"ONE OF THE WISEST AND MOST MOVING COMMENTARIES ON WAR": FIRST EDITION IN ENGLISH OF ANNE FRANK'S DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL

FRANK, Anne. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl. New York: Doubleday, 1952. Octavo, original black cloth, photographic endpapers, original dust jacket. $3500.

First edition in English, first issue, of "one of the wisest and most moving commentaries on war" (Eleanor Roosevelt), scarce in original dust jacket.

Anne began her new diary on her 13th birthday, June 12, 1942, by writing, "I hope I will be able to confide everything to you, as I have never been able to confide in anyone, and I hope you will be a great source of comfort and support." Only a month later, Anne and her family would go into hiding. Anne envisioned the future publication of her diary—in fact, she began editing the text before the family's arrest on August 4, 1944 (three days after the diary's last entry). After its initial release in the original Dutch in 1947 as Het Achterhuis (a title decided upon by Anne herself), the book was translated and published in more than 60 languages. Upon its publication in English, Eleanor Roosevelt called the diary "one of the wisest and most moving commentaries on war." It remains one of the most widely read books in the world. "Anne Frank's diary is too tenderly intimate a book to be frozen with the label 'classic,' and yet no lesser designation serves" (Books of the Century, 180). "First Edition" stated on copyright page; first edition dust jacket with $3.00 on front flap. Owner signature.

Book spine slightly toned, spots of light discoloration to rear board. Dust jacket with spine toning and edge wear; three small chips and short tears with taped repairs to reverse. A very good copy, in a nice example of the original dust jacket.