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4.4 AVERAGE
4.4 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Corrie ten Boom tells the story of her activities, and those of her family and numerous friends, in Holland assisting Jews during the Nazi occupation. Inevitably, she and most of her family are caught and arrested. Eventually she winds up at the notorious Ravensbruck camp. Maybe I’ve read one too many WWII books at this point because this book didn’t quite work for me.
[b:The Hiding Place|17339177|The Hiding Place|Corrie ten Boom|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1370828692l/17339177._SY75_.jpg|878114] is an interesting book. In a nutshell, it's the most historical account of Corrie ten Boom--a older, unmarried devoutly Christian woman who lived in Holland before, during, and a bit after World War II. It tells the story of how she became the center of one group hiding and getting Jews out of the city and eventually paid the price for it.
It's (unfortunately) not a story we haven't heard before, but I don't think I've ever read one from the perspective of a devout Christian. It's interesting to see how her religion drives her decisions, giving her the strength and hope to overcome all manner of problems throughout her life.
In particular, it's an interesting (at times intentional, at times not) look into the idea that God puts us in terrible situations in order to make us better people, that 'God has a plan for us all'.
It's... hard to see how she believes that all through. Seeing being stripped before the prison guards as an echo of Jesus naked on the cross? Thanking God for fleas because it means they wouldn't be caught praying by the guards? I see where they (and countless others are coming from). But as always, my thought really is: couldn't God do better?
Overall, it's an interesting read from a historical perspective and I expect would be an even stronger read if you were devoutly Christian.
It's (unfortunately) not a story we haven't heard before, but I don't think I've ever read one from the perspective of a devout Christian. It's interesting to see how her religion drives her decisions, giving her the strength and hope to overcome all manner of problems throughout her life.
In particular, it's an interesting (at times intentional, at times not) look into the idea that God puts us in terrible situations in order to make us better people, that 'God has a plan for us all'.
This is what the past is for! Every experience God gives us, every person He puts in our lives is the perfect preparation for the future that only He can see.
It's... hard to see how she believes that all through. Seeing being stripped before the prison guards as an echo of Jesus naked on the cross? Thanking God for fleas because it means they wouldn't be caught praying by the guards? I see where they (and countless others are coming from). But as always, my thought really is: couldn't God do better?
Overall, it's an interesting read from a historical perspective and I expect would be an even stronger read if you were devoutly Christian.
I cheated on this: I found a copy from our digital library loan system, but it's the Focus on the Family radio theater version. Now, Focus on the Family renditions are pretty true to the original. This is probably because they pick stories already with Christian themes, so they can't really be accused of putting Christianity into something that wasn't already in the source. Unfortunately, it means that I missed some of the details the book could explain that wouldn't be possible in the radio drama, such as a detailed description of the house. The story is interesting and a little advertised perspective of WWII. Corrie Ten Boom and her family lived in Holland during World War II. They saw the Nazi occupation and persecution of their people and thus joined part of an Underground operation to hide Jews. This is a side of the story rarely heard or told. Corrie's faith is a large part of the story, since it gives her courage & hope, even after she & her sister are sent to a concentration camp. I could see that - if read in a public school classroom - students might feel a bit overwhelmed by the faith. But arguably, she's not proselytizing, just stating facts - recalling her emotions and reactions. The lessons and morality she develops, though, are those for the masses. Her ability to find forgiveness during a period of fear, brutalization, and hate is astounding and a beautiful lesson for anyone - Christian or not. It will probably never compete with Anne Frank (although maybe I should re-read that for a more contemporary personal comparison), but its message and heart resound just as gracefully.
emotional
inspiring
sad
Amazing, heartbreaking, true story of a German Jewish family during WW2
A powerful story of how good can come of even the worst of circumstances. Beautifully written.
The Hiding Place is a book about Corrie, her sister and father, and what they did to help hide Jews during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. They had created a space in their home to help hide people and were eventually sold out. One of the forefront themes of the book is forgiveness, with the narrator (Corrie) doing her best despite what she went through.
This was another book that I highly recommend even though it’s hard to read. It makes me want to be a better person.
This was another book that I highly recommend even though it’s hard to read. It makes me want to be a better person.
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced