Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

The Definitive Edition

By: Anne Frank

Narrated by: Selma Blair

Length: 9 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

The definitive edition.

Discovered in the attic in which she spent the last years of her life, Anne Frank’s remarkable diary has since become a world classic - a powerful reminder of the horrors of war and an eloquent testament to the human spirit.

In 1942, with Nazis occupying Holland, a 13-year-old Jewish girl and her family fled their home in Amsterdam and went into hiding. For the next two years, until their whereabouts were betrayed to the Gestapo, they and another family lived cloistered in the “Secret Annex” of an old office building. Cut off from the outside world, they faced hunger, boredom, the constant cruelties of living in confined quarters, and the ever-present threat of discovery and death. In her diary Anne Frank recorded vivid impressions of her experiences during this period. By turns thoughtful, moving, and amusing, her account offers a fascinating commentary on human courage and frailty and a compelling self-portrait of a sensitive and spirited young woman whose promise was tragically cut short.

©2010 Random House

Critic reviews

"The new edition reveals a new depth to Anne's dreams, irritations, hardship, and passions....There may be no better way to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II than to reread

The Diary of a Young Girl, a testament to an indestructive nobility of spirit in the face of pure evil." (Chicago Tribune)

“The single most compelling personal account of the Holocaust...remains astonishing and excruciating.” (The New York Times Book Review)

Grateful for Anne’s persistence and talent

I was so moved by this diary and glad that her voice and insight has lived on. She was wise beyond her years and what a gift that her father made it possible for us the learn of her and her experiences. It’s hard to believe all that happened some 80 years ago. Thank you, Otto…Thank you, Anne.

Very interesting

I never realized that Anne was such a typical teen, being upset at her situation was quite evident, I’m glad her greatest wish to be a famous author was completed.

Read it!

I never read this in school, so decided to now. The narrator did a great job. Very interesting, and sad, to hear what they went through.

A Must Read

I originally read this book as a teenager. Now some 50 years later and in light of the recent rise of antisemitism it is an even more important piece of nonfiction. It is so moving to see what this child went through.

Worth the wait

My son's theater group is putting on this play. I chose to listen to it beforehand. Ann's writing was gripping. She was an amazing young lady. I just finished the book and feel overwhelming sadness not only for the eight people in the Annex but for what is happening around the world now. This book should be a must-read for every High School Student. Ann, Rest in Peace knowing you touched a former soldier's life with your words. "All we need is to give peace a chance." John Lennon.

Profound

What a strong, intelligent, young girl. I’m touched by her diary, and believe Anne Frank would have made a phenomenal journalist. What a captivating and honest glimpse into her life. Through this book, she lives on.

It was so good I loved it

I live how natural the voice sounds and the fluentness of it u just really loved this book would recommend to anyone interested in ww2

Eloquently Written

It feels wrong, somehow, rating Anne's diary, but she was truly a very complex, interesting, and insightful young girl. Every time she spoke about her future, I was crushed knowing she never got one.
I would recommend this to everyone, young and old.

Selma Blair did a fantastic job narrating, giving the right amount of emphasis for how a teenage girl might actually talk.

Some have said they don't understand what was so horrific about the book, or how they hated Anne being a teenager and saying, many times, that no one truly knows her or "understands" her. Here's the truth: I don't think anyone in the annex really did know her, and only after the war ended did her father get to see insight into his daughter's emotions and internal turmoil. What's so horrific about this story is how it abruptly ends. The fact the 8 Jews in the annex had to hide from the world just to stay alive. That, in the end, it was all for naught. What's so horrific is the terrible way they died, and for no reason whatsoever.

Those who gave negative reviews seem to not have grasped the point of Anne's story. They focus too much on it being a diary of a young girl and less on the reality of her situation. Juxtapose her life with what was going on in the world. How her being Jewish didn't make her any different than any other teenage girl. Her religion, race, wasn't who she was. THAT'S the point. She was brave, naive, an autodidactic, and had hopes and dreams. Maybe some of the naysayers out there should take a page from Anne's diary and try to live it. Tell me how it was terrifying and horrific. Because, guess what, it was.

I wish she had survived to continue her stories. I imagine her to be a writer with rich and challenging writing that would make you think. Her loss is unimaginable.

Living in the mind of a young girl

What made the experience of listening to Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl the most enjoyable?

Selma Blair's performance made it feel like Anne was talking right to me. This audio book was transformed into a friend telling of her trials and a friend listening intently. This is story is amazing on its own but the performance set it apart.

What did you like best about this story?

Anne is a real teen girl and I felt like if I had been in her situation... Well I don't know. It's a tragedy that Anne had to experience these hardships and that in the end she suffered even more but I appreciate that the story is real and raw. I am thankful for Anne who spent all that time writing in her journal and sharing her story.

Which scene was your favorite?

The part where Anne talks about making a difference long after she is gone... I cried, like a baby!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

See the comment above, yes absolutely!

Any additional comments?

Anne transforms through out her time in the Secret annex and that makes her more likable as her story develops. I hate for her that she wasn't able to enjoy her youth but I am greatful that she shared her story with us and that would make her happy if she knew, all the lives she had touched through writing in her journal.

Anne Frank - Superwoman!

Would you consider the audio edition of Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl to be better than the print version?

Selma Blair gave life to Anne Frank in a way that just reading the book myself might not have.

What did you like best about this story?

I was engrossed from the very beginning and couldn't stop listening while I worked in my studio. The Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank, was so open and raw. As fate would have it, Anne received a diary for her birthday and began writing just before her family went into hiding. As the years progressed in the secret annex, so did Anne's wisdom -- far above her age. Her perspective on the war, the atrocities of human suffering, and the depth of her appreciation of those who helped her family were so moving. She rarely complained about being bored and tried to keep a positive attitude. In the end, her ideas on peace and war seem so simple, yet so true. What really struck me though, was a few of her comments about why she was writing the diary... no one would ever read it... its boring... it will never amount to anything. When in reality, her words have touched millions of people the world over. If she only knew... if she only knew.

Which character – as performed by Selma Blair – was your favorite?

Selma Blair did a fabulous job portraying the words and feelings of Anne Frank. She was amazing!!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I don't think anyone could read/listen to this book and not have an extreme reaction. The horrific time in our history is just that... horrific, but needs to be shared.