Title: The Hiding Place
Author: Corrie Ten Boom and Elizabeth & John Sherrill
Publisher: Chosen Books
Date: Original 1971, this edition 2006
Pages: 269
The Hiding Place (book review)
This book is the story Corrie Ten Boom told of her life during World War II in Holland. Her father, Casper, had run a watch shop in Holland and was known by all the people in the city. Corrie learned the trade of watch repair, becoming the first woman in Holland to be a certified watch repair person.
When Hitler had his army invade Holland and begin to capture all the Jewish people, Casper and his three daughters brought the Jewish people in to protect them from the invading soldiers. They were able to set up a very well system to keep the people fed and hidden.
Eventually they were captured and sent to prison. While in prison, Corrie’s sister, Betsie, was able to keep Corrie’s mind focused on God and His word through the extreme horrors of the prisons that they were in. Betsie’s focus was to bring the gospel message to all the other prisoners and the prison guards and to recognize God’s hand in everything that was happening, both good and bad.
One can be encouraged to believe in God and see how God works in the worst of circumstances through this story of Corrie Ten Boom.
I highly recommend reading this book. I had originally read the first printing of this book back in the early 1980’s but enjoyed reading it again. It is a short, easy, but heart-wrenching to read, with a good ending.
This has always been a favorite book of mine. In fact, I went to Harlem Holland years ago, while in Europe. The Ten Boom clock shop and home was being managed by another family and would not let me visit the hidden room upstairs. I begged and pleaded, but they told me that ‘visitors were no longer allowed upstairs.’ Corrie was still alive, but was touring in the USA they told me. I was the only tourist that day and had taken a long train to get to that town, just to see the house. Had there been cell phones then, I would’ve asked them to call Corrie and ask her if she would let me in! Nevertheless, she had an incredible testimony!
That would be something to see. I love the book and the movie. My wife and I got a chance to see the Anne Frank house many years ago.