Book Review - Anne Frank Remembered

Anne Frank Remembered: The story of the woman who helped to hide the Frank family

By Miep Gies with Alison Leslie Gold

Published by Simon & Schuster, a Touchstone book

ISBN number 067 1662341/9780671 662349

This is a wonderful book written by Miep Gies, the lady that worked for Otto Frank's jam factory in Amsterdam and helped hide the Franks for many years in what is now called The Annexe, where Anne wrote her diaries.  It starts with Miep Gies' own childhood - she herself was a refugee from Austria during World War One, and sent to Holland to escape the bombings.  Her story then carries on through her employment with Otto Frank, and the beginnings of the World War Two and the attempted destruction of European Jewry.  It tells of arranging the hiding of the Frank family (as well as the others that hid in the Annexe) and then the final discovery and removal of the family, and continues to the end of the War and Otto Franks arrival back in Amsterdam, and the recovery of Anne's diaries.

This is a remarkable story and provides an extra insight into the story of the Frank family and is well worth reading.

Book Review - The Girl in the Picture

The Girl in the Picture

by Denise Chong

published by Scribner

ISBN 0-7432-0703-3

This is the story of Kim Phuc - "The Girl In The Picture" taken on 8 June 1972 near a small village in Vietnam just after a napalm attack.  The most defining image of the time, directly affecting public opinion of the Vietnam war.
It starts with how the photo came to be taken and follows Kim on her physical recovery, her University education via Cuba and her manipulation by the Communist regime of the time.  It also tells of her ultimate defection to the West and her work for UNESCO.
This is an incredible book and provides a remarkable insight into a remarkable woman surviving the worst and succeeding in an amazing way.

Go get a copy.

Today.

Book Review - In Montmartre: Picasso, Matisse and Modernism in Paris 1900 - 1910

In Montmartre.  Picasso, Matisse and Modernism in Paris 1900 - 1910

By Sue Roe

ISBN 978-1-905-49086-8

Some time ago, I went to see a big Matisse exhibition up at the Tate Modern in London, of his cut-outs.  Brilliant exhibition albeit ridiculously busy and popular!  In the gift shop, I found and bought this book, written by fellow Brightonian Sue Roe, which details the intertwining early careers of Matisse and Picasso in the first ten years of the 20th century.  This details the end of the Impressionist age to the early beginnings of the golden jazz age post war years and ultimate end of the Montmartre artistic commune, with the Matisse and Picasso "camps" being split between Gertrude and Leo Stein.
This is a wonderfully written and researched book that brings to life one of my favourite areas of Paris - almost a "join the dots" on a Paris street map!!  If you're familiar with Montmartre, impressionism, post impressionism or just plain interested in learning a little more, this is an excellent read to pick up....... and more than once, as well!