Publishers Weekly
12/05/2022
The courageous life and deep religious faith of WWII Dutch resistance member Corrie ten Boom (1892–1983) are recounted in this immersive biography from bestseller Loftis (The Princess Spy). Known as “Tante Kees” to friends and family, Corrie was the daughter of a prominent watchmaker in Haarlem and was heir apparent to her father’s business. After the German invasion of the Netherlands, the ten Boom family, members of the Dutch Reformed church, opened their shop and home to dozens of Jewish refugees and resistance workers. Drawing on Corrie’s full collection of letters, photos, and notes, Loftis recounts how she brought in an architect to build a secret compartment, known as “the Angels’ Den,” behind a false wall in her bedroom—it could hide as many as six people during Gestapo raids. Corrie, her father, and her sister Betsie were arrested in 1944; only Corrie survived their imprisonment. Throughout, Loftis emphasizes how Corrie’s faith maintained her through the war, and afterward took her on speaking tours “of more than sixty countries telling her story of love, forgiveness, and grace.” This is a well-researched and often captivating portrait of a remarkable woman. (Mar.)
From the Publisher
"Mr. Loftis has greatly enriched the ten Boom story with well-researched additional material . . . Corrie ten Boom’s indomitable faith in the face of evil was extraordinary, and The Watchmaker’s Daughter recounts a story that deserves to be remembered." — Wall Street Journal
“An inspiring World War II story of courage and daring. ... Loftis deftly interweaves ten Boom’s compelling tale with of two young women living just miles away—Anne Frank and Audrey Hepburn—to drive home the peril, grief, and spirit of resistance that surged through the occupied Netherlands. A well-researched, vivid, inspiring book that reminds us both of the power of resistance, and of the capacity of good people to stand up against evil in history’s darkest hours.” — Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Forest of Vanishing Stars
"Like Larry Loftis's other bestsellers, The Watchmaker’s Daughter brims with intrigue, derring-do, and narrative thrills. Corrie is a heroine for the ages: brave, intelligent, and shining with a spiritual light that never falters, even in the darkest of times." — Neal Bascomb, New York Times bestselling author of Faster and The Winter Fortress
"Astounding ... An intimate, detailed portrait ... The extraordinary bravery of Corrie ten Boom is eclipsed only by her ability to find faith and hope in utter darkness. Perfect for readers of biography and history." — Booklist
"The courageous life and deep religious faith of WWII Dutch resistance member Corrie ten Boom are recounted in this immersive biography from bestseller Loftis (The Princess Spy). ... A well-researched and often captivating portrait of a remarkable woman." — Publishers Weekly
"Loftis, bestselling author of nonfiction spy thrillers, ... turns up diaries and letters from others in ten Boom’s circle as well as a trove of photographs that enable him to tell a detailed, moving story. ... A story of unbelievable suffering and courage that deserves to be told." — Kirkus Reviews
"A haunting and inspiring tale of moral courage." — Library Journal
"Larry Loftis pays long-overdue homage to one of the great women of the 20th (or any) century . . . Loftis successfully brings Corrie ten Boom to a new generation, skillfully and aptly providing daily happenings, lively dialogue and inner thought to this well-researched history. Her achievements and courage as arrayed by Loftis will offer hope and a renewed sense of resolve to all who labor in good cause." — Bookreporter
“Through impeccable research and exquisite attention to detail, Larry Loftis brings readers the incredible true story of Corrie ten Boom, the first licensed female watchmaker in Holland, who risked everything to provide sanctuary for Jews and refugees during Nazi occupation in World War II. The Watchmaker’s Daughter is an emotional and inspiring account of resistance that ultimately offers lessons in the power of faith and forgiveness, and reminds us all that out of darkness comes light.” — Jack Carr, Navy SEAL Sniper and #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Terminal List
“Larry Loftis has written a compelling account of the The Watchmaker’s Daughter, Corrie ten Boom, who survived the horrors of the WWII concentration camp. The persecution Corrie endured led her to thank the Lord for turning a prison cell into God’s training school. Such is the miraculous power of Jesus Christ.” — Rev. Franklin Graham
"Like a skilled archaeologist, Larry unearths little-known fragments of Corrie Ten Boom’s story. By mining everything from historical records to family mementos, he’s exposed fresh facets of Corrie’s remarkable ministry. If you loved The Hiding Place, read this book!" — Jim Daly, President, Focus on the Family
"This remarkable biography shows the true power of forgiveness and inspires readers to keep the faith." — Woman's World
“The Hiding Place is an unforgettable book, the story of quiet, determined, and faith-based heroism by an otherwise unassuming middle-aged Dutch woman. Larry Loftis’s new release, The Watchmaker’s Daughter, greatly expands her story and is the first major biography of Corrie ten Boom.” — Jewish Journal
Library Journal
02/01/2023
Historian Loftis (The Princess Spy) brings to life the first major biography about Corrie ten Boom (1892–1983) while also illuminating the Nazi resistance movement in the Netherlands. Corrie, her father's apprentice, became a gifted watchmaker, but her career was derailed when the Nazis invaded the Netherlands. Her family, characterized as having strong Christian values, began sheltering Jewish families and distributing ration cards. They lived in constant fear of raids and capture and were ultimately betrayed by a Dutch informant. Corrie and her sister, Betsie, were sent to Ravensbrück, the notorious concentration camp for women, where the SS inflicted monumental cruelty. Corrie and Betsie took solace in each other and in scriptures. Betsie died at Ravensbrück late in 1944. In her early 50s at the time, Corrie, through an error in paperwork, was released a week before all women over the age of 50 were sent to the gas chambers. Corrie devoted her life after her release to providing witness about the Holocaust, as well as extending a ministry that emphasized forgiveness. She was honored as one of the "Righteous Among the Nations" by the Yad Vashem Authority in 1967. VERDICT A haunting and inspiring tale of moral courage. Recommended.—Barrie Olmstead
Kirkus Reviews
2022-12-23
A fresh account of anti-Nazi resistance.
During World War II, Corrie ten Boom (1892-1983) became a national hero in the Netherlands for her actions, which saved the lives of hundreds of Jews. Arrested late in the war, she and her family suffered terribly in concentration camps, and several of her relatives died. A devoted Christian whose faith never flagged, she combined charity work with her profession as a watchmaker before the war and continued her good works until her death. Unlike many survivors, she publicly forgave her oppressors, even the worst of the concentration camp guards. After the war, she set up rehabilitation centers that supported survivors but also welcomed countrymen who were unemployable due to their support of the Nazis during the occupation. Ten Boom’s bestselling 1971 memoir, The Hiding Place, was made into a 1975 film, and her many Christian-themed books, as well as biographies by other writers, are still in print. Loftis, bestselling author of nonfiction spy thrillers, wondered if there was anything he could add. Fortunately for readers, he turns up diaries and letters from others in ten Boom’s circle as well as a trove of photographs that enable him to tell a detailed, moving story. Despite the heroism of the Dutch resistance, three-quarters of Holland’s Jews were killed, a higher percentage than in Belgium and France. Reports of genuine heroes like ten Boom are not in short supply, but they are nonetheless inspiring stories about a small minority whose sacrifices, although worthy of acclaim, played a marginal role in the Allied victory or in mitigating the Holocaust. This is a solid addition to the literature about these heroes. The author also includes an informative section at the end titled “The Rest of the Story,” which chronicles “the accomplishments of those not necessarily connected to the ten Booms, but central to the overall Dutch World War II story.”
A story of unbelievable suffering and courage that deserves to be told.
