Book Review: The Hiding Place

I love reading. This shouldn’t surprise you considering the times I’ve talked about some of the books I’ve read. As a personal challenge however, I had an idea. Several people I know also enjoy reading so I thought we’d swap books. That is, the challenge is they would give me a book that they’d like to see me read, and I would, in turn do the same.

It’s a good idea for a couple of reasons. One it helps you to broaden your horizons, and two, it provides others with an insight into the things that you find interesting or fascinating. Late last year, I exchanged books with my aunt. I gave her one of my favorites, which was a biography on Johnny Cash, and in exchange, she gave me an account of life in Holland during World War II called The Hiding Place.

To begin, it took me several months to read this book. Not because it was difficult to read mind you. Actually, if a person were to really dig in, they would be able to read it in a couple of days, if that. But, given how my mind works, I wasn’t really in the best frame of mind over the winter to really dig into it, and given the account, you really had to be. My fault, to be sure, but I did finish it, and highly recommend it to you.

The Hiding Place is an account of life in Holland just prior to, and during World War II. It’s told from the perspective of Corrie ten Boom, a middle aged woman living with her family and extended family. Corrie discusses life in the town she lives in Haarlem, and her family runs a watch shop. There, her aged father builds but mostly maintains watches for the people of the town. They are a Christian family, and throughout the whole ordeal, Corrie makes many references to their devout faith, which is found especially in her younger sister, Bestie.

The ten Boom family

Eventually, the Nazi’s invade, and life in Haarlem isn’t the same as it used to be. Certain people (feeble minded and Jews) are rounded up on a daily basis and others are threatened to toe the line as it were. However, the ten Boom family will not turn anyone away from their door, regardless of their religious beliefs. This action causes some issues down the line, and eventually they are recruited to work for the resistance. The watch shop (and home which is above it) become a place for people to hide from the SS.

The actual Hiding Place, located in the ten Boom home which is now a museum.

The family manages to get away with this for a long period of time before the Nazi’s come. They arrest the family and take them to several prisons, both in Holland and later, in Germany.

What I found most fascinating about the story was the descriptions of the times. Obviously, life was much different but still, it was possible to make comparisons to life today, and when doing so, I found that, even in that context, I was making comparisons to some things I was dealing with.

Corrie and Bestie ten Boom.

Likewise, the descriptions of the atrocities of the Nazi’s and man’s inhumanity to their fellow men were powerful. Throughout the course, Corrie finds her faith is tested; I would even go as far as to say well past the breaking point. And yet, throughout it all, her sister Bestie carries on an unwavering faith that is almost unbelievable. Strong faith, when put through such horrific conditions is something that is hard to imagine. Bestie’s faith in God and her Christian belief’s do not waver for even a second. At times, it seems as though that is the only thing that keeps Corrie going on, especially through their ordeals in the Nazi prisons.

Imagines of Schindler's List were going through my mind while I read the account, and while I was in the middle of it, I was watching the miniseries Band of Brothers. I had to stop watching for a bit because the story was so powerful, so vivid, and so compelling.

While it has many lighter moments, and bits of humor throughout, The Hiding Place is a very powerful account of life under the Nazi regime and a very memorable account of the power that having faith can do for people who are under such circumstances.

If you get a chance, I would highly recommend it.