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234th out of 313 books
—
296 voters
Things We Couldn't Say
The true story of Diet Eman, a young Dutch woman who, with her fiance, Hein Siestma, risked everything to rescue imperiled Jews in Nazi-occupied Holland during World War II.
Paperback, 400 pages
Published
November 8th 1999
by William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
(first published July 1994)
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This book was SOOOOOOOOOO inspirational. If you like The Hiding Place, you'll LOVE this book. It was well-written, and kept me on the edge of my seat! I also added a number of quotes from this book. I heard about Diet's story from Women Heroes of World War II: 26 Stories of Espionage, Sabotage, Resistance, and Rescue which is another inspiring novel. Although I don't buy books often, I'm definitely going to buy this one.
All of the Jews she hid survived. The ending is pretty bittersweet, but her...more
All of the Jews she hid survived. The ending is pretty bittersweet, but her...more
Heart breaking story about a Dutch resister during WWII. I hadn't read the back of the book, but should have guessed the ending. It made me cry. In the airport. At the boarding gate surrounded by strangers. Through the book you come to know Diet, her family, her friends, and her faith. After doing little things the horrors of what the Nazis are actually doing become clear and she becomes more active in her work, alongside her fiance. They begin transporting and hiding Jews in farms around the co...more
There are few books I've read that ring more meaningful than this one. I would recommend it to anyone. I happened to read it while courting my wife. My experiences at the time were thrust in start contrast with the life dealt out to Diet Eman who would sacrifice everything, lose the one she loved most, while trying to save every Jewish life that came across her path. But, she didn't do this individually, she was part of a larger underground resistance that leaves one shocked at the brazen courag...more
This book was a page turner, it kept me engossed from the first page. This is one of those historical books where you almost know what to expect, if you know the history that surrounds the personal story being told. This brave woman Diet Eman, (pronounced deet) who was a Dutch Jew in Holland, started a resistance group with her fiance and others. They hid Jews and got them fake papers, and got involved with a more organized group, and then her fiance got pick up with supplies that included stuf...more
Excellent book. I used it with 8th graders during a World War Two unit.
A fresh perspective on the way politics can come between friends and even family and how quickly it become a matter of life or death. This woman had a strong will and courage which when she went full force to help. I met this woman in 1996 when I went on a medical mission trip. After this book, she studies nursing and lived all over the world helping people. The last time I checked, she was still alive and volunteering at a medical clinic in an inner city. She is in her nineties. For her this bo...more
This is such an amazing book! Diet Eman shares with the readers the story of how she and her fiance participated in the resistance by hiding Jews and performing tasks for the resistance movement. From a historical standpoint, I appreciated that she delves into how these operations worked, the danger of undertaking such work, and the toll it took on those who performed resistance work. You can really learn a lot about underground work from Eman's story. Even the details they must be aware of whil...more
This is the story of a woman who, with her friends and fiancee, became deeply involved in the Dutch Resistance movement during World War II. It's a powerful story of faith amidst the foulest of circumstances. The one thing that bothered me was that it was as if Schaap had Eman tell her story into a tape recorder, then transcribed it--it wandered a bit and felt like an old person's somewhat disorganized reminiscences. Parts of the book were better than others in that regard.
Jan 02, 2013
Neeta
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
nonfiction,
ww2-and-holocaust
This is a memoir of a young Dutch Christian woman who participated in the resistance movement and worked to hide Jews from the Germans in WWII, giving a nice perspective of how the Dutch were affected by the German invasion. The author had to go into hiding for years during the war when it was suspected that she was in the Resistance. She disguised herself as a maid, did not dare to visit her family, and was separated from her fiance when he was caught, too. She continued her work in hiding Jews...more
This is one of my favorite books. I couldn't put it down. Diet Eman was a woman who worked for the Dutch underground during WWII. She relied on Christ in everything she did. There were many times where she could have been put in prision and was somehow saved. It is evident by the circumstances that she encountered that it was by the grace of God that she escaped dangerous situations. She has taught me to be strong in Christ and rely only on Him.
This book is now one of my favorite historical WWII memoirs. Written as an autobiography of her life during World War II as a member of the Christian Dutch resistance, this book is engaging and challenging to read. Diet Eman is open and honest about her struggles to keep her faith strong in God during these harsh times. During one of her stays in prison, the author briefly meets Corrie and Betsy Ten Boom.
Things We Couldn't Say is an amazing, horrifying, enriching real life account of events and heroism in Holland during WWII. Diet Eman is one of so many honest, faithful Christians who rescued and saved so many from the German Armies. Her story is not hers alone, so many faithful were walking such a thin line. Her freedom is our freedom. I was a bit overwhelmed by all the names, dates, and places mentioned in this book. So I was especially thrilled at the postscript that gave me after war updates...more
Wow. This was one of the best books I've ever read. It brought me to the reality of what it was like to live in a region that experienced Nazi take over during the time preceding and during World War 2. The stories of Eman were inspiring, to hear the reality of people who opened their hearts and home to save innocent Jewish people and to read about their experiences and the consequences they had to pay, and the amazement that they (some) made it through.
This is the true story of Diet Eman, a young Christian woman who joined the Christian resistance movement in the Netherlands during WWII. Together with her fiancé, Hein Sietsma, and many other Dutch men and women, they risked their lives to save the lives of numerous Jews once the Germans occupied their beloved country. Diet and her fellow compatriots tried to stand for what was right in the midst of great evil and danger, doing so by the grace and power of God. Before the war ends, Eman, her fi...more
Mar 10, 2012
Emily
added it
My teacher read this to my sixth grade class every day at lunch. I highly anticipated the time when we would sit down and listen to our teacher read us this book. I have looked for this book for years, and I have just recently remembered the title of it. I hope to read it soon, and I hope I like it just as much the second time as I did the first.
I know, another WW II survival book. This one puts all the others to shame though. Almost from the beginning you marvel at how Diet (the main character and author) kept her strength and faith through so many years of hardship and fear. It leaves you wondering if people like that still exist, and if they could do the same thing again.
This book is uplifting, heart-wrenching, insightful, and unbelievably amazing. I loved every part of the book and praise Diet Eman for her courage both with what she did in the resistance and for being able to write her story down. A wonderful view of life during WWII and how hard those outside of the military also fought. A book I read again and again.
Book got off to a bit of a slow start. I felt like I was listening to my grandmother wander through old stories--which likely was the intent, but it didn't "grab" me right away. The subject matter was compelling enough to keep me reading and I'm certainly glad that I did.
I have been privileged to be able to hear this wonderful woman speak twice. Once in my alternative education school building and again during the dutch resistance presentation in Grand Rapids MI. I have an autographed copy of her book among my prized possessions.
A wonderful read that bolsters the Christian faith. I am reminded that God is always faithful and we can cling to his many promises as I read Diet's account.. In the midst of pure Evil, Diet is challenged in her faith walk but the miraculous hand of God is at her side. I could read this story over and over as a reminder that God is good all the time even when in our darkest hour.
A very emotional account of WWII. Diet Eman left me in tears reading of how she fought the Nazi's in the underground and lost so much. I felt that her writing and wording revealed how deeply her loss still affects her.
Most amazing and inspirational book I have ever read. My Dutch grandmother read it and though it brought up many painful memories, she also felt it was very touching. I cried several times throughout...
Wonderful, wonderful book. This is a must-read. It follows the story of Diet Eman during WWII and how she reconciles resisting and plotting against the Nazis with her Christian faith.
Wow! Hard to put down and since it's a memoir, you know how it ends which made it both hard to finish and hard to put down. A rare combination...
A WWII memoir about this woman's involvement in the Dutch Resistance. I am enthralled by her bravery which she chalks up to being a good Christian. She has great perception (maybe only in hindsight) about the times and what was going on around her, things they didn't know or realize (how long the war would last) and people's perceptions. She resides in...more
A WWII memoir about this woman's involvement in the Dutch Resistance. I am enthralled by her bravery which she chalks up to being a good Christian. She has great perception (maybe only in hindsight) about the times and what was going on around her, things they didn't know or realize (how long the war would last) and people's perceptions. She resides in...more
I love books about true, brave heroes and this is one of them. It is about resistance to the Nazis and the hiding of prisoners in Holland during WWII (Thanks, Joanna)
I started reading this because it was on my sister's list and it sounded interesting. Coincidentally, I also started "Codetalkers" the Navajo Indians who used their native language to bypass the Japanese attempts to intercept messages during WWII. I never thought how parallel the two stories would be. Same time period, with the war the major event. But also how much God is part of their ability to hold on. And how parallel the two religions, that I would have thought of as much different, were s...more
this book is one of the most touching and riveting books i have ever read. it will touch your deep soul and remain with you long after you have read it.
Read this true story on the recommendation of my mom who got it from a friend. Love how that works! We read it of course because it took place in Holland & for its strong Christian theme. Diet is my hero. What an amazingly strong woman of God. Not sure I could have endured what she did, but then again all things are possible through God. The bravery of the dutch resistance to save as many Jews as they could from the Nazis is quite a story. Diet's loss of her fiance Hein & her strength to...more
Such strength! A true testament of the power one person can do in standing up for what is right. She is an amazing woman who stood face to face with evil and didn't cower despite hunger, disease, and abuse from the Nazis. Diet is a true inspiration.
Diet Eman's account of the Holocaust. Very good book! I was able to hear her speak at my church and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
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“I had no real communication with anyone at the time, so I was totally dependent on God. And he never failed me.”
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10 people liked it
“But miracles still happen, even if we don't think they do.”
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5 people liked it
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8 de Sep 17:59