The Hidden Life of Otto Frank Paperback – Illustrated, September 23, 2003

The Diary of Anne Frank was indeed a tearful, provactive story of a family's attempt to survive the hell of the Holocaust. Then to read The Hidden Life of Otto Frank in many ways took away the sincere expression of his daughter's record of life being hidden for preservation of life. In Jewish terms, I would hope that someone, somewhere Anne Frank could be annointed as an "Ashes Chayil"--a woman of valor. The research of the author, Carol Ann Lee, respresents an homest attempt to focus on her father, but as I read Lee's book, I felt at times I did not want to know so many particulars about the "hidden life of her father." The Holocaust was a G-d less happening, and the "Diary" let generations of intellegent people in our world know what Jews faced by the tyranny of the second World War. The essential message must be assumed from her Diary that there should never be such a tragedy for future generations.This book was purchased from Amazon.com

I found this book to be a good read; it was only about Otto Frank's life before and after the war; it does not go into his or his family's life while in hiding or their incarceration in the concentration camps; the reader will find this book to be so fascinating as it is a part of the story that has never been told; so you will find all of it very new and gives the reader a different look at Otto's life - i intend to read this book again as there was so much information that was new; i would highly recommend this book

Apparently the news that Otto Frank had sold some of his product for making jam to the Nazi Germany during the war caused quite a stir in the occupied country The Netherlands. What is really strange is how we create heroes out of people who do not choose to be heroes. Otto Frank was a remarkable man. The story of his life is equally remarkable. He was the father of one of the most famous people who ever lived, Anne Frank. If it were not for Otto, his daughter's diary would not have been published. The fact that he would want to edit things out that were personal to him and his wife is completely understandable. We will never know whether Anne would have published her diary if she had survived. This is a balanced portrait of a man caught in extraordinary times. If it had not been for the publishing of the diary we would probably never know about this survivor of the holocaust. I think he was quite remarkable.

I very much enjoyed this book and the deeper look into the life of Otto Frank and all he endured before, during, and after the annex. I will say the author made this book more about proving their theory that Tonny Ahlers was responsible for the discovery of the Annex and I feel that could have been addressed more succinctly instead of leaving the story of Otto repeatedly to discuss it, but it was still a great book. I appreciate the author saw Otto as human and allowed us to see his imperfections while it's still obvious he was an overall good man who tried to do what was right, especially after the tremendous loss he suffered

I am in the process of working on my own project about the Frank family, and this book provides a magnificent insight into the story. I was reading some reviews here and was rather puzzled by the person who called the annex a "comfortable flat." I have visited three times, and describing it like that is pure lunacy. I will admit it is bigger than I had imagined after reading Anne's diary in my youth, but to imply the eight people hiding there were comfortable is insulting to their memory and their suffering. Otto Frank was a man who did what it took to keep his family safe and alive. Carol Ann Lee's research is phenomenal and her tender understanding of the human heart makes this book grab the soul. I only wish she had a website so I could email her and tell her this myself. Very impressed. Very.

I think I've known the story of Anne Frank all my life, but of her father, the only survivor of the Annex, so little could be understood. Carol Ann Lee almost lovingly provides us a background of this extraordinary man's life before, during, and after the two years in hiding. Lee's research provides the reader with explanations to all of the possible contradictions in Otto's life (his relationship with his likely betrayer, his company's sales to the German war effort, etc.). Ms. Lee's tender approach to this man's life shows not only the sensitive and courageous man most of us had found somewhat elusive, it shows how an extraordinary man influenced an extraordinary girl the world can never forget.

What a great man this was hiding and protecting his family hiding and protecting people he did not know from the terror and horror that was the Nazi movement great man risking his own life to save people he didn't know great book very informative I really honor this man's decisions and what this man and his family did

Excellent book about an extraordinary man. After re-reading the diary recently, I felt I wanted to know more about Anne her family and the process of how the diary was published. This goes into depth about Otto as a young man and his family. Anyone who reads the Diary and has the spiritual after taste and needs more to quench their understanding should read this. It also goes into the question of who betrayed the family. Also read "the last seven months of anne frank" and watch "anne frank remembered."