Rant of an insensitive madman?

Well it would seem that my last post was, well, a while ago. It would appear that my ambition to keep up to date on posts has once again gone by the wayside. What have I been up to if not actively blogging? Well the answer to that is simple. Not much.  I have been working and doing some writing and even a little reading, but nothing up till now has moved me to put hands to keyboard to type anything.

On a recent trip to the bookstore I finally purchased “The diary of a Young Girl” – or you may know it as “The Diary of Anne Frank.” A book I have been meaning to read for years, I know what you’re going to say, what kind of Ghetto high school did you go to that you didn’t read it there? I find that there are many books that friends who have gone to other high schools read that for some reason or other weren’t on the curriculum of my high school. Anyway. I have been reading it and am not quite finished yet but just have to say that I am not moved by this book. Perhaps my expectations were too high – How can a firsthand account of a young girls struggle to find herself while in hiding with her family in Nazi Holland during the second world war not move me? I feel like a heel even as I write this – am I that indifferent to an integral part of the world’s history.  Am I so egotistical to assume that since it didn’t happen to me it doesn’t affect me? I don’t know, perhaps?  A friend says that I only ready depressing books so maybe this just isn’t depressing enough? No that’s not it because, when I think about the whole plight of the Jewish people during that time it moves me so perhaps it’s the single story of this one girl and her family hidden away, even though I can’t fathom what it was really like. Perhaps I’ll feel differently when the book is finished so I’m going to sign off now and finish the book and see if my feelings towards it change … Well it’s finished – and surprisingly my feelings didn’t change all that much if in fact at all. I guess I was looking for something more, Intense, maybe? I can’t say perhaps from the time of them being found, her somehow keeping her little diary with her in the camp and being able to share those experiences. I guess it’s a good perspective from the point of someone who had to go into hiding – I ask myself the question of whether I’d read it again or not to which sadly I will have to answer – not likely – it was good and I’m glad I read it only if to say that yes I did read it. The afterward and knowing that she dies and her father outlives both families is perhaps the saddest part.

So if you decide to pick up this book then read it – it’s worth it just don’t expect too much, after hearing time after time after time that, OH MY this book is amazing, it fell short for me. I get it – I really do but perhaps my expectations were raised by the majority of public opinion.

Cory

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Cory

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