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May 29, 2008

Abigail rated it:

Whenever I find myself involved in a tense discussion with fundamentalist atheists, and hear religion being blamed for every evil under the sun, I am always reminded of Corrie ten Boom's memoir, and the role that faith so often plays in the resistance to injustice and tyranny. While I do not dispute the many destructive ends to which religion has been put, I frequently wish that some of my more "progressive" friends would consider the fact that many of the historical movements which t More...

10 comments like (45 people liked it)

Apr 17, 2008

Karen rated it:

By far one of the best and most inspirational books I've ever read. I've underlined so many parts of this book! I first read this with my first book club almost 10 years ago and read it back in October with my current book club -- still find it absolutely amazing and one I want to read and re-read.

One of my favorite themes of the book is stated by the author on page 31: "the experiences of our lives, when we let God use them, become the mysterious and perfect preparation fo More...

2 comments like (12 people liked it)

May 25, 2008

Werner rated it:

When I was adding every book I could remember ever reading to my Goodreads shelves, I automatically slapped three-star ratings on all the nonfiction books (unless I'd disliked them, or they were specially influential for me) without thinking much about it; I'm more apt to reserve four or five star ratings for fiction --and I'm miserly with the five star ones! But this was a case where, when I sat down to do the review, I decided to change the rating. Corrie's personal narrative of her World Wa More...

2 comments like (11 people liked it)

Sep 17, 2007

Liz rated it:

I qualified the recommendation based on age because there are some difficult situations I think, for younger people. I have read many, many holocaust books, and this is by far my favorite. I wept and wept, not just for the suffering she endured, but mostly for the way in which she and her sister Betsie faced their suffering with such faith. For how they looked for opportunities to be selfless in a concentration camp, and how the women there were changed just by their example. I wept at my ut More...

0 comments like (7 people liked it)

Nov 17, 2008

Meg rated it:

Every human being should be required to read this book. I guarantee it will change forever the way you look at life.

The memoir is a true account of Corrie Ten Boom's experiences in German-occupied Holland during WWII (and afterward in prisons and concentration camps). The most amazing thing to me is that she was not Jewish. She was a Dutch Christian who freely sacrificed her own life, and the lives of those she loved most, to fight against cruelty and hate. I read the book aloud More...

1 comment like (6 people liked it)

Apr 18, 2008

Jenny rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

2 comments like (6 people liked it)

Apr 14, 2008

Kelley rated it:

This book is...how do you say it? If not life-changing, it at least affects your vision, the way you see things, for ever! I was so moved by the sweetness of each story, the love of each family member, the courage of so many. It certainly brought perspective to my own life. I also admired Corrie for being able to recognize the good things she had in her life and for her abilty to express that in writing.

I have not read any other hollocaust books on purpose. I have a very sen More...

1 comment like (2 people liked it)

Oct 13, 2007

Annalisa rated it:

If you have not read the book, it is the true account of a Dutch woman in her 50s who sets up an underground Jewish haven during the Nazi rule over Holland. I love reading about the Holocaust, but this was the first time I could sense such a chasm between a sweet, elderly, epitome-of-Christian woman and the cruel hatred of the Nazi camps.

Even before the war, the family's charity and service was inspiring. During the war, their optimism, stalwartness, and charity was amazing. Corrie w More...

0 comments like (5 people liked it)

Apr 19, 2008

Alisa rated it:

This book was incredibly inspirational to me. The horrid things they went through because they did the right thing - and through it all they were able to express gratitude and find the good in their situation. They were able to bless so many people. This is truly a story about how faith triumphs over evil. At one point she and her sister talked about helping others after their release, and they say that there is no pit so deep that God's love is not deeper still. My other favorite part is a More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Apr 19, 2009

Cindy rated it:

Reading this book, I had to ask myself, what is it that makes some people so much stronger than others? And I think that love is the answer. I just finished reading Man's Search for Meaning, and taken with that one, I found myself so impressed by the strength and faith of these people. I was just so inspired.

I love to read Corrie Ten Boom. She makes me feel like I can do more, I can be better. Another thing I noticed about this book and about Viktor Frankl's is that neither one of th More...

0 comments like (3 people liked it)

Oct 13, 2008

Angela rated it:

At the same time and in the same town that Anne Frank and her family were in hiding in the attic, Corrie Ten Boom and her family were hiding Jews and dying in a prison for their actions. In my opinion, Corrie ten Boom was possibly one of the most inspirational and wonderfully uplifting women who truly showed her Christian faith in the way of Jesus by sacrificing herself for "The Watches in the Closet". With humor and humility, Corrie tells of how she and her family joined the Dutch R More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Feb 11, 2012

Tammy rated it:

I'd forgotten all about this book until I saw an update on GR today.

My church sent a busload of us to see the movie when it came out in 1975. I was 8 or 9 I think and the appeal was more the day trip to the big city with my friends and without my parents. It was my first introduction to the Holocaust - it disturbed me, made me terribly sad and frightened all at the same time. Thinking back I was probably too young to have seen it (but what the heck, I saw "Jaws" that yea More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Aug 16, 2008

Shiralea rated it:

I read this book in collage and just now again for book club. I thought it was amazing before, and I still do! I had forgotten a lot of it, mostly what had stood out was the last part where she is at the concentration camp. But I was warmed and inspired by all the lessons Corrie learns and uses in the situations she finds herself in. I think that is the key...so many of us say, "I'm a Christian" and yet so often forget that to be so is to follow Him every day, in every circumstance More...

1 comment like (2 people liked it)

Feb 18, 2009

Elizabeth rated it:

Its not often that a book changes your life. This one will stay with me always. This is the story of an amazing woman and her family who helped hide Jews during the German occupation of Holland. Corrie and her family were eventually arrested and imprisoned. While she was in the camps, she recalls all the small and large miracles of the way God made Himself present. Corrie's father and sister, Betsie, died in the camps, but she was released and went on to devote her life to making real the vision More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Feb 11, 2011

Chris rated it:

It would be fair to say that the most famous story of the Holocaust is the story of Anne Frank. Yet, in many ways, we are taught the incomplete story of the Frank family and thier hiding mates. While we know in great detail about the risk that the Frank helpers took by hiding and protecting their friends, the helpers seem to get short shift. While everyone knows of Miep, not that she seemed to have wanted it, many forget that Victor Kugler (Mr. Kraler in the diary) and Johannes Kleiman (Mr. K More...

3 comments like (1 person liked it)

May 20, 2008

Jeanene rated it:

This is a very inspiring true story. It is about the evolution of spiritual strength, faith, and endurance. It is about looking for God's tender mercies towards His children in the midst of unspeakable horror. I learned to count my blessings reading this book.

1 comment like (2 people liked it)

Apr 09, 2009

Kelly rated it:

What makes this particular book different from other (better) stories about the Holocaust is that it's from the perspective of a Christian woman who was interned. While it's extremely important for us not to forget that one group of people was specifically targeted (Jews) it's also important for us to realize that this horrible thing went beyond that. It didn't just affect *them* (oh isn't that sad?) but it affected *everyone*.

It's not that well written but it's interesting and info More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Feb 04, 2009

Alli rated it:

Wow! I can't believe I hadn't read this amazing book until now. It was our Feb. 2009 Book Club pick and will now go on the shelf with very favorite books. It's the true story of Corrie Ten Boom, a Dutch Christian who is part of the underground movement to help and hide Jews during World War II. While much of the story is terrifyingly real and heartbreaking, this is a story of hope, and forgiveness in the face of true evil and hatred. Corrie has such a beautiful style of writing and uses langu More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Jan 14, 2009

Kristen rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 18, 2008

Trish rated it:

I did not realize that I have read an excerpt from this book that was circulated via email. When I came to the spot, it was unmistakable and powerful.

The Ten Boom family was remarkable the way they read scriptures and prayed both night and day. They were religious about time, too. I can't imagine eating breakfast at exactly 8:10 am every morning. This spoke volumes to me about the pace of life back in the day. The father was endearing and I was impressed by the way he taught his daug More...

2 comments like (2 people liked it)

Sep 28, 2008

Rebecca rated it:

At no fault of the book, but it took me a while to get into this story. Once the occupation of Holland took place the story became riveting and I didn't put it down until I read through the last page. What a horrific setting, but nevertheless a beautiful true story of faith and even love through adversity. A friend suggested having tissue close by, and I agree, especially through the last few chapters.
One part that I'm sure was not a major point in the book, but that struck me was near More...

2 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jul 17, 2008

Janna rated it:

This WWII survival book is excellent. This was another book I read for a book-of-the-month in my Phoenix book club. I found it inspiring in spite of the seriousness of the characters circumstances. The war's victims were deep and these courageous people refused to let evil continue unabated if they could within their sphere of influence thwart it, and rescue people. The Christian themes are so relevant for today. Corrie's sister's attitude sometimes felt unrealistically optimistic, but I th More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 14, 2009

Laurie rated it:

I am ashamed at how little I knew of this book and Corrie ten Boom before reading. For some reason, I thought Corrie ten Boom was African African and her story had something to do with slavery. Uh, I couldn't have been more wrong. She was a Dutch woman who, during World War II, helped Jews flee to safety and then she and her family ended up enslaved in a concentration camp for betraying the Nazis.

And all through it, Corrie kept her faith in God. The big question raised during this bo More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Mar 03, 2009

Rachel rated it:

What a fabulous book! This is the kind of book that changes the way that you see the world. It's given me so many things to think about.

Corrie and several members of her family are imprisoned in several different Nazi camps throughout the end of WWII for helping run the "underground" operation in Holland. The perspective that is offered throughout this book is absolutely incredible. I'll share with you just a couple of the things that stood out to me.

As a young More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Mar 04, 2009

Rachel rated it:

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 dra More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jul 13, 2008

Danna rated it:

We've all grown up with the story of Anne Frank; while certainly moving and profound, it's good to be reminded that her experiences were not unique by exploring such memoirs as Corrie Ten Boom's. While reading through other Goodreads reviews, I came across one that I particularly appreciate and am thus quoting here: "Whenever I find myself involved in a tense discussion with fundamentalist atheists, and hear religion being blamed for every evil under the sun, I am always reminded of Corri More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 21, 2008

John rated it:

I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it! It is an excellent story that was very inspirational as well. The authors did a great job telling the life story of Corrie ten Boom and her family. I enjoyed reading about a family of faith who came through the holocaust without bitterness and hatred for their captors. I think healing comes from forgiveness, and Corrie and Betsie were able to pray for, and even love those who were mistreating them. Like Christ, they forgave the ones who hurt th More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 21, 2008

Whitney rated it:

Good book. Although, there were moments when I wondered how Miss Ten Boom would write it. Probably a lot less heavy-handed with the 'christian book vibe' that I found distracting. Thank you to the biographers for making sure the story got told, but you can REALLY tell that they were of the born-again variety with a definite agenda. However, the writing is the only negative in this amazing story.

If the whole world was like the family of Miss Ten Boom we'd no doubt be translated s More...

2 comments like (1 person liked it)

Mar 08, 2009

Melodie rated it:

I have read this book twice. My daughter Emily has read it at least four times. One day when she was about 14 I asked her why she loved this book so much. She said, "I want a life just like Corrie Ten Boom." I said in a searching surprised voice, "You want to be sent to a concentration camp?" She said, "No mom, duh, I want to be that kind of person. I want to have that kind of faith."

This is an amazingly inspiring book. I think often of the lesson More...

2 comments like (1 person liked it)

Sep 11, 2007

Luz rated it:

Corrie ten Boom's life is amazing. This story did not begin until she was already in her 40's if I remember correctly. But when her story began, it was filled with action, intrigue, mystery, good guys, bad guys. Everything a story could need.
Faith is not something you say you have. Faith is not when you pray on your knees. Faith is going through difficulties in life without the affirmation that you will live through the situation and still doing the right thing. Still believing, with futu More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)