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On Miep Gies, Anne Frank, and the Fragility of Diaries

August 29, 2025September 22, 2016 by timothyboyce

Anyone familiar with Anne Frank’s story knows that the eight Jews hidden in the annex at Prinsengracht 263, Amsterdam, were helped by various employees at Otto Frank’s firm, among them Miep Gies. Miep was hired in 1933 to run Otto Frank’s complaint department and over time handled an increasing number of tasks within the office. …

My Review of The Winter Fortress by Neal Bascomb

September 6, 2016 by timothyboyce

“The news is excellent. . . . There has been sabotage in Vemork. The heavy-water works are destroyed. Four Norwegian-speaking men in English uniforms got away.” So writes Odd Nansen in his diary entry of March 6, 1943, describing an event that occurred a week earlier: the daring raid on the Vemork hydroelectric plant …

Norwegian Blogs About Odd Nansen Presentation

August 26, 2016 by anthill

On Saturday, August 20, I had the privilege of speaking to a Sons of Norway lodge in Roswell, GA. Attending was a young Norwegian exchange student, Anette Sorensen, who later provided an excellent summary of the talk, as well as some good photos, on her personal blog of her experiences in the US, “Anette in …

“Nyberg Interview” – August 2, 2016

September 7, 2025August 17, 2016 by anthill

I had the pleasure of being interviewed on August 2 by newscaster Ann Nyberg for her nightly show, called “Nyberg,” to discuss From Day to Day. Ann also anchors the 6 and 10 o’clock newscasts for WTNH News 8, and ABC-affiliated television station in New Haven, CT. Portions of the interview appeared on the evening news the following day, and the full interview can be seen here.

In Memoriam: Odd Nansen (December 6, 1901—June 27, 1973)

June 27, 2016 by timothyboyce

Odd Nansen died forty-three years ago today. Having read his diary multiple times, and having frequently discussed Nansen with his eldest child, daughter Marit (Nansen) Greve, the best way I can sum up his character is to borrow the words Primo Levi used to describe his best friend in Auschwitz, Alberto Dalla Volta (Dalla Volta …

Today is Anne Frank’s Birthday

June 12, 2016 by timothyboyce

Today is Anne Frank’s birthday. Had she lived, she would be 87 years old. The exact date and cause of her death are unknown, although it is now believed that she succumbed in late February, 1945, probably to a disease such as typhus. Anne, her family, and the other inhabitants of the secret annex in …

ALL ROYALTIES TO CHARITY

May 18, 2016 by timothyboyce

A recent (five-star) Amazon review of From Day to Day: One Man’s Diary of Survival in Nazi Concentration Camps notes: “wish [the book] wasn’t so expensive.” I agree. I worked extensively with Vanderbilt University Press to keep costs to a minimum. At the same time we were both committed to producing the highest quality product …

Radio Interview Regarding From Day to Day

April 24, 2016 by timothyboyce

I had the privilege of being interviewed on Friday, April 22 by Jane Foy of WINA News Radio, part of the Charlottesville Radio Group, in Charlottesville, VA. It was particularly fitting that we spoke on April 22, as that date was the 71st anniversary of the liberation (by Russian and Polish forces) of Sachsenhausen Concentration …

Another positive review

April 15, 2016 by timothyboyce

Rochel Sylvetsky has reviewed From Day to Day for Arutz Sheva, the Israel National News: “The book is undeniably a masterpiece. . . . “ “It is written in real time, as diaries are by definition, and all the more shocking for that, because what could be a repetitious day by day account is a riveting, …

The First Review Is In

April 22, 2026April 13, 2016 by timothyboyce

Amy Scheibe reviewed From Day to Day: One Man’s Diary of Survival in Nazi Concentration Camps for Jewish Quarterly, Spring 2016. “More than anything, though, it is his moral outrage at anyone who dares to turn an eye away from the suffering of others—especially when that eye is his own—that makes this a timely reissue. …

From Day to Day: One Man’s Diary of Survival in Nazi Concentration Camps

Buy The Book

“I want to thank Tim Boyce for this . . . . It would be lost to history if people like Tim Boyce did not devote the effort and time and expense–a good part of his life–to preserve the Odd Nansen story. It is a moving and gripping story. . . .”

–U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal

Hailed by The New Yorker as “among the most compelling documents to come out of the war,” From Day to Day is a World War II concentration camp diary—one of only a handful ever translated into English—secretly written by Odd Nansen, a Norwegian political prisoner. Arrested in January 1942, Nansen, son of polar explorer and humanitarian Fridtjof Nansen (Nobel Peace Prize 1922) was held captive for the duration of the war in various Nazi camps in Norway and Germany.

Nansen’s diary entries detail his palpable longing for his wife and family, his constantly frustrated hopes for release, the quiet strength and sometimes ugly prejudices of his fellow prisoners, and his horror at the especially barbaric treatment reserved for the Jews. The diary brilliantly illuminates Nansen’s daily struggle, not only to survive, but to preserve his sanity and maintain his humanity in a world engulfed by fear and hate.

First published in English in 1949, From Day to Day had been out of print for almost seventy years. The new edition contains entries and sketches never previously available in English. It also features a new introduction and extensive annotations by Timothy Boyce and a preface by Thomas Buergenthal, whose life (as a ten year-old) Nansen saved while in Sachsenhausen, later recounted in his own memoir A Lucky Child: A Memoir of Surviving Auschwitz as a Young Boy.

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0 events 8 0 events, 8	4 events 9 4 events, 9 2026-06-09 1949 – George Orwell’s 1984 published 1949 – George Orwell’s 1984 published June 9 1949 – George Orwell’s 1984 published George Orwell's 1984 published 2026-06-09 1940 – Norwegian resistance to German invasion ends 1940 – Norwegian resistance to German invasion ends June 9 1940 – Norwegian resistance to German invasion ends Norwegian resistance to German invasion ends 2026-06-09 1945 – Odd Nansen returns to Oslo and is reunited with family 1945 – Odd Nansen returns to Oslo and is reunited with family June 9 1945 – Odd Nansen returns to Oslo and is reunited with family Odd Nansen returns to Oslo and is reunited with family 2026-06-09 1870 – Charles Dickens Dies Age 58 1870 – Charles Dickens Dies Age 58 June 9 1870 – Charles Dickens Dies Age 58	2 events 10 2 events, 10 2026-06-10 1942 – the Lidice Massacre 1942 – the Lidice Massacre June 10 1942 – the Lidice Massacre the Lidice Massacre 2026-06-10 1610 – First Dutch Settlers Land on Manhattan 1610 – First Dutch Settlers Land on Manhattan June 10 1610 – First Dutch Settlers Land on Manhattan	1 event 11 1 event, 11 2026-06-11 1776 – Continental Congress Appoints Committee to Draft Declaration of Independence 1776 – Continental Congress Appoints Committee to Draft Declaration of Independence June 11 1776 – Continental Congress Appoints Committee to Draft Declaration of Independence	2 events 12 2 events, 12 2026-06-12 1929 – Anne Frank is born 1929 – Anne Frank is born June 12 1929 – Anne Frank is born Anne Frank is born 2026-06-12 1941 – Grini Camp opened as a Polizeihäftlingslager 1941 – Grini Camp opened as a Polizeihäftlingslager June 12 1941 – Grini Camp opened as a Polizeihäftlingslager Grini Camp opened as a Polizeihäftlingslager	1 event 13 1 event, 13 2026-06-13 1944 – Germans launch new V-1 rockets against Great Britain 1944 – Germans launch new V-1 rockets against Great Britain June 13 1944 – Germans launch new V-1 rockets against Great Britain Germans launch new V-1 rockets against Great Britain	0 events 14 0 events, 14
2 events 15 2 events, 15 2026-06-15 1215 – Magna Carta Signed 1215 – Magna Carta Signed June 15 1215 – Magna Carta Signed 2026-06-15 1775 – George Washington Accepts Command of Continental Army 1775 – George Washington Accepts Command of Continental Army June 15 1775 – George Washington Accepts Command of Continental Army	1 event 16 1 event, 16 2026-06-16 1858 – Lincoln Gives “House Divided” Speech 1858 – Lincoln Gives “House Divided” Speech June 16 1858 – Lincoln Gives “House Divided” Speech	3 events 17 3 events, 17 2026-06-17 1896 – Fridtjof Nansen encounters Frederick Jackson on Franz Josef Land 1896 – Fridtjof Nansen encounters Frederick Jackson on Franz Josef Land June 17 1896 – Fridtjof Nansen encounters Frederick Jackson on Franz Josef Land Fridtjof Nansen encounters Frederick Jackson on Franz Josef Land 2026-06-17 1775 – Battle of Bunker Hill 1775 – Battle of Bunker Hill June 17 1775 – Battle of Bunker Hill 2026-06-17 1972 – Break-In At Watergate Complex 1972 – Break-In At Watergate Complex June 17 1972 – Break-In At Watergate Complex	1 event 18 1 event, 18 2026-06-18 1931 – Odd Nansen’s son Eigil Nansen was born 1931 – Odd Nansen’s son Eigil Nansen was born June 18 1931 – Odd Nansen’s son Eigil Nansen was born Odd Nansen’s son Eigil Nansen was born	0 events 19 0 events, 19	0 events 20 0 events, 20	0 events 21 0 events, 21
1 event 22 1 event, 22 2026-06-22 1941 – Operation Barbarossa: Hitler invades Russia 1941 – Operation Barbarossa: Hitler invades Russia June 22 1941 – Operation Barbarossa: Hitler invades Russia Operation Barbarossa: Hitler invades Russia	0 events 23 0 events, 23	2 events 24 2 events, 24 2026-06-24 1893 – The Fram departs Christiana (Oslo) Norway, for the North Pole 1893 – The Fram departs Christiana (Oslo) Norway, for the North Pole June 24 1893 – The Fram departs Christiana (Oslo) Norway, for the North Pole The Fram departs Christiana (Oslo) Norway, for the North Pole 2026-06-24 1948 – Berlin Blockade Begins 1948 – Berlin Blockade Begins June 24 1948 – Berlin Blockade Begins	2 events 25 2 events, 25 2026-06-25 1903 – George Orwell is born 1903 – George Orwell is born June 25 1903 – George Orwell is born George Orwell is born 2026-06-25 1876 – Battle of Little Big Horn 1876 – Battle of Little Big Horn June 25 1876 – Battle of Little Big Horn	1 event 26 1 event, 26 2026-06-26 1945 – 50 Nations Sign UN Charter in San Francisco 1945 – 50 Nations Sign UN Charter in San Francisco June 26 1945 – 50 Nations Sign UN Charter in San Francisco	1 event 27 1 event, 27 2026-06-27 1973 – Odd Nansen dies (age 71) 1973 – Odd Nansen dies (age 71) June 27 1973 – Odd Nansen dies (age 71) Odd Nansen dies (age 71)	1 event 28 1 event, 28 2026-06-28 1919 – The Treaty of Versailles, ending World War I, is signed 1919 – The Treaty of Versailles, ending World War I, is signed June 28 1919 – The Treaty of Versailles, ending World War I, is signed The Treaty of Versailles, ending World War I, is signed
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From Day to Day: One Man’s Diary of Survival in Nazi Concentration Camps