My thoughts on writing about Anne Frank

The Diary of a Young Girl is the kind of book that grabs hold of your heart and never lets go. Reading it as a young girl, it staked a claim on my emotions and followed me through life. Never recovering from it, I sat down and immersed myself in the diary entries. What resulted was a poetic interpretation, Being Frank with Anne. It was a moving experience that allowed me to climb into her head while attempting to feel some of what she did while in captivity.


In the end, I had several spiral bound notebooks full of my poetic thoughts on her life in the Secret Annexe. Writing the book meant a great deal to me and I felt as though I had come to know Anne in a whole new way. The original version was published by Community Press in Virginia Beach. Later, I had it re-published with Anne Frank’s image on the front cover, licensed by Getty Images.

I was honored to have had it reviewed by Anne’s first cousin, Buddy Elias. He sent me a personal letter telling me that Anne would have loved it. Encouraged by his words, I contacted Miep Gies, the woman who hid the Frank family. At age 99, she requested copies of the book. She returned one of the copies to me with her signature inside. I was both humbled and amazed by having received this very special package from the Netherlands.

It’s been an interesting journey for me to have written this book. A book that is now archived at the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam and posted at the online bookstore at the New York Anne Frank Center website. To have come in contact with Anne’s cousin and the woman who bravely hid the family leaves me both grateful and breathless. I wish that I could also be in contact with Anne herself but sadly, that isn’t possible. The Holocaust was a horrible time and it saddens me to think about it. If only mankind would learn from its mistakes and love its fellow man. The fact that Anne tried to look on the bright side of things always endeared me to her. Now, like I said in Being Frank with Anne- Anne you are with us still.

www.beingfrankwithanne.com

www.phyllisjohnson.net