The Diary That Changed the World: The Remarkable Story of Otto Frank and the Diary of Anne Frank

The Untold Story Behind the World's Most Famous Diary

"A meticulous account of the fascinating, convoluted and sometimes ugly publishing history of the world's most famous diary. All the more relevant at a time of untruths and fake news."
— Caroline Moorehead, bestselling author of Village of Secrets

When Otto Frank unwrapped his daughter's diary with trembling hands, he discovered a side to Anne he had never known — a girl of brutal honesty, fierce intelligence, and an extraordinary determination to find beauty in the darkest of places.

What followed was anything but simple. Publication unleashed a bitter legal battle that would consume years of Otto's life, drive him to a nervous breakdown, and ultimately force him to start over in Switzerland. More than seventy-five years after Anne's death, the diary sits at the heart of a multi-million-pound industry — with competing foundations, cultural critics, and former friends still fighting for control of her legacy.

• The full, complex story of The Diary of Anne Frank and its turbulent publishing history
• A revealing portrait of Otto Frank — the driven, deeply human figure behind the icon
• Explores the diary's role in shaping the world's understanding of the Holocaust
• Praised by leading historians and Holocaust scholars

Karen Bartlett's The Diary That Changed the World is an essential, eye-opening read for anyone who thought they knew Anne Frank's story.