Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper announced today that local author Nick Arvin’s novel “Articles of War” is the fourth annual One Book, One Denver selection.
The idea behind the program is to have the entire community read and discuss the same book and to hold events in which readers can participate.
Arvin’s book selection follows “Peace Like a River” by Leif Enger, “Caramelo” by Sandra Cisneros and “The Milagro Beanfield War” by John Nichols.
“Articles of War,” like other wartime novels, centers on the question of when does fear turn into cowardice.
The book’s protagonist, George Tilson — known as Heck because of his reluctance to use foul language — is an 18-year-old Iowa farmboy who is sent to Europe in World War II. His reaction to his first taste of battle could be seen as cowardice, and Heck struggles with his conscience for the rest of the war.
Heck’s path crosses that of Pvt. Eddie Slovik, the only U.S. serviceman to be executed for desertion since the Civil War. Although the outcomes of their actions are vastly different, the novel points to certain parallels between the lives of the two men as well.
Copies of the book are available at bookstores and the Denver Public Library.
Events include:
Arvin also will attend a reading and signing at the Cultural Legacy Booksellers, 3633 W. 32nd Ave., at 2 p.m. Oct. 21.
He will read passages from the novel and answer questions at 4 p.m. Oct. 25 at the Concert Hall of the Kenneth King Academic and Performing Arts Center on the Auraria campus, 855 Lawrence Way, Denver.
And the author will read from and discuss the novel at 7 p.m. Nov. 14 at Manual High School, 1700 E. 28th Ave., Denver.
