Things We Couldn't Say

Diet Eman was a young dutch woman during WWII in Holland. Her and her fiance were involved in the Dutch resistance movement. They helped Jews find homes/families to hide with in the Dutch countryside. This was a huge undertaking that required much teamwork. (For instance, the families that took in Jews would need extra ration cards to buy more food. Extra ration cards would have to be obtained and delivered to these families.) Diet literally rode hundreds (probably thousands!!) of miles on bicycles during the war coordinating this effort to keep Jews hidden in the countryside.

As Diet tells her story, there are frequent excerpts from the personal diary she kept during the war. And excerpts from postal letters she either sent or received during the war. This helped give the book a very "real" feel...You experience her first hand emotions and thoughts as these events were actually taking place.

Diet had a strong Christian faith. Her spiritual insights are deep and powerful. Her faith sustained her during this troubling time in history.

Diet was eventually caught by the Nazis and spent time in a jail and a concentration camp. She was briefly at the same camp as Corrie TenBoom, author of The Hiding Place. Diet survived, but her beloved fiance died in a concentration camp.

I highly recommend this book. Not only is it an exceptional historical account of life during WWII, but the spiritual (Christian) thoughts in it are very profound. While Diet was living through this horrific time period, the spiritual thoughts she recorded in her diary are incredibly mature. She was so young (early 20's) but was advanced beyond her years with spiritual perception. Her faith influenced her every thought.

I cannot emphasize, underline, or highlight ENOUGH how much you need to read this must-read of must-reads! This is the best story I've ever read and, hence, the best book I've encountered in my 22 years. To grasp true commitment to Christ and, therefore, to mankind is to read Hein and Diet's sacrificial walk of love. I would daresay that, granted the wish to meet one deceased person, Hein might very well be the one. "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." (Jn 15:13). Hein and Diet captured this verse's message and fearlessly followed...inspiration epitomized.

The account of the author and her experiences fighting the German occupation of Holland during WWII is harrowing. It is hard to imagine that any human being can display so mush courage at such a young age.

A great book of a terrible time in Dutch/European/World history.

A story every bit as inspiring and riveting as "The Hiding Place".

Not only is this author from my home city in the Netherlands, I met her personally when she came to speak in our city in Michigan.
This woman is an ANGEL FROM HEAVEN. She is an AMAZINGLY BRAVE woman!!!
I could not put the book down!!
Dutchie

I greatly enjoyed this book. It was hard to put down. I would recommend it to anyone.

Things We Couldn't Say is a beautiful memoir about faith, hope and love. Told by former Dutch Resistance member Diet Eman. What a powerful story, and I would definitely say this is better than The Hiding Place.

I had watched "Making Choices", a compelling documentary of Dutch resistance during WW II and was immensely touched by Diet Eman's story of selfless heroism. I knew I had to read more about her WW II experiences, and this book does that and more. It truly encapsulates how people of faith, the Dutch Christians who joined the Resistance put their own lives at great risk in order to save countless numbers of Jews fleeing the Nazis during WW II.

Diet's story is poignant and you get a sense of the immense faith and courage this lady possesses - she was only a young woman in her late teens when she undertook these heroic acts. Her fiance was also a young man of faith and courage - and I was saddened at his ultimate fate - but his words to Diet in a final letter written to her before he was transported to a German concentration camp is bittersweet - in it he affirms his love for Diet and also says he has no regrets. Diet carries that note with her till this day and uses in education classes about the war.

A must-read book for all those interested in the Dutch Resistance movement during WW II and also the Holocaust.

I bought this book at the American Book Center in The Hague, Netherlands, a few years ago. As I knew many of the places mentioned in the book, it took on an even deeper meaning for me. I love this book, and I list Diet Eman and Hein Sietsma as heroes. Definitely 5+ stars!