Oslo - Summer 2023
It took me 5 months to decide if/when to fly back to Norway but I finally bought a ticket to Oslo - a one-way ticket.
Luckily, the person whose apartment I rented in Oslo last summer was interested in renting it again and reached out to me to see if I was interested in coming back. We worked out a time frame for the both of us and I finally bought the ticket. She knew I would take care of all her plants, and I could live (again) in her lovely apartment one block from the Royal Palace, above a kebab restaurant (trust me this is a bonus). I feel safe in the neighborhood and know where the cafes, grocery stores, and restaurants are - and which trams to take to get to downtown Oslo or to Vigeland Park.
As of today, I have NOT, however, finished the book on Thor. My main goal this summer is to complete the final working draft. I have uploaded everything to Scrivener and currently have 9 working chapters. This is a huge step toward completing the book - now that the former NOVEL will now be a non-fiction MEMOIR.
When I arrive in Oslo in early July, I will be joining the Litteraturhuset (Literature House) which is a 4-minute walk from the apartment. This “house” is a cafe, restaurant, bookstore, and a working space for writers. According to their website, Litteraturhuset “… is a national arena for literature, culture, and debate, hosting many different activities.”
Exterior Literaturhuset, Oslo, Norway (Photo: Randi Millman-Brown, 2022)
I applied for (and received) space in their Writers' Loft which is described as follows: “Litteraturhuset’s goal is to spread literature in a broad sense and to contribute to more freedom of expression and a knowledge-based public conversation. The top floor of the building is therefore dedicated to those who write and translate fiction and non-fiction or who work with the written word in some way or another. Here, writers can get access to a practical workplace, a community of colleagues, and a network of others they can learn from.”
Spotify (English language podcast about writing, creativity and current events)
While there are still many holes in the story of Thor’s life, I have managed to find many missing pieces- everything from confirmation of his participation in the Gold Transport (Norwegian resistance), his death certificate (no cause of death), to his actual bank ledger records (original). I plan to visit the same archives and libraries I have worked in before one last time to make sure I haven’t missed anything that might be relevant. These places include Norges Bank, the National Archives, the Norwegian Resistance Museum, and the National Library. Every time I have gone back to these institutions, I have found new documents and articles that shed light on the mystery of Thor’s life and early death. If I am lucky, maybe I will discover one final clue that will explain everything, and I can complete Thor’s final chapter.
Postcard ca. 1900 - Norges Bank, Hammerfest (Thor’s apartment was above the bank’s main office)
