Mark Perlman, the author of “The Reluctant Soldier,” a work of historical fiction following the life of an African American from his upbringing in the segregated south through two world wars, will speak to the New Canaan Men’s Club Friday at its meeting in Morrill Hall at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church.
The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. with Perlman’s discussion of his book beginning around 10:40 a.m., following the business meeting.
The book interweaves fact and fiction in charting the life of its main character, Virgil Lincoln Carpenter, from his youth on a southern farm, to becoming a professor in New York City, his service in World War I as a member of the Harlem Hellfighters regiment and then his fleeing to France after having killed a man in self-defense. In Paris between the wars, he meets well-known figures, such as Ernest Hemingway and Josephine Baker.
A longtime member of the World War I Historical Association, Perlman researched details of his book traveling to France five times. He has undergrad and graduate degrees from Northeastern University.
The New Canaan Men’s Club has openings for new members, men 55-years old and above. For further information, email ncmens@ncmens.club.