I was looking for books on my online library. I found a couple that were interesting so I put them on hold. When I put one on hold I looked at other suggested books they had. I saw The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom.
I read this book when I was a teen. It was one of the first biographies I read about WWII. This is what the cover looked like then….
It imprinted a real compassion in me for people who lived in Europe through WWII and dealt with death on a daily basis. It also helped me realize how important forgiveness is.
When I saw the book, I thought I’d read it again. I rarely, if ever, re-read a book. I wanted to see if the book was as good as I remembered. After all, I remembered the “feeling” of the book but not the actual story.
This is the cover now…
…and it was wonderful. It was right that I remembered this book with reverence. The story was good. The feeling was good. This book has Christian based themes but they do it so wonderfully.
Here is what Amazon had to say:
“Corrie ten Boom was a Dutch watchmaker who became a heroine of the Resistance, a survivor of Hitler’s concentration camps, and one of the most remarkable evangelists of the twentieth century. In World War II she and her family risked their lives to help Jews and underground workers escape from the Nazis, and for their work they were tested in the infamous Nazi death camps. Only Corrie among her family survived to tell the story of how faith ultimately triumphs over evil.”
Amazon readers give the book 4.9 stars…YES. I’ll agree. I think this will always be on my list of books that have stuck with me for a long time. In this case…almost 40 years.
Wonderful, wonderful book. I’ve read it 3 or 4 times now and have enjoyed it each time. Such a wonderful witness for Christ.
I learned about this book from my Mom, Probably about the same time you read it the first time! An AMAZING book, I need to read it again too!
This book is so inspirational. Corrie was not afraid to trust God with everything. The way she was able to forgive is s lesson in itself.
A few other excellent books about WW2 in Europe: The Alice Network and The Book Thief.
Both are excellent reads.
Jo, when I was a registered nurse many years ago, I had the privilege of taking care of Corrie Ten Boom one night in the hospital after she had a stroke. I did not know anything about her, but was informed all about her by her personal secretary who sat at her bedside all night. I was so impressed. Then, I read The Hiding Place. What a story! Her story has affected my whole life since. What a fine Christian lady she was. Thank you for encouraging others to read her story.
I too, read The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom when I was a teen, and I reread the book about two years ago and it had just as big an impact the second time as it did the first. As a teenager studying about Concentration Camps and the horrors that happened in those camps I was so ashamed that humanity could be so cruel. I went to Dachau in Germany in my thirties and allI could think of was Corrie and her sister in that environment and I was moved to tears. I got to hear Ms Ten Boom speak in person one night in Miami and I was so grateful to be in the same auditorium. This book and hearing the author tell her story changed my life. We tend to think that our problems are overwhelming, but really they usually aren’t. This book certainly helped me realize that.
Jo I too have read this book more than once. There is also a movie by the same name that came out in 1975 that I just love that has hauntingly beautiful music to it. I recommend both wholeheartedly.
Oh I have read “The Hiding Place” such an amazing story. I’ve read it twice the impression I got was it’s always worth everything to trust God in everything.
I have been following her example ever since I read her book. What a great lady.
I’ve wanted to read this book for years…I think I’ll find a copy soon.
I’ve seen the movie. I enjoy reading WWII books. There were so many plain old people who helped others during the war, hiding the Jews, helping them escape, etc. More than we will ever know. I’m reading an unusual book right now. Its called Outwitting History and written by a young Jewish man who in the 70’s with his friends, set a goal to save all the Yiddish books in the world that people were discarding. Along the way they meet holocaust survivors and many other Jewish people who have saved these books. I read some odd books sometimes.
That is a book that I have read more than once and I also have the movie. I was fortunate to hear her speak one time many years ago. What an amazing lady to be able to forgive like that.
It is a classic and I have recommended it many times to others. I first read it as an assignment when I was in the 10 grade and I still have the book. I have been to Dachau and it was a place of great sadness. I’m glad you enjoyed reading it again