Synopses & Reviews
On February 16, 1944, Anne Frank recorded in her diary that Peter, whom she at first disliked but eventually came to love, had confided in her that if he got out alive, he would reinvent himself entirely. This is the story of what might have happened if the boy in hiding survived to become a man. Peter arrives in America, the land of self-creation; he flourishes in business, marries, and raises a family. He thrives in the present, plans for the future, and has no past. But when is published to worldwide acclaim and gives rise to bitter infighting, he realizes the cost of forgetting. Based on extensive research of Peter van Pels and the strange and disturbing life Anne Frank's diary took on after her death, this is a novel about the memory of death, the death of memory, and the inescapability of the past. Reading group guide included.
Review
"Engaging and morally questioning . . . for those who have read only the diary or seen the play or movie, the novel will prompt them to think about her and a host of larger questions in new ways." USA Today
Review
"An audacious novel . . . whose sensational theme never tarnishes the passion and delicacy with which Feldman tells her gripping story." American Heritage
Review
"A powerful testament to the permanence of war's imprint on the innocent, and how that experience defines a life forever." Stephen J Lyons
Review
"A deeply affecting, unsettling look into the soul of a man. . . . A psychologically gripping tale, this will cause readers to think about the price of safety and the complex obligations of memory." Chicago Tribune
Synopsis
Peter arrives in America, the land of self-creation; he flourishes in business, marries, and raises a family. He thrives in the present, plans for the future, and has no past. But whenThe Diary of a Young Girl is published to worldwide acclaim and gives rise to bitter infighting, he realizes the cost of forgetting. Based on extensive research of Peter van Pels and the strange and disturbing life Anne Frank's diary took on after her death, this is a novel about the memory of death, the death of memory, and the inescapability of the past. Reading group guide included.
Synopsis
"An appealing and inventive novel...original and cathartic."--Dana Kennedy,
About the Author
Ellen Feldman is the author of the novels Lucy and The Boy Who Loved Anne Frank. She writes for the American Heritage Web site and is a sought-after speaker. She lives in New York.