book review - Het Achterhuis

Better known as The Diary of Anne Frank, the translated "Secret Annexe" is a fascinating collection of diary entries from a young jewish girl hiding out in Nazi-occupied Holland.  Originally published in 1947, this book has since been translated into 31 languages in 30 countries, and has sold over 5 million copies.

Surprisingly, I never read this book in school.  It's a classic that has been on my "to read" list for awhile and I finally got a chance to read it in January. (On a related note, I'm attempting to squeeze in 1 book a month for the 2011 year.  That's a huge decrease from previous years but I've got a good reason for that!) 

It turns out I had a little in common with Anne.  We share the same birthday and as I read her entries prior to their hiding out, I found myself remembering having similar feelings as a young teenager.  What I can't imagine though is living through the incredibly difficult circumstances of hiding out and later the horrors of a concentration camp.  But I think it's the honest confessions and universal issues regarding parents, siblings, thoughts and feelings that adolescents struggle with under even the best of circumstances.

Here are some of my favorite excerpts...

As long as this exists, and I may live to see it, this sunshine, the cloudless skies, while this lasts, I cannot be unhappy.  The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely, or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature, and God.  Because only then does one feel that all is at it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of Nature.  As long as this exists, and it certainly always will, I know that then there will always be confort for every sorrow, whatever the circumstances may be.  And I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles.  

And whoever is happy will make others happy too.  He who has courage and faith will never perish in misery!

If the truth be told, things are just as bad as you yourself care to make them.

Stupid people usually can't take it if others do better than they do.

Laziness may appear attractive, but work gives satisfaction.

How noble and good everyone could be if, every evening before falling asleep, they were to call to their minds the events of the whole day and consider exactly what has been good and bad.  Then, without realizing it, you try to improve yourself at the start of each new day; of course, you achieve quite a lot in the course of time!

and probably the single most popular excerpt from the collection 

...because in spite of everything, I still believe people are really good at heart.

It's really a fascinating piece of work and I'm pleased to finally be able to check it off.  It's one I'll definitely recommend to Saraya when she's older.