The Diary of a Young Girl: The Definitive Edition
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Updated with enlightening new material, this is the complete, definitive edition of Anne Frank’s diary, “the single most compelling personal account of the Holocaust” (The New York Times Book Review)
Discovered in the attic where she spent the last years of her life, Anne Frank’s remarkable diary has become a world classic—a powerful reminder of the horrors of war and an eloquent testament to the human spirit.
In 1942, as Nazis occupied Holland, a thirteen-year-old Jewish girl and her family fled their home in Amsterdam and went into hiding. For the next two years, until their whereabouts were betrayed to the Gestapo, they and another family lived cloistered in the secret upstairs rooms of an old office building. Cut off from the outside world, they faced hunger, boredom, the constant cruelties of living in confined quarters, and the ever-present threat of discovery and death.
In her diary Anne Frank recorded vivid impressions of her experiences during this period. By turns thoughtful, moving, and amusing, Anne’s account offers a fascinating commentary on human courage and frailty and a compelling self-portrait of a sensitive and spirited young woman whose promise was tragically cut short.
Praise for The Diary of a Young Girl
“One of the most moving personal documents to come out of World War II.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer
“There may be no better way to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the end of World War II than to reread The Diary of a Young Girl, a testament to an indestructible nobility of spirit in the face of pure evil.”—Chicago Tribune
“The single most compelling personal account of the Holocaust . . . remains astonishing and excruciating.”—The New York Times Book Review
“How brilliantly Anne Frank captures the self-conscious alienation and naïve self-absorption of adolescence.”—Newsday
Discovered in the attic where she spent the last years of her life, Anne Frank’s remarkable diary has become a world classic—a powerful reminder of the horrors of war and an eloquent testament to the human spirit.
In 1942, as Nazis occupied Holland, a thirteen-year-old Jewish girl and her family fled their home in Amsterdam and went into hiding. For the next two years, until their whereabouts were betrayed to the Gestapo, they and another family lived cloistered in the secret upstairs rooms of an old office building. Cut off from the outside world, they faced hunger, boredom, the constant cruelties of living in confined quarters, and the ever-present threat of discovery and death.
In her diary Anne Frank recorded vivid impressions of her experiences during this period. By turns thoughtful, moving, and amusing, Anne’s account offers a fascinating commentary on human courage and frailty and a compelling self-portrait of a sensitive and spirited young woman whose promise was tragically cut short.
Praise for The Diary of a Young Girl
“One of the most moving personal documents to come out of World War II.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer
“There may be no better way to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the end of World War II than to reread The Diary of a Young Girl, a testament to an indestructible nobility of spirit in the face of pure evil.”—Chicago Tribune
“The single most compelling personal account of the Holocaust . . . remains astonishing and excruciating.”—The New York Times Book Review
“How brilliantly Anne Frank captures the self-conscious alienation and naïve self-absorption of adolescence.”—Newsday
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Community Reviews
I thought that she dies on the attic, being shoot out from a Police German, but I guess it was the movie that I saw about Anne Frank, they most of changed the ending! But it was completely sad how they were discovered and separated that way, I can't believe how that war was it was the most saddest war ever, I can't believe how racist was Hitler, he was the most horrible person who ever lived.
Is very sad, how happy it starts to the ending.
I really liked it.
I think Anne was an amazing young lady and it's evident she had talent for writing.
I think is wonderful to learn about such a period in the story directly from someone who was living it and that is such a shame the others in the secret anexe didn't write a diary too, so we could know another perspectives of the same story. I would love to know them the way we get to know Anne, and not only the way she saw them.
I know with translations and edition we lost a lot of the real essence on the diary, but I still think is an excellent book.
I think Anne was an amazing young lady and it's evident she had talent for writing.
I think is wonderful to learn about such a period in the story directly from someone who was living it and that is such a shame the others in the secret anexe didn't write a diary too, so we could know another perspectives of the same story. I would love to know them the way we get to know Anne, and not only the way she saw them.
I know with translations and edition we lost a lot of the real essence on the diary, but I still think is an excellent book.
How can I review a diary? What gives me that right?
So I won’t. I won’t say what I liked and didn’t like about the writing, I’m not going to critique, or review it. I will comment on the book however. How it made me feel.
At times, Anne made me laugh with her quick wit, sometimes she astonished me with her maturity, and sometimes she truly revealed herself as the young child she was.
This line in particular broke my heart:
And from one so young. I imagine living in that situation kind of forces you to grow up and face reality.
Two years...never going outside, seeing the same people and no one else, constantly fearing discovery, fearing an invasion, oh, I can’t even begin to image what that must have been like.
The entry from April 11th, 1944 was especially heartbreaking. I wonder if the day they were finally discovered went something like this? Was it worse? Were they immediately found because someone told them exactly where to look? But in this entry, the fear is palpable. They were so close to being discovered.
Then, Anne’s comments afterwards, highlighting just what had become of the Jews, what this is doing to our author. My heart aches for her and all the others who suffered.
And this one, filled with hope for better days. Filled with the conviction that her people would rise from this and come out stronger for it! How does one so young utter words so strong, wise, and empowering?? How does she hold onto hope in such a tragic situation?
I wrote the review as I was reading the book. If something tugged at me, I’d put it down. Honestly, the entire book moved me. For my final quote, I’m going to share some wise words from a very strong, young lady:
This is probably one of my favorite parts. Not only is this incredibly wise and insightful, but also shows great strength of character. Anna says that she sees her good qualities, but she is also able to take a step back and look at her words and actions and judge them for herself. And she is so baffled that if people can name a flaw, that they decide not to change it. That they don’t even try. Her bafflement of people’s desire for ease and money is at once innocent, and so very admirable. She seemed to know who she was, and what she wanted.
And that last bit, about Peter...she isn’t trying to change Peter, but she wants to encourage him to do that for himself, to better himself. He’s a couple of years older than her, but it never seems that way. She wants him to develop character, backbone, to become his own person, to become a man. She’s not going around trying to force him to change. She’s trying to encourage him to find his own way. And that’s just so darn heartening to read!! Anne was budding feminist, and if she had survived, I think she could have done great things. As it is, she already left her mark on the world, and on me. Thank you, Anne.
So I won’t. I won’t say what I liked and didn’t like about the writing, I’m not going to critique, or review it. I will comment on the book however. How it made me feel.
At times, Anne made me laugh with her quick wit, sometimes she astonished me with her maturity, and sometimes she truly revealed herself as the young child she was.
This line in particular broke my heart:
Fine specimens of humanity, those Germans, and to think I’m actually one of them! No, that’s not true, Hitler took away our nationality long ago.
And from one so young. I imagine living in that situation kind of forces you to grow up and face reality.
Two years...never going outside, seeing the same people and no one else, constantly fearing discovery, fearing an invasion, oh, I can’t even begin to image what that must have been like.
The entry from April 11th, 1944 was especially heartbreaking. I wonder if the day they were finally discovered went something like this? Was it worse? Were they immediately found because someone told them exactly where to look? But in this entry, the fear is palpable. They were so close to being discovered.
Then, Anne’s comments afterwards, highlighting just what had become of the Jews, what this is doing to our author. My heart aches for her and all the others who suffered.
We’ve been reminded of the fact that we’re Jews in chains, chained to one spot, without any rights, but with a thousand obligations. We must put our feelings aside; we must be brave and strong, bear discomfort without complaint, do whatever is in our power and trust in God. One day this terrible war will be over. The time will come when we’ll be people again and not just Jews!
And this one, filled with hope for better days. Filled with the conviction that her people would rise from this and come out stronger for it! How does one so young utter words so strong, wise, and empowering?? How does she hold onto hope in such a tragic situation?
Be brave! Let’s remember our duty and perform it without complaint. There will be a way out. God has never deserted our people. Through the ages Jews have had to suffer, but through the ages they’ve gone on living, and the centuries of suffering have only made them stronger. The weak shall fall and the strong shall survive and not be defeated!
I wrote the review as I was reading the book. If something tugged at me, I’d put it down. Honestly, the entire book moved me. For my final quote, I’m going to share some wise words from a very strong, young lady:
To be honest, I can’t imagine how anyone could say ‘I’m weak” and then stay that way. If you know that about yourself, why not fight it, why not develop your character? Their answer has always been: ‘Because it’s much easier not to!’ This reply leaves me feeling rather discouraged. Easy? Does that mean a life of deceit and laziness is easy too? Oh no, that can’t be true. It can’t be true that people are so readily tempted by ease...and money. I've given a lot of thought to what my answer should be, to how I should get Peter to believe in himself and, most of all, to change himself for the better. I don’t know whether I’m on the right track.
This is probably one of my favorite parts. Not only is this incredibly wise and insightful, but also shows great strength of character. Anna says that she sees her good qualities, but she is also able to take a step back and look at her words and actions and judge them for herself. And she is so baffled that if people can name a flaw, that they decide not to change it. That they don’t even try. Her bafflement of people’s desire for ease and money is at once innocent, and so very admirable. She seemed to know who she was, and what she wanted.
And that last bit, about Peter...she isn’t trying to change Peter, but she wants to encourage him to do that for himself, to better himself. He’s a couple of years older than her, but it never seems that way. She wants him to develop character, backbone, to become his own person, to become a man. She’s not going around trying to force him to change. She’s trying to encourage him to find his own way. And that’s just so darn heartening to read!! Anne was budding feminist, and if she had survived, I think she could have done great things. As it is, she already left her mark on the world, and on me. Thank you, Anne.
It seems cold even to be rating a book like this. But here we go. Anne was a very good writer. I hadn’t realized until an online discussion on this book that the Diary is actually a revised version of her diary—she intended to submit it for some kind of publication after the war. But in any case, she had some real talent. Obviously the significance of the book speaks for itself. But what I was surprised by was how thought-provoking it was beyond the issue of the Holocaust. There’s a lot here about what it means to come of age—as a girl, specifically, though I found a lot to identify with as well. I would of course recommend the book; I think most people would find it a worthwhile read.
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