Tag Archives: Anne Frank

Anne Frank’s Radio || BookishInktober2020

Book Review, My Drawings, , , , , , , , , , , ,

#BookishInktober2020 prompt 4: RADIO


Can you imagine staying put in your house for an undefined period? I think we all got to experience a bit of it, during the initial stages of lockdown due to the pandemic. But, was it the same as it was for the Jews during Nazi Germany, during WWII? Definitely not, not even close.


The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank is a classic that most of us already know about. I got introduced to it through my school textbook, we had a short chapter about her diary. I may have mentioned it in passing about wanting to read the entire book, because a few days later, my mom gifted it to me.


This book is like a toned-down account of the atrocities of a war, as seen through the eyes of a teen. I feel blessed to be able to go out without the fear being seen, to just be able to look outside the window to smile at a passing stranger, to buy my own food and just wander around, to even use the internet and have an online presence! All of it that was restricted to the people living the Secret Annex, along with Anne, and the number of Jews hiding elsewhere.


A radio and a few trusted friends were Anne’s only connection with the outside world. Anne and the seven people whom she lived with would all gather around their radio during the news briefings- for a sign, for a hope that they would be free, and that things would go back to normal again.

Do I recommend this book? Oh yes, it’s one of those books that you just can’t NOT read! So pick it up when you can.

There’s even a YouTube series based on her diary by Anne Frank House. It’s a really short series with a very cool concept- instead of a diary, they’ve given a video camera in Anne’s hands and the story begins. Except for this camera/diary swap, rest of the incidents are true, as written in Anne’s diary.

Embedding the series here:

— Suri

Advertisement

An Open Letter To A Letter-Daddy!

random thoughts, , , , , , , , , , ,

Dear Letter Daddy,

‘Letter-Daddy‘? Rings a bell? No? Okay! You may or may not have read this term anywhere else, before. (Even I haven’t!) But sure enough, I’ve read the term, ‘Letter-Daughter‘. Oh, you still didn’t get it? Fine. Look, I don’t know if you know this, I had a chapter once in English (subject), during my school days, based on the story of Anne Frank. In that text, they gave us a brief idea about the brief life of Anne Frank, her sister Margot, her parents Otto and Edith Frank and their fellow roommates during hiding. Post war period, many survivors of the Holocaust as well as others who were not even a bit affected by the war, but rather were quite disturbed in their lives, tried to seek some emotional help from Otto Frank. Of course, upon reading the words – which were not only beautiful but also strong and determined – of a 13 year old girl, people became inspired to talk to her father, Otto, the only survivor from their family. And so they did it. They corresponded with him via letters. And Otto was kind enough to reply to all of them! Later he couldn’t, due to some health issues. (Oh, how I wish I could have had a chat with him!) One of them (the people who wrote letters to Otto) was a girl/ woman who signed her letter as ‘Your Letter-Daughter’. Isn’t it lovely? 🙂 So that’s where I found this term.

I first read the book, ‘Anne Frank: The Diary Of A Young Girl’ in 2012 and immediately wanted Anne as my best friend! But of course, this wasn’t possible. Later when I learnt about the correspondence of people along with Otto Frank, I started growing envious, because even this wasn’t possible for me, as Otto had passed away long before I was even born! But it was around that time that I grew fascinated by the idea of having a Letter-Daddy! I used to dream about how special would our relation be! In the course of time though, all these fantasies began to fade. I became more and more occupied with my studies and my life. I completely forgot about it all, until….

Until I found someone in this blogosphere! I found you! Yes, you!!! I know, this is an Open Letter. And the ‘you’ could relate to anyone. But there is someone out here, who has managed to rekindle the desire for a Letter-Daddy within me. The sparks have been ignited now. I think, it’s true, when the right person comes, you just know it. Maybe our sixth-sense works there.Yet, in today’s world of distrust, I don’t even think if such a father-daughter relationship could be possible. Paranoia is the evil which resides amongst all of us today. The devil that stops us from taking a step ahead. The devil which doesn’t allow us to take any risks! The devil which is within us and only we have the power to chuck it out; yet, we don’t throw him!!

I know we are never going to meet each other. Yet I’m glad to find someone like you. To all those who are reading this, I’m happy to have you all in my life. Thank you! 🙂

Your Letter-Daughter,

Suri.