Nico Walker

Nicholas Walker (born February 28, 1985)[1] is an American author and US Army veteran who served time in prison for bank robbery.[2] His semi-autobiographical debut novel, Cherry, was published by Alfred A. Knopf on August 14, 2018.

Nico Walker
BornNicholas Walker
(1985-02-28) February 28, 1985
OccupationWriter
NationalityAmerican
Period2018–present
Notable worksCherry
Spouse
Rachel Rabbit White
​
(m. 2020)​

Career

From 2005 to 2006, Walker served as an Army medic in Iraq, going on more than 250 combat missions. After returning to civilian life, he suffered from undiagnosed PTSD, was depressed and traumatized, and became addicted to heroin. To fund his habit, he robbed ten banks around Cleveland in a span of four months, beginning in December 2010. He was arrested in April 2011, pleaded guilty in 2012 and was given an eleven-year sentence. In 2013, while Walker was behind bars in the Federal Correctional Institution in Ashland, Kentucky, he was profiled in BuzzFeed. This led to a correspondence with Matthew Johnson, a publisher at the independent press Tyrant Books. Johnson sent Walker books and encouraged him to write about his life. He spent nearly four years writing and rewriting.[1][3][4][5]

The resulting novel, Cherry, was published by Alfred A. Knopf and is about "the horrors of war and addiction."[4] In the semi-autobiographical novel, a young man drops out of college and enlists in the Army. He comes home in a poor state, becomes addicted to opiates, and starts robbing banks.[3] According to Vulture.com, upon its publication the book received "near-universal praise."[6] It debuted at number 14 on The New York Times bestseller list.[7] Walker has said that he is using money from sales of the book to pay back some of the banks he robbed.[2]

Within days of the book's publication, the movie rights were acquired for $1 million by Joe and Anthony Russo's studio AGBO, with the brothers planning to direct and produce, and the script to be written by Jessica Goldberg and starring Tom Holland.[8][9] Walker was offered the opportunity to be an executive producer on the film, but he turned it down.[10] The film, also called Cherry, will be released February 26, 2021 in theaters and March 12 on Apple TV+.[11][12]

Cherry was shortlisted for the 2019 Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award.[13]

Personal life

Walker grew up in Atlanta, Las Vegas, and Cleveland.[1] He dropped out of college and enlisted in the Army at the age of 19.[3] For his service in Iraq, Walker received seven medals and commendations.[1] He was released from prison early, in October 2019.[14][10] In August 2020, Interview Magazine reported Walker had married poet Rachel Rabbit White.[15]

Bibliography
  • Walker, Nico (2018). Cherry. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 9780525520139.

References
  1. Johnson, Scott (May 30, 2013). "How A War Hero Became A Serial Bank Robber". BuzzFeed. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  2. Lawrence, Quil (August 13, 2018). "An Iraq Veteran, Heroin Addict, Bank Robber And Debut Novelist". NPR. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  3. Alter, Alexandra (August 10, 2018). "How a Young War Veteran Became a Serial Bank Robber, Then a Novelist". The New York Times. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  4. Charles, Ron (August 14, 2018). "Nico Walker is a convicted bank robber. 'Cherry' proves he's also a must-read author". Washington Post. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  5. Lorentzen, Christian (July 24, 2018). "Nico Walker's Cherry Might Be the First Great Novel of the Opioid Epidemic". Vulture. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  6. Rathburn, Daniel (August 22, 2018). "Nico Walker's Cherry Got Near-Universal Praise". Vulture. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  7. "First a Decorated War Vet, Then a Bank Robber, Now a Best-Selling Novelist". The New York Times. August 24, 2018. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
  8. Fleming Jr, Mike (August 24, 2018). "AGBO Nearing $1M 'Cherry' Book Deal; 'Avengers: Infinity War's Russo Bros Eye Directing". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
  9. McNary, Dave (August 24, 2018). "Russo Brothers Close Deal to Direct PTSD Drama 'Cherry'". Variety. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
  10. Heisig, Eric (October 17, 2019). "Imprisoned Cleveland-area author moved to halfway house while production commences for movie adaption directed by Russo brothers". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  11. Breznican, Anthony. "Tom Holland in the Wild and Woeful 'Cherry': Exclusive First Look". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on November 24, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  12. Fleming, Mike (September 25, 2020). "Apple Makes Big Deal For Joe & Anthony Russo-Directed 'Cherry;' Tom Holland & Ciara Bravo Drama Becomes Oscar Season Entry". Deadline. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  13. "Announcing the 2019 PEN America Literary Awards Finalists". PEN America. January 15, 2019. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  14. Wong, Collin (July 16, 2020). "Nico Walker: The veteran who wrote his debut novel from a jail cell". The Observer. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  15. "Rachel Rabbit White, in Her Boudoir". Interview Magazine. August 13, 2020. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
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