Sunday, April 3, 5-6:30 PM: David Horgan, author of

“Helmi's Shadow: A Journey of Survival From Russia to East Asia to the American West.”

Helmi's Shadow is an intimate true story of a stateless Russian-Jewish mother and daughter, the author's grandmother and mother who, with determination and good luck, managed to survive decades of hardship in the hidden corners of war-torn Asia, finally landing after the Second World War in the unlikely safe harbor of Reno, Nevada, to become bona-fide citizens for the first time. The book is also a loving memoir of growing up under the wings of these remarkable women in a unique American family, told through the author's eyes as both a child and young adult.

David Horgan is a writer and professional musician. His book of short stories titled The Golden West Trio Plus One received the Merriam-Frontier Award from the University of Montana. His stories and essays have appeared in a number of publications, including The New Montana Story, The Best of the West, Portland Review, Quarterly West, Northern Lights, and The Crescent Review. Born and raised in Reno, Nevada, he now lives in Missoula, Montana