Book Discussion: Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange

What foundation is Tommy Orange, the author laying in the Prologue?

While Jude Star is at Fort Marion, he talks about white visitors coming to see them “perform being Indian.” How do we see the commodification and fetishization of Native people represented throughout the book?

The story begins with Jude and then unfolds across seven generations into the present, ending with baby Opal. Why is it important that the story is told through multiple generations in one family?

Charles Star, right before he died, thought about how tired he was of enduring. Where else do you see both that strength and exhaustion in his descendants?

the prologue and first several chapters of Wandering Stars not only set up the novel but provide us with the important history of how American colonial settlers orchestrated and executed the genocide of the indigenous people already living on the land. Did you learn anything new from these opening chapters? How did this painful history affect you? What parallels, if any, do you see with modern conflicts around the world, including Yemen, Ukraine, Gaza, Haiti, and Sudan?

it says, “I didn’t think stories were made to comfort. I believed what my father told me. Stories do more than comfort. They take you away and bring you back better made.” What do stories offer you? What do you feel is your responsibility as a reader?

What was the reason for the character of Sean in the story? What did he represent and how does he fit into the rest of the story.

-p. 130 Sean describes being non-binary. men are a secret cult

Chapter 19 is called “Who Can Say Indian?,” and opens with Sean wondering whether or not he can say the word around Orvil, because Sean learned, through a DNA test, that he has a significant amount “Indian blood.” What did you think of the conversation between Sean and Orvil, and their subsequent friendship? In what ways did the genocide of Native Americans factor into how these boys see themselves and their history? Then, there is this line: “Sean thought it was so weird, this idea of the heritage being in the blood, but then not as weird as it only being in remnants, or relics, old art and artifacts meant to be seen behind museum glass” (197). In what ways do you feel close to or disconnected from your own heritage? How well do you know your older relatives and their stories?

Why do you think the character of Richard Henry Pratt, the founder of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School showed remorse about his role in "rehabilitating" Indians. 

There’s still a lot of stigma around addiction and in many cases it’s seen as a personal failing. What circumstances beyond their control brought these characters to substance abuse? In what ways do racism, depression, fatigue, and generational trauma factor in? What gives you hope for these characters to break the cycle?

What is the significance of Opal giving Charles a traditional burial? How does the story shift with the end of this chapter?

Chapter 12 follows Victoria Bear Shield and is told in the second person. Why? What feeling does this switch invoke?

What effects does interracial adoption have on Native people and communities as represented in the book?

How do Orvil, Loother and Lony each respond to trauma? In what way is this affected by their disconnection from their Indigenous community?

Why did Opal keep cultural knowledge and family stories from the boys? At the end of chapter 25, Opal asks herself that question. What is the reasoning behind her shift in opinion?

What similarities do you see within each characters’ stories and experiences? How do they reflect the effects of intergenerational trauma?

Stars and birds are woven throughout the entire novel. What do they symbolize?

At the end of chapter 2, Jude describes how he chose his name and how struck he was by a Bible verse concerning wandering stars. Why do you think it impacted him? Why was it used for the title of the book?

Book Discussion: Dinosaurs by Lydia Millet

Lydia Millet's Dinosaurs opens with a bird's-eye view of Arizona. What about this view captivates Gil?  Are there other moments in the novel when something is depicted as though seen from above?

Many different visions of freedom come up in Dinosaurs. We learn about Gil's youthful dream of giving away all his money, his grandmother's statement that "freedom can only be found in the mind" (p. 214), and Ted's idea of a selfish freedom based on impulses. What is the significance of freedom for Gil? For Ardis and Ted? For Sarah? For Tom? Does Dinosaurs arrive at a new understanding of freedom? How would you describe it

What does Sarah mean when she tells Gil "You don't defend yourself" (p. 161). Do you agree with Sarah? Are there other characters in this book who don't defend themselves? Explain.

After discovering Ardis's infidelity, Gil asks "Why could no one be steadfast? Just stay?" (p. 182) What does Ardis represent to Gil in this moment? Who does he want to be steadfast? How do concerns about steadfastness and loyalty animate Gil's relationships in this book?


Gil describes his walk from New York City to Phoenix saying, "It's not much of a story. It was mostly big roads. Interstates, even. Because to go by the small roads would have taken a lot longer. It went like this: the same, the same, the same. Then for a few miles, slightly different. The same, the same, the same, the same ... then slightly different. I met some truckers. And saw a lot more roadkill than I ever wanted to" (p. 127). Is this an apt description for Dinosaurs itself? Why or why not? What does the walk mean to Gil? What does it symbolize for the story as a whole? Were there other events in the novel that reminded you of Gil's walk?

Do you agree with Sarah's decision to intervene on Gil's behalf and tell Dag to stop trying to communicate with him? Gil describes it as "a question of boundaries—they weren't clear. Hadn't been defined. It wasn't her fault. Still, she'd vaulted over one" (p. 162). What are other unspoken boundaries in the novel? How are they protected? How are they transgressed?

Birds are ever-present symbols in this book. What does a bird symbolize to you? How did this novel influence your thoughts about birds? Describe the difference between Jason and Gil's relationship to birds in this story. What does this reveal about their personalities?

"At a certain point, not to engage is cowardly" Connie tells Gil early in the book, to which Gil replies "People default to cowardice. At least, I do" (p. 51). Do you agree with Gil's perception about himself and others? At what point in the story is Gil a coward? When is he not? How does this conflict between agency and default responses resonate throughout Dinosaurs?

Although this novel is narrated in the third person, Gil's perspective is deeply imbedded in the writing. Why do you think Millet chose the third person? What would be different if the story were written from Gil's first-person perspective?

Were you surprised by the relationship between Gil and Sarah? What draws Sarah to Gil? Why is Gil reluctant to breach the boundary between friendships and romantic relationships?

p. 60 "Lanes memory took up the space where new affection might live. Lost and aimless, like a faithful dog. Confused by the disappearance of its master."

Gil remembers learning that all the dinosaurs went extinct sixty-six million years ago and then, in school, discovering that some dinosaurs had survived and that birds are descended from them. How does this knowledge resonate in the plot of the novel? Why do you think this book is called Dinosaurs?

Dinosaurs is an intimate story about a man overcoming trauma and simultaneously a broader story about community, relationships, and the world around us. How does Millet join these parts of her novel? What do these two levels bring out in each other?

The author holds a Masters degree in Environmental Policy. In what ways do you see the authors voice in the story?

Why does Gil feel like he doesn't deserve what he's been given?

What does Ardis get out of her relationship with Gil?

How does Gil's family and upbringing effect his adult life? 

Why does he decide to bankrole Dag, the man who killed his parents?

A theme in the novel is overcoming trauma. What ways do different characters overcome theirs?

Book Discussion: Every Drop is a Man's Nightmare by Megan Kamalei Kakimoto

 What are some common threads among the stories in this book?

• Expectations of American Mainstream Culture
norms and taboos of their Hawaiian and family dynamic

How was it reading text with Hawaiian words though out?

Did you notice any tonal similarities or differences in the narrators?

What was your favorite story and why did you connect with it?

There is always a feeling that the author is hiding something from us. Did you experience this and what could it be?

What are some ways the trauma of colonialization effects characters throughout the book?

A Catalogue of Kanaka Superstitions, as Told by Your Mother- How did this opening story set the tone for the rest of the collection? What was the purpose of this chapter?

Every Drop is a Man's Nightmare

Story of Men

Temporary Dwellers

Madwoman

Ms. Amelia's Salon for Women in Charge

Hotel Molokai

Aiko, the Writer

Some Things I know About Elvis

Touch Me Like One of Your Island Girls: A Love Story

The Love and Decline of the Corpse Flower

Book Discussion: Forager: Field Notes for Surviving a Cult by Michelle Dowd

 What did you think of the format of the book? The way plant knowledge is interspersed at the beginning of each chapter.

Were there any parts of the story that you wished were more fleshed out?

Do you read many memoirs?

What did you think of the bible passages throughout the story? Why did the author choose to include them if she grew to reject her religion?

What do you think the reasons are for Michelle's mother to treat her the way she did? Withhold affections, etc. Do you think she loved her children?

Michelle's mother gives her the advise at a young age of how to deal with a man who is making unwanted sexual advances/violence. Her advise is to act friendly and your friendliness will disarm him. Later as a teen she puts this into practice to avoid sexual violence from a clients husband. (chocolate bar and boy who licks her face.) What is some other questionable life lessons or advise her mother gave her?

Her father does not play a very large role in the book. What is the reason for that? How was Michelle's relationship to her father?

Who are some characters in the book who supported Michelle and helped her grow as a person?

On page 52 she states " plants appear in your life at the time you need their healing powers." Does this resonate with you? Have you ever experienced something in your own life showing up just when you need it?

How are children utilized in The Field?

What survival skill/plant fact did you learn that you hadn't known before?

On page 113 she states "Men don't get sent away when they're violent. Hurting people is something men are entitled to, because they are created to rule." Do you think this is true? How does our society allow this kind of abuse of power?

What are the expectations of men and women at The Field?

What was the most heartbreaking moment in the book?

What are some glaring moments of hypocracy in the book?

In the end of the book Michelle tells her sister about her outing in town and going out to the movies and dinner with a former Field member. This results in her getting excommunicated. Why do you think she told her sister about that night?

Book Discussion: The Wind Knows My Name by Isabel Allende

Which themes in The Wind Knows My Name did you connect with the most, and how did they affect your personal experience of the book?

We experience the Night of Broken Glass as it happens to the Adler family. Was there anything that surprised you about this act of terror that you hadn’t known? 

Music saves Samuel. Why do you think music transcends tragedy and comfort souls?

How much did you know about the El Mozote (pronounce El Mowzote) massacre before reading this book? Why do you think this tragedy isn’t widely known in America?*

After Samuel moved to California, his wife Nadine opened up their “enchanted mansion” to bohemians, frustrated artists, and simple wanderers, causing a rift in the marriage. Which side did you fall on and why?

Did you have strong feelings about the U.S. border policies before reading this novel? Did anything about those feelings change after reading it?

Reflect on Samuel and Nadine’s 55-year marriage. Why do you think it lasted, despite the divorces and infidelities?

Why did Samuel at embrace Anita and Leiticia so thoroughly? 

Do you think Samuel ever fully worked through his trauma from his past?

Anita creates an alternative world called Azabahar. What does this place mean to her and the people around her?

How do the different characters in the book cope with trauma?

Did the ending surprise you? Were you expecting the characters to converge the way they did?

A common thread running through the various characters is trauma. Samuel. Leticia. Anita. How do you think each handled their tragic experiences? How did they persevere?

 How did you feel at the end of The Wind Knows My Name? What did you take away from reading this novel?

Book Discussion: Bliss Montage by Ling Ma

What are some common threads among the stories in this book?

• Women making questionable choices
• Chinese american women
• disconnection, isolation
• immigration
• breaking free of expectations

Did you notice any tonal similarities or differences in the narrators?

Los Angeles- A woman lives in a house with her husband, kids and 100 ex boyfriends.

-Why does the narrator stay so attached to her ex boyfriends?

-What does Adam, her abusive ex mean to her? Why does she still want him in her life?

Oranges-Narrator follows her abusive ex boyfriend home in order to confront him.

G-Two women take a drug that turns you invisible.

-Is the friendship in this story ever a healthy one?

Yetti Lovemaking-A woman goes home with a man she meets at a bar only to discover he is a Yetti

-Reads like a greek myth or a modern day folktale

-Is the story her telling her ex about the Yetti or is it her own inner narrative?

-Do you think her mating call really caused her ex to reach out to her?

Returning-Woman travels to the country of her husbands birth only to wake up on the plane with him gone.

-What did Peter want to change as a result of being buried at the festival?

Office Hours-A professor discovers a portal to another world hidden within her campus office.

Marie teaches a class called "the disappearing woman."

-What is this place?

-Did she leave behind herself or a doppleganger?

Peking Duck-Writer is creating a story based on her mother's experiences as a nanny. 

-Who does the story belong to? The mother or the daughter? On page 176 the question is asked " Can the writer, who's retelling anothers story, really assume authorship?"

Tomorrow-Woman is pregnant with a child whos arm is growing out of her body.

Homestead by Melinda Moustakis

What is this novel about?

learning to trust, the wild inside us, sense of self
How did you find the pacing of this book?

Do you think you would have been able to homestead in Alaska?

How do you understand Marie and Lawrence’s decision to get married? What are their expectations of the marriage? How do those expectations hold up once they are actually living together?

What do Marie and Lawrence each hope for from the homestead? What does it represent to them?

Homestead is structured around the seasons, with each chapter taking place over the course of a month. How do the cycles of a year shape the novel’s form and plot?

Discuss Marie’s relationship with her sister, Sheila. How are their lives similar and different, especially their marriages?

Discuss the portrayal of Alaska in this novel. Did it surprise you or change the way you think about the state? If so, how? How much of the story is tied into the landscape. Would this story have worked in a different setting?

Homestead is set in the 1950s, when there were often strict gender norms that shaped one’s place in the world. How do Marie and Lawrence conform to those norms, and how do they thwart them? Were there any aspects of their characterizations that surprised you?

Both Marie and Lawrence express ownership/command of the land in different ways.“shadows of mountains beyond the dark line of the low and unseen water, and a stretch of dusky sky, a pale yellow and lavender, and a thick stir of clouds with sweeps of fire and fireweed, and who could say this was not meant for her?” How do their perspectives differ?

Over the course of two years, Marie and Lawrence witness the push for Alaskan statehood and are in Anchorage when the official announcement comes through. How are their lives affected by statehood? Discuss the ways in which the political and the domestic are woven together in this novel.

Why do you think Marie named their baby after herself.

Lawrence is haunted by his experiences during the Korean War, and compares his night terrors to a swarm of mayflies. What effect did military service have on him? How does it influence his relationship with Marie?

Why does Lawrence decide to sign the deed without Marie, despite his promise? Do you sympathize at all with his action?

How do you understand Marie’s decision to forgive Lawrence and continue their life together? What do you think the future holds for them?