Book Review: My Friend Anne Frank: A Memoir by Hannah Pick-Goslar/ Memoir

Hello dear Readers,

Below is my book review of My Friend Anne Frank: A Memoir by Hannah Pick-Goslar.

Title: My Friend Anne Frank: A Memoir

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Genre: Memoir

Author: Hannah Pick-Goslar

Publisher: Little, Brown Spark
Publication Date: June 06, 2023

Language: English

Hardcover: 320 pages
Meet the Author: Hannah Pick-Goslar
Buy Me: Amazon

Book Description

THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

"Both heartbreaking and life-affirming" (Edith Eger, author of The Choice), the long-awaited memoir of Holocaust survivor Hannah Pick-Goslar, who shares an intimate look into her life and friendship with Anne Frank.

In 1933, Hannah Pick-Goslar and her family fled Nazi Germany to live in Amsterdam, where she struck up a close friendship with her next-door neighbor, an outspoken and fun-loving young girl named Anne Frank. For several years, the inseparable pair enjoyed a carefree childhood of games, sleepovers, and treats with the other children in their neighborhood of Rivierenbuurt. But in 1942, Hannah and Anne's lives abruptly changed forever. As the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam progressed, Anne and the Frank family seemingly vanished, leaving behind unmade beds and dishes in the sink—but no trace of Anne's precious diary. Torn from her dear friend without warning, Hannah spent the next two years tormented by questions about Anne's fate, wondering if she had, by some miracle, managed to escape danger.

 

In this long‑awaited memoir, Hannah shares the story of her childhood during the Holocaust, from the introduction of anti-Jewish laws in Amsterdam to the gradual disappearance of classmates and, eventually, the Frank family, to Hannah and her family's imprisonment in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. As Hannah chronicles the experiences of her own life during and after the war, she provides a searing look at what countless children endured at the hands of the Nazi regime, as well as an intimate, never‑before‑seen portrait of the most recognizable victim of the Holocaust. Culminating in an astonishing fateful reunion, My Friend Anne Frank is the profoundly moving story of childhood and friendship during one of the darkest periods in the world's history.

My Thoughts

I love reading memoirs, and lately, I have been obsessed, more than usual, with reading about World War II, The Holocaust, and The Jews, through Memoirs. This one delivered, and more. 

Thanks to The Diary of Anne Frank, which is one of my all-time favorite books, I have had the chance to discover many other books topic related, including My Friend Anne Frank, by Hannah Pick-Goslar, which was one of Anne Frank's best friends. 

Hannah tells us her, her family, and her friends' story, before, during, and after The Holocaust, including of course her friendship with Anne. It was so fascinating, as it always is, to read a book written by a survivor of this horrific period of time. Not only because it gives credibility but also because at times it really is hard to believe that there were actually survivors. I can only imagine how it was to live in that period, where even a little bit of hope was hard to gather.

I loved reading about Hannah's family, especially her relationship with her father, how much love and admiration, and respect they had for each other, even more so after her mom died. Also, how protective and dedicated Hannah was to her sister Gaby, always trying to make the environment around them as much normal for Gaby as possible. 

I was happy to see that even for a brief moment, under the circumstances, Hannah and Anne were able to meet again. I wonder if they both felt a little less lonely in that moment. Loved how Otto Frank, Annes' father, reached out to Hannah after Liberation, it was good to see that the bond between them continued and how in many ways, they helped each other in the grieving and lots process. 

I truly enjoyed and loved reading this book. I am thankful for the opportunity to have received an early copy. Highly recommend. 

Thank you Little, Brown, and Company and Netgalley for the Advanced Free Copy in exchange for an honest review. 

Wendy