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The Town of Duck and Duck’s Cottage Coffee and Books are hosting an evening with award-winning author David K. Wessel as he shares the story behind his historical novel, Choosing Sides. This special event will take place on Thursday, March 13 at 6 p.m. in the Paul F. Keller Meeting Hall, located at 1200 Duck Road.

Wessel is a retired United States diplomat and former vice president at the College of The Albemarle.

“His connection to Duck runs deep, having served the community as both a Town Council member and Mayor,” noted a Town of Duck news release. “A lifelong student of history and now a published novelist, Wessel’s work draws from decades of personal and academic exploration into the lives of ordinary Germans during the Weimar Republic and the rise of Nazi Germany.”

Inspired by Wessel’s own family history, Choosing Sides is a gripping historical novel that follows the journey of Karl-Heinz Wessel, the author’s father, during the turbulent years between the world wars. “Born in Germany but raised in America, Karl-Heinz returns to a country transformed under Hitler’s rule. Caught between loyalty, silence, resistance, and escape, he faces heartbreaking decisions that mirror the struggles faced by countless families during the Third Reich,” stated the release. “Through Karl-Heinz’s eyes, Wessel sheds light on the complex choices ordinary people faced in extraordinary times.”

During this event, Wessel will discuss “his meticulous research into life in Hitler’s Germany and how history, literature and film have portrayed everyday citizens as perpetrators, collaborators, bystanders, victims, or resistors,” the release continued. “He’ll also offer insight into his writing process, blending historical facts with fiction to bring his family’s story to life.

“Don’t miss this unique opportunity to engage with David K. Wessel and explore the intersection of history, personal narrative, and storytelling. Books will be available for purchase at the event,” the release continued.

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