Oral Exam

We've got to figure that The Milagro Beanfield War -- a story as rare, joyful, mysterious and full of life as a Truchas sunset -- was a real no-brainer pick by Mayor Hick as this year's One Book One Denver read. But because the Southwest classic by John Nichols (pictured) has been gathering dust on the shelf for more than a few years, perhaps some of us need to brush up before we're ready to engage in intelligent discussion about it.

Well, miracles do happen overnight. Stories on Stage is rushing in with an event that will put you on the right path -- a marathon power read of the book, scheduled from 1 to 6 p.m. on October 28 in the lounge at Belmar's Laboratory of Art and Ideas, 404 S. Upham Street, in Lakewood. There, a host of voices, including Tony Garcia of El Centro Su Teatro, Lab director Adam Lerner, and CU-Denver's Mark Heckler and Gillian Silverman, will join audience members in a gratis cover-to-cover reading of the book, which is better than the movie. What a fine way to revisit a fine yarn.

Admission is free, and coffee and pastries will be served; call 303-934-1777 or go to Belmarlab.org for more details. -- Susan Froyd