The community is invited to Live@Lanier, Tuesday, July 19 at noon to hear Tim Boyce discuss the compelling Holocaust memoir “From Day to Day: One Man’s Diary of Survival in Nazi Concentration Camps” by Norwegian Odd Nansen. He will also describe the story behind the story – how he found, revived interest in and ultimately helped publish and edit this new edition. Lanier Library is located at 72 Chestnut Street, Tryon. The program is free.

Author and Norwegian Odd Nansen was arrested by the Nazis in 1942 and spent the remainder of WWII in concentration camps – Grini in Oslo, Veidal above the Arctic Circle, and Sachsenhausen in Germany. With an unsparing eye and a sense of humor not always appreciated by his captors, Nansen survived and recorded both the mundane and horrific details of camp life as they happened from “day to day.” He wrote on tissue paper-thin pages that were smuggled out by various means, including inside the prisoners’ breadboards.

First published in 1949, the book received rave reviews, but fell into obscurity. In 1956, in response to a poll of authors about “the most undeservedly neglected” book of the preceding quarter century, Carl Sandburg singled out “From Day to Day” calling it an “epic narrative.” Published by Vanderbilt University Press, this new edition comes 65 years after the first and contains much new information, including 40 sketches by Nansen of life and death in the camps.

Tim Boyce practiced law for 35 years, most recently as the managing partner of Dechert LLP in Charlotte, N.C.  He is also a published author.  He and his wife now make their home in Tryon.

The public is encouraged to come, bring a lunch and enjoy the presentation.

Lanier Library’s next event, Literary Open Stage, will take place on Thursday, July 21 at 7 p.m. with Tryon’s own Mary Ann Claud as the featured author.

For more information on these or other upcoming programs, visit lanierlibrary.org or call 828-859-9535.

–  article submitted

by Susan Brady