Rating: 
Summary: Soooo beautiful.
Review: 'The Hiding Place' primarily covers the wartime period of Corrie's life ('In My Father's House' covers the pre-war years,whilst 'Tramp for the Lord' covers the post-war years - all three books are wonderful).
I am hard-pressed to adequately convey how powerful and moving 'The Hiding Place' is - it would take a heart of stone not to be thoroughly impacted and melted by this incredible combination of beauty,tragedy and victory.
Right from the getgo Corrie draws you into her world.By the time you have been taken from the warmth of her childhood,through her family's courageous wartime efforts,and onto the horror of her and sister Betsie's experience at Ravensbruck you will have been on an overwhelmingly emotional rollercoaster : a certain point in the book had the tears running down my cheeks,and by the end i gave a repeat performance !!!!
I think this book goes hand in hand with 'The heavenly man' by Paul Hattaway,in being two of the most beautiful,powerful and life-changing biographys available.
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Summary: G-d is our true Hiding Place
Review: As a grandson of Holocaust survivors and the great-grandson of Holocaust victims, as one who attended only Jewish schools until college, I grew up reading books about the Holocaust. Yet it wasn't until I read Rabbi Daniel Lapin's book, America's Real War, that I had ever heard of Corrie ten Boom and her righteous family. Referring to The Hiding Place and Tante (Aunt) Corrie's other book, In My Father's House, Rabbi Lapin writes: "I personally see it as a mark of shame for the Jewish community that these books are not mandatory reading in every Jewish high school." That's all I needed to read, as I shortly thereafter purchased both of these books, the first of which, The Hiding Place, I finished last week. I am indebted to Rabbi Lapin for the recommendation.
This heartwrenching story of a Dutch Christian family responsible for saving Jewish lives during the Holocaust is one of courage, heroism and faith. But the Ten Boom family's commitment and love for the Jewish people is firmly rooted decades prior to these events as Tante Corrie (1892-1983) elsewhere writes of the regular prayer meetings her grandfather would make for the sake of the Jewish people in the Beje (the family home and watchmaker shop) beginning in the 1840's. Tante Corrie explains: "In a divine way that is beyond our understanding, G-d answered those prayers. It was in the same house, exactly one hundred years later, that Grandfather's son, my father, and four of his grandchildren and one great-grandson were arrested for helping save the lives of Jews during the German occupation of Holland."
We read of Tante Corrie's childhood and the righteous home in which she was reared wherein the reader gets some glimpse into her saintly father, the family patriarch Caspar ten Boom. As Hitler takes over Holland and anti-Semitic regulations become commonplace, Tante Corrie resolves in her heart: "Lord Jesus, I offer myself for Your people. In any way. Any place. Any time." That Tante Corrie and her family most certainly did, becoming part of the Underground and harboring Jews in the specially constructed "hiding place" in the Beje. The "hiding place" takes on a deeper symbolism in keeping with Tante Corrie's conviction that the One Above must become our ultimate refuge in life.
I will never forget some of these Jews, like Cantor Meyer Mossel, known as Eusie. I laughed out loud at his interactions and well received "Psalm 166" joke with Father ten Boom. "Father beamed. Of course there is no Psalm 166; the Psalter stops with 150. It must be a joke, and nothing could please Father better than a scriptural joke." Eusie was quite a character.
Tragically, the Ten Boom's operation of saving Jewish lives was discovered by the Nazis and Tante Corrie and her unusually righteous sister Betsie were sent to concentration camps. Tante Corrie survived to dedicate her next four decades of life to sharing her life changing story of triumph through faith. Somewhat disturbing to me, however, is Tante Corrie's attitude of forgiveness toward her evil captors and her sister Betsie's consistent prayers for them. However, this has less to do with Tante Corrie personally as it has to do with the fundamental differences between Judaism and Christianity in their understandings of forgiveness in general. As Dennis Prager has written in an essay appearing in The Sunflower, "More than a decade of weekly dialogue with Christians and intimate conversations with Christian friends have convinced me that, aside from the divinity of Jesus, the greatest-- and even more important -- difference between Judaism and Christianity, or perhaps between most Christians and Jews, is their understanding of forgiveness and, ultimately, how to react to evil."
Tante Corrie, now in Heaven, thank you for everything you did for my people. We love and cherish you.
Rating:
Summary: A true account of love for God and the Souls of Everyone
Review: Corrie Ten Boom and her sister Betsie showed absolute compassion for everyone. Even though her family was thrown into prison, and later the 'camps', she was able to forgive the man who turned her in to the Nazis. She and her sister were the only members of her family to enter the concentration camps, everyone else was freed shortly after their imprisonment. Betsie died, but Corrie never lost hope. She knew inside that Betsie was in Heaven waiting for their reunion sfter death. Their faith was astounding, and surprising. They shared their faith with others, including Nazi guards, and the Jews in Ravensbruck. As you read through the book you begin to wonder, 'do I do help others enough.' Corrie's life was dedicated to the service of her Father in Heaven, even though tragedy and anguish struck her at every turn in her life
Rating:
Summary: A story of forgiveness
Review: Corrie Ten Boom said it best in the beginning of the book when she points out that every person, place, and thing you encounter in your life is God preparing you for the plans He has for you. I believe God meant for millions be to touched by Corrie's life story. The over all message in this book is forgiveness, and how it is possible, under impossible circumstances. Not only does the Lord desire us to forgive, but He made it possible to do so by providing the love to do it. Corrie and her family lived sacrificial lives, but more importantly they were obedient to God, whom they knew loved them very much. Time and time again, Corrie's life was saved by her obedience and tenacious way of looking to the Lord for guidance and help. These people KNEW and lived God's love and it infected others around them. This story was just as much about Betsie, Corrie's sister, as it was Corrie. Betsie was a resilient woman who loved the Lord so much that she even thanked Him for fleas! Corrie's entire family had a respectful fear of the Lord that is lacking in today's world. This story helps us to realize how very comfortable we are in this material world of ours. Previous to reading this book, I read "Survival in Auschwitz" by Primo Levi, who was an Italian Jewish survivor of Auschwitz (hence the name). It was nice to read both books in order to get a view from both the Christian and Jewish perspective. This great evil during WWII was not just against one race, it was the enemy of the human race. While some humans were inprisoned and/or killed, others were alive yet dead inside as they gave into hate and bitterness. Corrie and her family saw this great evil and clinged to the hope that if these people were capable of so much hate, then they were equally capable of so much love. They compassionately prayed for the ones they suffered along with, as well as for the ones causing the suffering. "The Hiding Place" is a wonderful book in which we can learn to forgive those that have hurt us, and love others the way God loves us. Get it! Read it! Tell a friend!
Rating:
Summary: THE best book you'll read this summer
Review: First written in 1971, The Hiding Place has, through both critical acclaim and word of mouth of the masses, achieved both certifiable classic status and a revered place in the hearts of its readers. And, I might add, for good reason. Although written in 1st person novel form from the perspective of the selflessly valiant Cornelia ten Boom, it is, of course, the true story of one family's almost unfathomable degree of limitless giving and unwavering altruism that saved many of lives during the nihilistic hate-filled Nazi regime in Holland, where the Gestapo as well as Dutch collaborators were pervasively ubiquitous and inexorably replete with hate and ineluctably devoid of both reason and love.While reading, I felt a veritable melange of emotions running the gamut from sadness, anger, despair, and hope. Thanks to the wonderful writing, you feel like you're reading a novel -- although one that is all too harrowing and real. As Betsie quotes the Bible and says, "Give thanks in all circumstances," she subsequently says "Thanks for the fleas" -- a moment that demonstrated that God DOES work in mysterious ways. Without giving away anything that happens, I strongly exhort you to read The Hiding Place -- a book that stays with you long after you have turned the last page. "No pit is so deep that He is not deeper still."
- Betsie ten Boom
Rating:
Summary: A woman of faith
Review: I admire people who really take a stand for what they believe in, no matter what the cost, and Corrie Ten Boom is one of those amazing people. The story of her family, pre-concentration camp, is inspiring, because they really are willing to give up everything so that God's children are not harmed. This is truly one of the best books I've ever read...I copied a lot of phrases out of the book and into my personal journal so they could touch me later like they touched me then. There's a lot of love in this woman, mixed with comapssion, honesty, and happiness that made me reconsider my own standards in the midst of the peacetime life I live, and makes me ask the question: Would I truly risk my life for another's? Everyone should read this.
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Summary: You Will Not Be The Same After Reading This Book
Review: I first picked up "The Hiding Place" in 1989, following the death of my brother. I read it from cover to cover in one evening, then read it again in the next two days. "The Hiding Place" is not only a thrilling tale, set in the midst of war torn, Nazi occupied Holland, it is a spiritual journey of one woman and one family. You will feel as if you know Corrie, as if you are visiting with her in your own home. You'll feel every indignity she suffered and rejoice with every triumph. Your heart will break for her and her sister Betsie and your spirit will sing with them also. If you want to read a book that will change your life forever then you must read "The Hiding Place". If I was able to choose only three books to cherish for the remainder of my life on earth I would choose the Bible, "Hinds Feet on High Places" by Hannah Hurnard and Corrie Ten Boom's "The Hiding Place". I cannot wait to meet you in heaven Corrie.
Rating:
Summary: A beautiful,moving,emotive book.
Review: I have read a number of autobiographys,and expect to read more still.
I think i shall be hard-pressed to find another one as beautiful as Corrie's.
Rating:
Summary: A veritable laugh riot
Review: I was walking my dog and reading The Hiding Place and I thought why I am being sad. I should be glad and happy because the story is happy if you think about it you know. So I started laughing at the awesome stuff that Corrie does and says when she's helping the Jews. In summation, it's better to laugh than to cry. At least, that is, to Joseph O'Brien.
Rating:
Summary: Inspiring True Story - Faith Building
Review: Inspiring true story of a simple Christian family who placed their trust in God and changed the world as a result. They not only protected Jews during WWII, they worked for reconciliation of Jews and Nazis after the war, even to their own abusers. Only God make that sort of thing happen, and for the many years since, Corrie Ten Boom has been preaching that God. Read only if you want your faith in God deepened.
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