516 Book Club: February 2026

Tuesday, February 17, 2026 | 5:30 pm | 516 Arts | RSVP Recommended

We’re excited to feature From the Memoirs of a Non-Enemy Combatant: A Novel by Alex Gilvarry for our 516 ARTS Book Club.

Boyet Hernandez is a small man with a big American dream when he arrives in New York in 2002, fresh out of fashion school in the Philippines. But on the brink of fame and fortune, there comes instead a knock on the door in the middle of the night: the flamboyant ex-Catholic is swept to America’s most notorious prison, administered a Qur’an and locked away indefinitely to discover his link to a terrorist plot.

“It’s rare for a novel to tread so fearlessly into the political and yet to emerge so deeply funny and humane. Gilvarry is a young talent on the rise. Watch him gallop through the mess we’ve made of our civilization with style and panache.” —Gary Shteyngart, author of Super Sad True Love Story and Absurdistan

Sign up for this event here! You may purchase your copy of this book at your local bookstore, Bookworks, or online.

Join us for our monthly 516 Book Club! Explore literature that challenges, inspires, and connects to the themes of our current exhibition—including social justice, cultural identity, and artistic resistance, with a focus on banned or challenged books. Each month, we’ll dive into thought-provoking titles and foster meaningful dialogue in an intimate, welcoming setting. Presented in partnership with Bookworks, Albuquerque’s beloved independent bookstore, the 516 Book Club is facilitated by Bookworks representative Alex Avila.

Active 516 ARTS members receive discounts on selected titles purchased through Bookworks. Space is limited to 20 participants per session, and RSVPs through Eventbrite is required. Sessions are $5 for non-members and free for 516 ARTS members. (Not a member?Join here.) Light refreshments provided.