The Deserter, and Other Stories: A Book of Two Wars

An interconnected collection of short narratives set against the backdrop of two wars, ranging from tense pursuits and concealments in wintry, wooded countryside to quieter reckonings in village and pastoral settings. The stories focus on individuals facing moral and practical dilemmas—desertion, duty, loyalty, shame, and redemption—showing how conflict reshapes domestic life, friendships, and identity. Scenes alternate between action-driven episodes of chases, captures, and rescues and more intimate portrayals of conversation, memory, and unexpected generosity. Illustrative episodes emphasize the harshness of frontier conditions, the strain between personal conscience and communal judgement, and small acts that redefine honor and belonging.