#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The 20th anniversary edition of the classic story of an incredible group of students and the teacher who inspired them. This edition includes updates on the students' lives, new diary entries, and an introduction by Erin Gruwell. Now also featuring a public television documentary, Freedom Writers: Stories from the Heart.
In 1994, idealistic aspiring teacher Erin Gruwell found herself in Long Beach, California, facing a class of "at-risk, carefree students." After encountering a racist cartoon, she confronted them with the horrors that led to the Holocaust, an event her students had never heard of. This inspired her to revise her curriculum and use books like Anne Frank's diary to counter intolerance and misunderstanding. Her students began recording their own thoughts in diaries and called themselves the "Freedom Writers."
Compiled from students' powerful journal entries and narrative by Erin Gruwell, The Freedom Writers Diary tells the unforgettable story of how hard work, courage, and perseverance transformed the lives of one teacher and her students. Over the past two decades, the book has sold over a million copies and served as the inspiration for the film Freedom Writers. This anniversary edition updates readers on the lives of the Freedom Writers, including their insights into social issues and stories about their children who are following in their footsteps.
The Freedom Writers Diary remains an essential book for anyone who believes in second chances.