The Atmore Public Library will welcome a guest author Wednesday, when Gary W. Moore is scheduled to visit at noon.

Moore is the author of the book, “Playing with the Enemy,” which is based on the life of his father, Eugene Moore.

The book was selected as this year’s  community-wide reading program in January according to Atmore Public Library Director Cathy McKinley.

“When we began our community-wide reading program in January and chose the book, ‘Playing with the Enemy,’ I had no idea we would be able to have the author, Gary Moore, visit the library,” McKinley said. “I don’t think a day has gone by since January that we have not said his name or talked about his book. I feel like I know him already. All of us at the library are so excited and anxious to meet Gary.”

Moore’s book, “Playing with the Enemy” is the non-fiction account of his father’s early life, the part of his life that he never shared with his children. It was only near the end of his father’s life that Moore found out the circumstances that led him be the man he was.

When the author was 13 years old, he discovered an old letter tucked in the back of a sock drawer. The letter was dated 1949 and was from the Pittsburg Pirates baseball organization telling him to report for spring training.

When Gary asked his father about the letter, he was told to never mention it again and to never ask him questions about it or baseball. The son knew his father well enough that he didn’t mention it again for many years. Only hours before his death, the father finally told his son the story of his life and the mystery was finally solved.

“If you haven’t read the book, you really should,” McKinley said. “Even if it is after Gary visits the library. All of us at the library enjoyed it and I personally kept wondering, ‘What if this had happened today, would the consequences been different?”

The book has been earmarked for a movie and the author’s own son and Gene’s grandson, Toby Moore has been selected to play the part of Gene Moore.

“We can’t wait until the movie comes out,” McKinley said. “I’m sure we will feel a closeness to the movie since we will have met the author of the book.

“I would like to thank the Library Partners of Atmore for sponsoring the book discussion,” she added. “They are very involved in the event.