Anne Frank, 1952Translated from the Dutch by B.M Mooyaart-Doubleday
A poignant and thoughtful diary written by Anne from the age of twelve to fifteen, amidst the threat of German capture at any second, hiding at the "Secret Annexe" at her father Otto Frank's office with seven other people and 'journaling' like any teenager would: the normal mother-daughter conflicts she faced everyday, her longing to be a daddy's girl, her relationship with her sister Margot, the excitementof her first kiss with Peter and all the anguish and anxiety of this horrible time in Amsterdam.
'On Friday, June 12th, I woke up at six o'clock and no wonder, it was my birthday. But of course. I was not allowed to get up at that hour, so I had to control my curiosity until a quarter to seven.' (1)
'Yes, there is no doubt that paper is patient and as I don't intend to show this cardboard-covered notebook, bearing the proud name of "diary," to anyone, unless I find a real friend, boy or girl, probably nobody cares. And now I come to the root of the matter, the reason for my starting a diary: it is that I have no such real friend.'(2)
'I don't think I shall ever feel really at home in this house, but that does not mean that I loathe it here, it is more like being on vacation in a very peculiar boarding house. Rather a mad idea, perhaps, but that is how it strikes me. The "Secret Annexe" is the ideal hiding place.'(20)
'Margot and Mummy's natures are completely strange to me. I can understand my friends better than my own mother--too bad!' (30)
'Anyhow, I've learned one thing now. You only really get to know people when you've had a jolly good row with them. Then and then only can you judge their true characters!'(35)
'Mummy and her feelings are something I find harder to bear than anything else...We are exact opposites in everything; so naturally we are bound to run up against each other. I don't pronounce judgement on Mummy's character, for that is something i can't judge. '(45)
'Honestly, you needn't think it's easy to be the "badly brought-up" central figure of a hypercritical family in hiding. When I lie in bed at night and think over the many sins and shortcomings attributed to me, I get so confused by it all that I either laugh or cry: it depends what sort of mood I am in.'(56)
'Mummy got up, paused by my bed for a moment, and walked slowly towards the door. Suddenly she turned around, and with a distorted look on her face said, "I don't want to be cross, love cannot be forced." There were tears in her eyes as she left the room.'(75)
'It annoys me that I am so dependent on the atmosphere here, but I'm certainly not the only one--we all find it the same. If I read a book that impresses me, I have to take myself firmly in hand, before I mix with other people; otherwise they would think my mind rather queer.'(114)
'I simply can't imagine that the world will ever be normal for us again. I do talk about "after the war," but then it is only a castle in the air, something that will never really happen.'(115)
'I see the eight of us with our "Secret Annexe" as if we were a little piece of blue heaven, surrounded by heavy black rain clouds. The round, clearly defined spot where we stand is still safe, but the clouds gather more closely about us and the circle which separates us from the approaching danger closes more and more tightly.'(115)
'I hid myself within myself, I only considered myself and quietly wrote down all my joys, sorrows, and contempt in my diary. This diary is of great value to me, because it has become a book of memoirs in many places, but on a good many pages I could certainly put "past and done with."'(127)
"I have now reached the stage that I don't care much whether I live or die. The world will still keep turning without me; what is going to happen, will happen, and anyway it's no good trying to resist.'(150)
'I believe that it's spring within me. I feel that spring is awakening, I feel it in my whole body and soul. It is an effort to behave normally, I feel utterly confused, don't know what to read, what to write, what to do, I only know that I am longing...!'(151)
'The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely, or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature, and God...And I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles.'(158)
'Why should millions be spent daily on the war and yet there's not a penny available for medical services, artists, or for poor people? Why do some people have to starve, while there are surpluses rotting in other parts of the world? Oh why are people so crazy?'(223)
'I hope something will happen soon now, shooting if need be--nothing can crush is more than this restlessness. Let the end come, even if it is hard; then at least we shall know whether we are finally going to win through or go under.'(242)
'How noble and good everyone could be if, every evening before falling asleep, they were to recall to their minds the events of the whole day and consider exactly what has been good and bad. Then without realizing it, you try to improve yourself at the start of each new day; of course, you achieve quite a lot in the course of time. Anyone can do this, it costs nothing and is certainly very helpful. Whoever doesn't know it must learn and find by experience that: "A quiet conscience makes one strong!"'(256)
'This refrain hummed in my ears: bend the top, pull the skin, remove the string, throw out the pod, etc., etc., they dance before my eyes, green, green, green maggots, strings, rotten pods, green, green, green.'(259)
'I have one outstanding trait in my character, which must strike anyone who knows me for any length of time, and that is my knowledge of myself. I can watch myself and my actions, just like an outsider. The Anne of every day I can face entirely without prejudice, without making excuses for her, and watch what's good and what's bad about her. This "self-consciousness" haunts me, and every time I open my mouth I know as soon as I've spoken whether "they ought to have been different" or "that was right as it was."'(260)
'I didn't want to to hear about "symptoms of your age," or '"other girls," or "it wears off by itself"; I didn't want to be treated as a girl-like-all others, but as Anne-on-her-own-merits. Pim didn't understand that. For that matter, I can't confide in anyone, unless they tell me a lot about themselves...' (261)
Bantam Edition July 1993
283 pages
Book borrowed from the Library
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