Blanche’s Book Club: ‘Diary of a Young Girl’.

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I feel like we are barreling through the week and I’m not mad about it. I am making the most of my voluntary quarantine and have taken some yoga classes via zoom, but also spent a little bit of time reading at the pool after work. It’s been nice!

I have still been listening to audiobooks, too, mostly while I work. One of the books I listened to last week was “Diary of a Young Girl” by Anne Frank.

I know this book is a classic and so many people read it while in school, but I never did! I’m not sure what made me realize it, but last year, I realized I really don’t know much about the Holocaust — aside from the obvious.

So, this book was my beginning and I do think it was a good place to start.

In case you haven’t read it, this is an actual diary from Anne Frank, who was 13 in 1942, while the Nazis were occupying Holland. Anne and her family — 8 people total — escaped their home in Amsterdam and hid in a secret annexe above an office for two years.

The diary is her account of those years.

Some of the entries are very much what you would expect from a 13-year-old girl: talking about school, boys, being bored, and wishing for her first period.

But other entries are much more serious and provide an update on what’s happening outside, the lack of food inside, and the possibility of a gruesome fate.

I don’t know what I thought about Anne’s future, but I was shocked to learn that Anne’s father was the only survivor from the annexe. All of its occupants were taken to various concentration camps and, not only did he survive, but he made certain Anne’s diary was published for the world to see.

I know nothing makes Anne’s story any bit of happy, but it was bittersweet that some of her entries discussed her dream to be a journalist and have her voice heard.

If you haven’t read this book, I’d definitely recommend it, and the audiobook was SO good. Selma Blair is the narrator and she does such a good job adding personality to it!

For more book recommendations, be sure to subscribe to the blog (look to the right) and follow me on Goodreads @thebitterlemon – where I share more of my book picks. Also, check out my printable bookmarks and Book Club Journal Pages in my Etsy Shop.