I was in a used book store yesterday, and as I was going up to the cash register I happened to catch site of a copy of THE DIARY OF ANN FRANK. What gave me pause was that it was in the True Crime section. While I was paying for my books I asked the woman about that, since Ann Frank seemed out of place in a field of serial killer-black widow- Charles Manson- cannible paperbacks. The girl told me that she figured anyone looking for a copy of Ann Frank would look for it in True Crime, since 'It dosen't really belong in the history section.' I almost bought it to save it from it's seedy home.

I can't believe this explanation is really credible. Would you look for Ann Frank in the True Crime section?

maybe the fiction section, since its been discredited for years now.

I think it is unfair to say the diary has been "discredited for years".

The two pieces claiming this I'm most familar with are the essays by Robert Faurisson. The bulk of his argument comes from pointing out small events he finds unrealistic (such as the family having been able to hide out for so long, their behaviour, the supply of food they had). What is also troubeling is the sort of web sites you'll find his writings located on.

I have trouble believing the diary is a 'get-rich-quick scheme' preformed by her father.

Although I have to admit, when I first read the Diary of Anne Frank, I couldn't help but feel the style of writing did not reflect what a teenage girl's diary would read like. I have never read it in the orginal language. So I can only assume this resulted from the translation to english. Or the fact that it was from a very different time period.

I wouldn't be surprised if in fact the book was enhanced in the editing process. Passages re-written to make them more readible (like when the cover of some celebritie's autobiography says 'written by Joe Famous...... as told to Johnny Ghost Writer.) But even that I don't see would make the diary fraudelent. Mean the event's discribed hadn't occurred.

If I could be shown whatever it is that 'discredited' the diary 'years ago' I'd love to see it. If it wound up being true perhaps a publisher could release a box set: The Diary of Anne Frank and the 'Hitler Diary' from the 70's.

Discredited? I think I would have caught the media blitz that would have surely ensued had there ever been any weight to this "discredit".

As for your question, Crocker, Anne Frank's diary was in history at Bookstop when I worked there. I would either ne looking there or in general biography for the book... definitely not true crime.

I thought it had been established that Ann's father had edited the diary to remove some of the racy bits. Not that today the excerpts would even qualify as racy.

Some book stores have a Holocaust section or subsection under World War II. I doubt that it would occur to very many people to look in True Crime.

We used to put it under Young Adult.

Discredited?

Is it just me, or did this thread get shorter?

Anyhow, Ann Frank most certainly be in the history section.

'It dosen't really belong in the history section.' -rollyeyes- It's scary to think that this person is at least a high school graduate.

I've been to the Ann Frank house in Amsterdam. It looked real to me. -shrug-

That link from Nich Danger creeped me out for a minute or two. I was relieved to find the National Lampoon credit on the home page.

I've decided to go back to that bookstore tomorrow and pick up that copy of the Anne Frank Diary. I feel bad for it sitting with all the trashy true crime novels. I have a friend with a 12 year old daughter and that might make a good gift.

I still recall working at Borders, and having a woman come up to me with her school-age daughter to ask who wrote The Diary of Anne Frank. I stared for a moment, and said "Er, Anne Frank." She didn't seem fazed by the answer. Borders shelved it in Judaica, for the record.

I'd say historical fiction since it's largely based on a diary and things like that could be exagerated, yet for the most part it is historical
although I wouldn't argue against someone who picks history or autobiography

It wouldn't matter if it was exaggerated or not. It would still be historical and non-fiction.

In fact, her account would be considered a primary source of the events.