The Hiding Place

The Hiding Place is Corrie ten Boom's first-hand account of life in Holland during World War II, written with John and Elizabeth Sherrill. The narrative centers on the ten Boom family - Corrie, her sister Betsie, and their father Casper - who run a watchmaking shop in their home in Haarlem. When the Nazi occupation of Holland begins, the ten Booms become active in the Dutch underground resistance. Their Christian faith compels them to help Jewish neighbors, leading them to create a secret room in their house. The book follows Corrie's experiences as the family's involvement in resistance activities grows, documenting the daily realities of living under occupation and the network of people who worked together to save lives. The Hiding Place stands as both a Holocaust narrative and a testament to faith in action. The title carries dual meaning, referring to both physical sanctuary and spiritual refuge.

Readers consistently rate The Hiding Place as impactful and meaningful, with many noting how ten Boom's faith remained strong despite severe hardship. Multiple reviews mention the book's clear, straightforward writing style that doesn't sensationalize events. Readers appreciated: - Personal details and intimate family moments - Balance of horror and hope - Focus on forgiveness rather than hatred - Historical accuracy and first-hand perspective - Accessibility for young adult readers Common criticisms: - Heavy religious messaging throughout - Slow pacing in early chapters - Some found the writing style basic Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 4.7/5 (239,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.9/5 (7,800+ ratings) BookBrowse: 4.8/5 Christianbook.com: 5/5 (175+ ratings) One reader noted: "Unlike many Holocaust memoirs, this book shows how ordinary people chose to resist evil." Another wrote: "The religious content felt preachy at times, but the core story transcends any single faith."

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★ The ten Boom family saved an estimated 800 Jewish lives through their underground network before their arrest in February 1944 ★ The secret room in the Beje was built by a member of the Dutch resistance who was also a construction worker - it measured just 30 inches deep but could hold up to 6 people ★ Corrie ten Boom was the first female watchmaker licensed in the Netherlands, following in her father's footsteps in the family business ★ Despite being 84 years old when the book was published in 1971, it went on to sell over 2.5 million copies and was later made into a film in 1975 ★ The actual hiding place in the ten Boom house still exists today - the home is now a museum in Haarlem, Netherlands, where visitors can see the secret room and original family artifacts