relationships, and struggles, even had she not been in hiding. Her maturing process is so apparent, and as a woman who has been through those troubling teen years, so familiar. But her introspection, her self-awareness, are so remarkable. Toward the end of the books, I was actually marking some passages as quotes that I would like to remember. I read a review that called her thoughts trite and opinions unoriginal. I disagree completely- she is just so incredibly concise that she makes the most complicated arguments seem so simple. When she talks about human nature and the war I am amazed at how young a girl grasps what I wish many politicians would understand. When she talks about her personal struggles in pride and self-presentation I am shocked at how self-aware and self-honest she can be. And she just grasps the transition of a teenager from child to adult, and the affects this has on her relationship with her parents, so completely that you wish she had been around to explain it to you when you were thirteen.
This is a book I will hold onto for my daughter to read when she is entering her teens. It is a great example for girls in how to find an outlet to process their tumultuos changings and struggles to find their place in the world. It also shows a girl with dreams and ambitions and the tenacity and discipline to chase them. But I would not consider this book to be educational about the plight of Jews in Europe during this part of history. It's really not that much about the Holocaust and is, instead, exactly what her father Otto decided to name the publication- The Diary of a Young Girl.
In summary- I would recommend this story for anyone interested in a(n above-average and remarkable) teenage girl's thoughts. I would recommend this for teenage girls. I would not recommend this to anyone looking for a picture of the struggles of Jews in the Holocaust.
When searching for the book I discovered there are MANY different versions of her diaries published. (Apparently Anne started editing her diary for publication herself, then her father Otto edited out many passages before he had them published and then he passed away and the diaries came under the care of a war memorial organization in the Netherlands...) I decided to read the "critical edition" because it claimed to be the one that most closely matched her exact diary, without even her own edits she made when she decided she might eventually publish her diary after the war.
I was surprised by this book on a few levels. Firstly, I was struck by how this was not really all that much about the war. It wasn't even that much about the suffering about being in hiding or the fear of arrest. Those things were definitely touched on, but Anne's diary is about, well, Anne. It is the musings, philosophical and introspective, of a young teenage girl. Her situation is unique, but it's hard to tell how much of this situation affected her writing.
The second thing I was struck by was exactly that- her writing. She began writing at thirteen, and the first few entries are a bit hard to get through as her childishness certainly comes through. But as she continues on (and furiously edits) it is actually quite remarkable how intelligent and well-written her entries become. She has some amazing insight into human nature, especially her own, and I had to frequently remind myself that she was only fourteen or barely fifteen when she wrote it.
Anne talks about her life in hiding and her personal relationships with those in hiding with her. These are interesting, but you get the feeling that she would have had similar relationships, and struggles, even had she not been in hiding. Her maturing process is so apparent, and as a woman who has been through those troubling teen years, so familiar. But her introspection, her self-awareness, are so remarkable. Toward the end of the books, I was actually marking some passages as quotes that I would like to remember. I read a review that called her thoughts trite and opinions unoriginal. I disagree completely- she is just so incredibly concise that she makes the most complicated arguments seem so simple. When she talks about human nature and the war I am amazed at how young a girl grasps what I wish many politicians would understand. When she talks about her personal struggles in pride and self-presentation I am shocked at how self-aware and self-honest she can be. And she just grasps the transition of a teenager from child to adult, and the affects this has on her relationship with her parents, so completely that you wish she had been around to explain it to you when you were thirteen.
This is a book I will hold onto for my daughter to read when she is entering her teens. It is a great example for girls in how to find an outlet to process their tumultuos changings and struggles to find their place in the world. It also shows a girl with dreams and ambitions and the tenacity and discipline to chase them. But I would not consider this book to be educational about the plight of Jews in Europe during this part of history. It's really not that much about the Holocaust and is, instead, exactly what her father Otto decided to name the publication- The Diary of a Young Girl.
In summary- I would recommend this story for anyone interested in a(n above-average and remarkable) teenage girl's thoughts. I would recommend this for teenage girls. I would not recommend this to anyone looking for a picture of the struggles of Jews in the Holocaust.
December 12, 2019
I read this book for a young adult literature class, and it is hard to believe I never read this as a teenager. I don't know if it has stopped being assigned in history courses, but when I am a teacher, if I am given a choice, I would choose to have students read this book.
I chose to read this book because I was going with my mom and sister to Holland for a vacation during Fall break, and we were going to visit the Anne Frank House. The novel, as most people know, is the diary of Anne, who lived in hiding in Amsterdam for two years, before finally being captured and sent to a concentration camp, where she died. From later reading, I learned she was on the very last train of Jewish people from Holland sent to be murdered.
The story is an incredible mix of daily life and the horror of how her family is forced to live. Some of the daily entries are about what they ate, how boring it is to keep quiet, how she doesn't like sharing her room with an adult man (another Jewish man in hiding). Interspersed are facts that she gives about life for Jews in Holland--Jews cannot play on a ball field, cannot go see a movie, can only shop on certain days, cannot sit on their porch in the evening.
Her family had to be done using water and walking around by 8:00 am because workers would come to the stores and there would be danger of being heard. So by 8:00, they would fall so quiet. They could not look out windows for fear of being seen. But sometimes she would go up to the attic and the sun would come in the attic windows.
Anne was 14 and 15 when she wrote this, and it is powerful to consider how she was trying to grow up, keep her dreams of being a writer alive, having fights with her mom, and yet not live in terror every moment. When we did visit the Anne Frank House, it was sobering to see her words brought to life--the room she lived in was narrow, with two beds that she shared with another person in hiding.
What is also inspiring about this story is that it sparked, for me at least, a desire to learn more. I did some additional reading on her life, records of people who were with Anne when she died in Bergen Belsen, and her father, who is the only one of the family who lived. I also read more about the people who risked their lives to hide the Frank family. This story made me question how I would have reacted to see my childhood fall apart as she did. This story does not have to create drama through fiction; this is real-life and absolutely powerful.
I chose to read this book because I was going with my mom and sister to Holland for a vacation during Fall break, and we were going to visit the Anne Frank House. The novel, as most people know, is the diary of Anne, who lived in hiding in Amsterdam for two years, before finally being captured and sent to a concentration camp, where she died. From later reading, I learned she was on the very last train of Jewish people from Holland sent to be murdered.
The story is an incredible mix of daily life and the horror of how her family is forced to live. Some of the daily entries are about what they ate, how boring it is to keep quiet, how she doesn't like sharing her room with an adult man (another Jewish man in hiding). Interspersed are facts that she gives about life for Jews in Holland--Jews cannot play on a ball field, cannot go see a movie, can only shop on certain days, cannot sit on their porch in the evening.
Her family had to be done using water and walking around by 8:00 am because workers would come to the stores and there would be danger of being heard. So by 8:00, they would fall so quiet. They could not look out windows for fear of being seen. But sometimes she would go up to the attic and the sun would come in the attic windows.
Anne was 14 and 15 when she wrote this, and it is powerful to consider how she was trying to grow up, keep her dreams of being a writer alive, having fights with her mom, and yet not live in terror every moment. When we did visit the Anne Frank House, it was sobering to see her words brought to life--the room she lived in was narrow, with two beds that she shared with another person in hiding.
What is also inspiring about this story is that it sparked, for me at least, a desire to learn more. I did some additional reading on her life, records of people who were with Anne when she died in Bergen Belsen, and her father, who is the only one of the family who lived. I also read more about the people who risked their lives to hide the Frank family. This story made me question how I would have reacted to see my childhood fall apart as she did. This story does not have to create drama through fiction; this is real-life and absolutely powerful.
December 9, 2018
The second time I read this book was this summer, with my ten year old daughter who heard of it and wanted to read it. Every night as we read it together she had a lot of questions, although she had some understanding of the events of the Holocaust. So many questions about going into hiding and the war and why anyone would want to rid the world of a race of people? It was exhausting in a way, but important that we read the book together. Another reason I agreed was because she has some Jewish ancestry that is not really reflected in her daily life nor in our family's culture.
As my daughter noticed, this really is a diary and not a book with a planned trajectory. It ebbs and flows with climaxes centering around moments in key relationships with in Ann - Ann in confilcts with her mother and father, Ann coming of age with her new friend Peter, etc. Other climaxes include times the warehouse below the hiding place is broken into...somehow even more scary for me this time than when I first read it as a young teem. Reading it this time, I wondered if the break-ins lead to the families in hiding being discovered, though we may never know for sure. Also remarkable was the vast network of people who helped - with supplies, secrets, bravery - a lesson for everyone in a turbulent world where we too many need to help those being discriminated against, or threatened of eradication. Miep Gies is my hero and so is insightful Anne, whose diary is a gift to the world. I think they are now my daughters heroes too.
As my daughter noticed, this really is a diary and not a book with a planned trajectory. It ebbs and flows with climaxes centering around moments in key relationships with in Ann - Ann in confilcts with her mother and father, Ann coming of age with her new friend Peter, etc. Other climaxes include times the warehouse below the hiding place is broken into...somehow even more scary for me this time than when I first read it as a young teem. Reading it this time, I wondered if the break-ins lead to the families in hiding being discovered, though we may never know for sure. Also remarkable was the vast network of people who helped - with supplies, secrets, bravery - a lesson for everyone in a turbulent world where we too many need to help those being discriminated against, or threatened of eradication. Miep Gies is my hero and so is insightful Anne, whose diary is a gift to the world. I think they are now my daughters heroes too.
March 23, 2020
The chorus I sing in (Manchester Choral Society) has been rehearsing James Whitbourn's oratorio "Anneliese," based on the diary of Anne Frank. I haven't read her diary since junior high school, so I decided to take a closer look. This volume has all sorts of in-depth background info (e.g., well before the war, her father, Otto Frank, worked in NYC for the family that owned Macy's), information regarding challenges to authenticity/validation of the diary, lots of photos (of both people/places and diary pages), and an entire section with Anne's fictional stories. There are multiple versions of Anne's diary -- from her original writing, from her recopied versions (she planned on submitting to a contest for publication), and from the translation her father had made years later. I'm sure some would be interested in the differences between the versions, but I found it annoying to have multiple versions of every entry -- I just wanted to read through it and it definitely didn't flow smoothly this way (wound up listening to audio version of just the diary). Still, this is a very thorough, well-written version and provided lots of new insights. Also helps put things into perspective in this uncharted time of social distancing -- scary times, but we can still venture outside for a walk, open a window, flush a toilet, make noise, etc. and have more to eat than potatoes, beans, and rotten lettuce!
February 2, 2008
While in hiding, Anne Frank started a diary detailing her life which just happened to take place during one of the most historically significant periods in history, the second world war.
The diary was received as a birthday gift when Holland had already been defeated by the Germans and she details some of the restrictions placed on the Jews by the Nazis. Eventually forced into hiding.
It is during that period of hiding in the Secret Annex that Anne is given the idea that her diary could become an important post-war work. She begins to re-write her diary with a view towards publishing it someday. She renames the non-family members and re-works her entries.
This edition contrasts the version of the diary that was published by her father with the other versions that were written by her. It can sometimes be confusing to read since some entries were missing from the various versions but it's a worthwhile read to see what was left out and even more details of life in hiding.
The diary was received as a birthday gift when Holland had already been defeated by the Germans and she details some of the restrictions placed on the Jews by the Nazis. Eventually forced into hiding.
It is during that period of hiding in the Secret Annex that Anne is given the idea that her diary could become an important post-war work. She begins to re-write her diary with a view towards publishing it someday. She renames the non-family members and re-works her entries.
This edition contrasts the version of the diary that was published by her father with the other versions that were written by her. It can sometimes be confusing to read since some entries were missing from the various versions but it's a worthwhile read to see what was left out and even more details of life in hiding.
February 23, 2012
This book is a must read for any serious Anne Frank fan or for those who want to study her diary (or rather diaries) in more depth. As it contains the 3 versions of the diaries side by side (anne's original writings, her own 1943-44 rewrites and otto frank's edits eventually used for publication in 1947) you begin to realise that at age 13, still writing about school friends, books and her family, Anne was no literary genius just an ordinary teenage girl in horrible circumstances. It is only over a year later when Anne begins to rewrite her diary, that her deep thinking, almost philosophical nature comes to life, most probably as a result of being confined to an annex during those emotional teenage years with the fear of capture and death lurking round every corner.
This edition also contains Anne's own short stories and unfinished novel, which are entertaining and shed another light on 'Anne Frank: the writer'
This edition also contains Anne's own short stories and unfinished novel, which are entertaining and shed another light on 'Anne Frank: the writer'
May 20, 2008
It has been YEARS since I read this book as a child. Reading it as an adult with an understanding of WWII brought new meaning and understanding to the book. Reading it as a mother was even more rewarding.
This book had pieces of the diary that were not included in other versions. The father had removed parts of the diary that Anne didn't talk too nicely about her mother...this one added those bits back in. I thought it made the book more whole.
The book also explained that Anne's diary was actually reworked/rewritten. She had gone back to rework different sections and previous entries.
I loved it. I think every adult/mom should go back an reread it.
This book had pieces of the diary that were not included in other versions. The father had removed parts of the diary that Anne didn't talk too nicely about her mother...this one added those bits back in. I thought it made the book more whole.
The book also explained that Anne's diary was actually reworked/rewritten. She had gone back to rework different sections and previous entries.
I loved it. I think every adult/mom should go back an reread it.
March 4, 2015
Essential reading for anyone with a critical interest in Anne Frank's diary. It provides the three versions that exist in an easy to compare format: Anne's original diary entries, her rewritten versions of the entries that she began in 1944, and the version eventually edited and published by her father, Otto. In addition, Anne's fiction writing is also included, as is a detailed introduction by the Netherlands Institute for War Documentation covering the diary's authenticity.
June 21, 2023
A difficult but essential read for all who wish to find out more about the Holocaust. It was heartbreaking to read Anne Frank's diaries and get to know her, only to realise what was going to happen to her and those who were hiding with her in the Annex.
It certainly gave me food for thought, and sad that all those affected went through what they did, and in the case of all but Otto Frank, the lives they lost.
It certainly gave me food for thought, and sad that all those affected went through what they did, and in the case of all but Otto Frank, the lives they lost.
March 26, 2024
It’s an interesting and insightful look into what life would have been in hiding, but I personally expected more from it due to its popularity. Maybe this review is biased for that reason, but I can’t shake the disappointment I had that it was almost purely based on a girl/teenagers angst rather than the world around them. I get it, it’s “The Diary of a Young Girl”. I probably should have went in expecting it to be just that.
April 3, 2011
A rereading of an old classic, this edition is interesting for the extra content. It shows the difference between the three versions of the diary, and it contains information on what happened to all of the people in the secret annex after they were arrested. It also contains information on the informant who turned in the Franks.
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