Book Discussion: Brother and Sister Enter the Forest by Richard Mirabella

 

The novel weaves two timelines together: Willa and Justin's childhood/teenage years and their adult reunion. How did this structure affect your reading experience?

What does the Lake Man that Justin see's at the Lakehouse represent to him?

What is the reason Willa makes dioramas of Justin?

How do each of the three main characters, Willa, Justin and Grace deal with the trauma of Justin's attack?

                How does it effect their relationship to one another?

                How do they process their trauma?

What does the forest represent in the story? Is it a threat, a sanctuary, or both?

                Justin is left for dead in the forest

                Justin spends a lot of time in the forest along

                Willa searches for Justin in the woods after he dissapears

What does the novel have to say about the idea of masculinity?

                Grace's viewpoint? 

                Nick's viewpoint?

Mental illness and abuse are significant themes. How does the author handle these sensitive subjects, and what do you think the book says about the recovery process?

Why can't Justin seem to come of age and become a fully formed adult? 

The ending of the novel is somewhat ambiguous. What did you take away from the conclusion, and do you believe the characters found any true solace or resolution?

The novel asks: "How do you help someone beyond reach?" How does this question play out, and does the book offer any answers?

Discuss Willa's decision to let Justin back into her life after years of estrangement, despite her fear of the chaos he might bring. Was it the right choice?

How did the parents' actions (or inactions) contribute to the children's trauma? The book mentions that no one in the family talks about their father. How does this silence impact the siblings?

The author chose to only show you snippets of the main characters lives, jumping around in the timeline. Why do you suppose they decided to do that? Did you enjoy this format?

What did you imagine ended up happening to Nick?

Book Discussion: Severance by Ling Ma

 The novel takes place as a virulent illness is infecting most of the population. While it is a satire, did you see parallels between the effects of Shen Fever on Candace Chen’s world and the COVID-19 outbreak on your own?

Explore the novel’s title. In addition to severance from a normal world of work, what else is
severed in Candace’s life? What new connections does she form as a result of being severed?

As you read about Spectra’s Bible production process, from the deadly health hazards experi-
enced by the workers to the VIP treatment Candace receives during her business travel, how was
your perception of “sacred texts” affected? Are bejeweled religious objects at odds with Christian
doctrine? What conflicts arise in the book between religion, morality, and the requirements of
contemporary life?

Candace chooses to inhabit L’Occitane in the Facility. If you had to be imprisoned in a mall,
which store would you choose for your cell?

 Severance is packed with references to beauty products, clothing stores, and other brands that
have defined American consumerism. After the pandemic, what replaces these labels in the sur-
vivors’ quest for comfort and camaraderie? When money becomes useless, what new forms of
currency emerge? 

Ma writes about a tally of virus victims published on the homepage of The New York Times that was “eventually pulled at the request of government officials, who cited its potential in inciting mass panic.” What was your reaction to this passage?

 Did Candace’s corporate book publishing job remind you of any jobs you’ve held in the past? How so?

 Why is Candace reluctant to fully pursue her photography passion, and what does this say about work culture in the U.S.?

If you had been in Candace’s situation, would you have left town with Jonathan? What accounts
for the huge distinction between his approach to work and Candace’s? Would you have accepted
Spectra’s final contract—and how committed would you be to making sure to fulfill it? She has disdain for his "opting out."

 “Of any book, the Bible embodies the purest form of product packaging, the same content repackaged a million times over, in new combinations ad infinitum,” Candace says in talking about her job. What critiques of capitalism does Ma offer in lines such as this?

The “fevered” are described as having a zombie-like quality. Did this book make you think of other works in the zombie genre you’ve seen or read before?

 “I’d like us to think about exactly what the internet is,” the group’s leader Bob says at one point. “It’s dead, but what exactly have we lost?” What does Ma’s writing reveal about our relationship with the internet and technology?

Severance shines a spotlight on soul-crushing mind-sets that flourish both before and after the
pandemic. What are they? Will profit-driven cultural forces diminish in your lifetime, or will they
gain momentum? 

 Why do you think Ma chose to set the final scenes of the novel in an empty shopping mall?

 “To live in a city is to take part in and to propagate its impossible systems. To wake up. To go to work in the morning,” Ma writes after Candace escapes the Facility. After her career and routine is lost to the Shen Fever, what remains in her life?

What do you think would happen to Candace and her child in a sequel to the story? 

How does Bob derive power? Which of his followers did you trust the most, and which the least?
How does their bureaucracy compare to Spectra’s?

How did you react to the closing scene? What do you imagine will happen next? 

Book Discussion: All Fours by Miranda July

Book is about straddling being a mother/wife and a person.[O]f course, in a patriarchy your body is technically not your own until you pass the reproductive age.”The two women she is with in the novel are younger and older versions of herself. Maybe the book is about wanting what you want and getting it too.

In the novel the narrator sets out to become a driver after being a self professed parker. The terms "Parker" and "Driver" describe two distinct personality types and approaches to life. A "Driver" is someone who can find engagement and joy in everyday life, even when it's mundane, while a "Parker" needs a specific, challenging, and often applause-worthy task to feel alive. In what ways do you think she succeded? 

Duality in the novel: parker/driver, mother/wife, wife/person, men/women, 

What role does the phrase "every day is Tuesday" play in the novel? What does it mean to different characters within the story. 

-Davey doesn't work Tuesdays

-Arkanda doesn't use days of the week

-If you had hormonal consistency every day may as well be Tuesday

How does the narrators father's concept of the walk-in or original soul play out in the book? p. 223

Why did the author decide to fly and not drive to NY in the epilogue.

What does the book say about men?

    -p. 81"The women I had dated were often my own age, that was fine. But the men always had to be older than me because if they were my same age then it became too obvious how much more powerful I was and this was a turnoff for both of us. Men needed a head start for it to be even."

The narrator and her husband have a complicated relationship to one another.

-Page 14 she states "Sometimes Harris will seem to have rapport with a waitress or a cashier and I immediately cede to them as a couple-I internally step aside and give my place to the other woman, just for a few seconds, until the transaction is over.""Being a third wheel is my natural state."

How does Miranda July explore the themes of aging, sexuality, and identity in "All Fours"? How do these themes intersect throughout the novel?

-p 85 "If birth was being thrown energetically up into the air, we aged as we rose. At the height of our ascent we ere middle-aged and then we fell for the rest of our lives, the whole second half. Falling might take just as long, but it was nothing like rising. The whole time you were rising you could not imagine what came next in your particular, unique journey; you could not see around the corner. Whereas falling ended the same way for everyone."

-p249 sad character of Audra was all in the narrators head

How did the narrator come to the conclusion in the middle of the book that  sex and bodily freedom was the secret to everything. That the best way to understand peoples realities is to have sex with them. p 251. What is she really experiencing in this moment (after sex with Audra.)

The narrator's experience with fetal-maternal hemorrhage plays a significant role in the story. How does this traumatic event shape her relationships and decisions throughout the novel?

Discuss the significance of the motel room renovation. What does this space represent for the narrator, and how does it contribute to her journey of self-discovery?


How does July portray the concept of motherhood in the novel? How does the narrator's relationship with her child, Sam, evolve throughout the story?

Discuss the role of art and creativity in the narrator's life. How does her career as an artist influence her personal journey?

How does July use humor and unconventional situations to address serious topics like mortality, menopause, and marital dissatisfaction?

How does July's writing style contribute to the overall impact of the novel? Discuss specific passages or techniques that you found particularly effective or memorable.


Discuss the novel's treatment of marriage and long-term relationships. How does the narrator's relationship with Harris evolve, and what does this say about the nature of commitment?


"All Fours" contains explicit sexual content and frank discussions about the body. How did you react to these elements of the novel? In what ways do you think the explicit nature of the book contributes to or detracts from July's exploration of sexuality, aging, and self-discovery?

Why don't you think the author gave the main character a name? Were we supposed to identify her with Miranda July? Were we supposed to find her universal?
This book was extremely polarizing for a lot of reasons but very much in the way it discusses middle aged womanhood. Do you think it's possible to broach that topic in a way that doesn't create a divide?


Another meeting that has a big impact on the narrator is her meeting with Audra. After she leaves Audra, she walks for hours and has a series of epiphanies, eventually deciding that the lesson she’s learned is that the road at midlife “splits between: a life spent longing vs. a life that was continually surprising.” (p. 212) After her big argument with Harris about the video, she leans into this lesson even more (p. 218):


Most of us wouldn’t do anything different, ever. Our yearning and quiet rage would be suppressed and seep into our children and they would hate this about us enough to do it a new way. That was how most change happened, not within one lifetime but between generations. If you really wanted to change, you had to believe that you were both yourself and your baby; you had to let yourself be completely reborn within one life.
-What do you think about this lesson? 

-Does it ring true to you? 

-Is this a lesson that applies only to mothers/women, or is it something that fathers/men can also learn from? 

-What does “believing that you are both yourself and your baby” mean in the context of her relationship with Sam, the trauma of Sam’s birth, and her difficulty connecting with Sam except in the bathtub? 

-In what ways does what she learns in her meetings with her married friends in Room 321 change or reinforce this lesson?

Let’s talk a little about Jordi and the narrator’s friendship. We know from part one that Jordi is one of the only people the narrator can be herself with (p. 14). Jordi is constantly both her cheerleader and her voice of reason, pointing out when she’s taking things too far or when she’s missing details (like how if she’s lying to Harris, she’s also lying to Sam (p. 184). She keeps the narrator’s secrets even though she doesn’t like lying (p. 76) and is there whenever the narrator needs her.
-Why does the narrator feel that she can be herself with Jordi but not with Harris or Sam? 

-Why do you think Jordi is still friends with the narrator? 

-What does Jordi get from this relationship? 

-Would you stay friends with someone like the narrator based on what we see of her friendship with Jordi in this novel?

The third important meeting in this section of the novel is the narrator’s meeting with Arkanda, who she learns also had a traumatic birth experience related to FMH. After this meeting, the narrator has another realization as she recognizes that she’s acting as a guardian to Room 321 but doesn’t own it, despite all of the time and money and energy she’s put into it.
-What about her meeting with Arkanda opens up this new way of seeing the room? 

-Do you think that the flashbacks will stop now that she’s been able to connect with someone who’s had a similar experience? 

-What about this meeting and/or this realization led her to the decision to write her story?
-How do you feel about the “narrator is actually the author of this fictional story” trope that is revealed at the very end of part three? Is it better or worse than the “it was all a dream” trope?


After the telephotographer roleplay and their big argument, the narrator and Harris reach an unconventional solution for their marriage: to become a “nonconforming family” (p. 278).
-Which problems does their arrangement solve? 

-What other problems does it cause? 

-Do you think it’s sustainable? 

-Do you think it’s fair/workable for all parties involved?
-Is the goal of a family for it to be fair/workable for all parties involved, or is there necessarily one or more parties who are always going to be short-changed?)

In the end, it feels like the entire novel has been moving in the direction of this solution. How do you feel about this journey? Did it end where you expected it to?

On page 360 Jordi states " Everyone thinks doggy style is so vulnerable. But its actually the most stable position. Like a table. It's hard to be knocked down when you are on all fours." What is your take on this, and what does that idea mean in the larger context of the story?

Did you feel that the epilogue successfully tied up loose ends or was it frustrating to see time move forward without any real acknowledgment of the way her actions effected the people around her?

Book Discussion: My Husband by Maud Ventura

 What parts of the narrators through processes did you relate to?

In what ways did you find the narrators viewpoint unreliable?

-“With the exception of my unexplained itching and my all-consuming passion for my husband,” she says, “my life is perfectly normal.” 

What were your initial thoughts of the husband? Was there a point when your feelings about him changed? Well, aside from the ending of course!

Why does the husband manipulate the wife?

Is she truly in love or just have an obsession?

In what ways does their relationship work?

-an obsessive mind is never satisfied

How did you feel about the ending? Was it effective? Would you have preferred the twist sooner in the story?

On page 34 she pretends her name is Grace while at the hairdressers and continues to keep up the rouse. What is her motivation for this?

What was her most cringy action or thought in the novel? What was her most egregious act?

What are the significance of the colors she chose for each day of the week?

Does the cover art make you want to pick the book up? Is it a good representation of the book? What else could have been on the cover?

On page 101 she quotes the philosopher Blaise Pascal "If we are always preparing to be happy, it is inevitable that we will never be so." How do you agree or disagree with that sentiment? Is the narrators preparations towards her husband what keep her happy.

This book has some similar relationship themes and dynamics to Annie Bot which we read over the summer. What are some similarities?

Why does the narrator cheat on her husband?

Book Discussion: Stories From the Tenants Downstairs by Sidik Fofana

Flip back to the "Intro." The final lines of the opening poem are "Everybody got a story, everybody got a tale/ Question is: is it despair or prevail?" As described in "Rent Manual," Banneker Terrace is under new ownership and a rent hike is looming. When you reached the end of the collection, did you feel optimistic about the future of Banneker Terrace and its residents? Why or why not?

In "Rent Manual," Mimi keeps a running tally of her finances as she goes from gig to gig to make rent. Why might the author have chosen to begin the collection with Mimi's story? What are some themes that are introduced here, that will recur throughout the book?

Gentrification is a central theme in this collection; it is also a central economic pressure in nearly every American city. What is gentrification? How have you observed its effects for yourself?
"lite feet" is the only epistolary story (a story written in the form of a letter) in the collection. Why might the author have chosen to write this story in this way? How does the story's epistolary form affect your reading experience?

In "Camaraderie," we encounter Darius for the first time since "Rent Manual." How have Mimi's decisions from "Rent Manual" impacted Darius?

At the beginning of "The Young Entrepreneurs of Miss Bristol's Front Porch," Kandese Bristol is confident that the news station will report on their candy store. All the young entrepreneurs need to do to make it happen, she says, is write them a letter. A response from the news station arrives at the end of the story, and the story's narrator assumes the worst, even before she's read it. In your opinion, what purpose do these details serve in the story? What might the hope for news coverage represent, and what can we make of the narrator's pessimism at the end?

In the following passage, Ms. Dallas describes teachers like Mr. Broderick: "They fresh out of college with a magic wand. They done read all the articles. Believed every news show that said public schools and teachers in the ghetto is falling apart like pie crust. Watched every feel-good movie, thinkin about twenty-two they can come in here and set the world right in minutes. All the while, they bidin they time til law school." Later, she says "I also believe that people who don't learn lessons should still get taught." In your opinion, what is the "lesson" she wants Mr. Broderick to learn?

In the final story Mr. Murrary says he deosn't know why anyone didn't ask his opinion before taking up arms for his cause of being allowed to play chess across the street from the restaurant. What ways have you seen people in society take up another persons cause without consulting? Is it helpful or harmful?

Book Discussion: Annie Bot by Sierra Greer

 In what ways do you think some of the details of an AI Robot might become a reality in our world?

There has been a lot of talk lately about ChatGPT, AI, and the future. Do you think “robot partners” are a possibility? Do you think they are a good idea? Can you imagine who would want to buy them? Do you think they would look and act like Annie?  

While you were reading the novel, at what point, if ever, did you start to see Annie as essentially human?

Considering that we get to know Doug in the privacy of his own home through the gaze of a robot, how reliable is the portrayal of him?

• Why do you suppose he evokes such powerful reactions? 
• Is he familiar, normal, a monster, or something else? 
• How does Doug’s ability to command Annie change him? 

Doug designs Annie to resemble a specific person from his past. Why is this important? What does this tell us about Doug’s character, his understanding of women, and his desire for control?  

What are the different episodes of betrayal that happen in the novel, and do the reactions to betrayal seem justified to you?

Doug is highly motivated to keep Annie, and she has no choice in the matter. In real life, couples stay together for many reasons even when their relationships are unhealthy. What are some of those reasons, and do you think the novel treats the issue of domestic abuse sensitively?

How do Annie’s other relationships—with Fiona, Christy, Delta, and Cody—cause her trouble or help her grow? How do you think third parties can affect, for better or worse, romantic relationships?

How do the concision and pace of Annie Bot add or detract from the novel? Are there places where you wish you knew more?

The novel includes references to many other books, writers, and poets. Have you read any of the mentioned works? How do you think the allusions mirror the situations and themes of Annie Bot? How are the books, and Annie Bot, related to the ways men and women are socialized in our culture?

• Borges "The Labyrinth Stories"
• The Lottery
• Hills Like White Elephants

What does Doug feel after finding out Annie Cheated? Is Doug responsible for Annies betrayal because he designed and trained her?

Were you surprised by the ending? Was it satisfying? What events do you imagine might follow?

How would this novel have been different if a human woman had purchased a robot boyfriend, or if the relationship involved LGBTQ+ partners?

What leads annies desire to learn programming?

What do you think of Dougs friend Roland?

On Page 66 Doug gets angry with Annie and tells her to never tell him what to think of feel again. Why do you think he reacted so strongly in this instance?

Why does Doug want Delta to think Annie is a human. Do you think Delta knew?

At the end what changes for Annie that she distrusts Doug?

How does her feeling about the way he treats her change over time?

Book Discussion: While You Were Out: An Intimate Family Portrait of Mental Illness in an Era of Silence by Meg Kissinger

Would you recommend this book to another reader? Why or why not?

How does this book compare to different memoirs you have read in this genre?

Did you find the author’s writing style easy to read or hard to read? Why? How long did it take you to get into the book?

Who was your favorite character? What character did you identify with the most? Were there any characters that you disliked? Why?

Did any part of this book strike a particular emotion in you? Which part and what emotion did the book make you feel?

Did the book change your opinion about anything, or did you learn something new from it?

Did the direction of the book surprise you?

Were there any parts of the book that frustrated you?

Did you highlight or bookmark any passages from the book? Did you have a favorite quote or quotes? If so, share which and why?

How would you adapt this book into a movie? Who would you cast in the leading roles?

Were there any instances in which you felt the author was not being truthful? How did you react to these sections?

Book Discussion: The Last Animal by Ramona Ausubel

Colossal Labs aims to introduce mammoth genes into the Asian Elephant for conservation purposes. The project claims: "The return of the Woolly Mammoth to the Arctic tundra it roamed thousands of years ago has significant benefits for combating climate change. Mammoths will stir up the icy surface of the landscape, stomp out-thick, low-oxygen trees, and expose healthy, carbon-trapping grasses. That action can restore the tundra, which in turn protects the climate and balances greenhouse gasses."

Read more: https://colossal.com/how-de-extinction-works/#:~:text=The%20return%20of%20the%20Woolly,healthy%2C%20carbon%2Dtrapping%20grasses.

My critiques:

• Dialog is clunky and unbelievable. All three female characters have the same voice and personality. 

Eve’s and Vera’s young lives involve constant travel: “They had grown up on the road, on the move, in countries all over the world. They had been brave, or else they had had no choice.”

What does this nomadic life give to Jane and Sal’s daughters, and what does it take away?
Consider how the family functions when they are abroad versus when they are home in Berkeley. Which lifestyle do you think is better for them as individuals or as a family?
Jane is the only female scientist on her research team. In what ways does her gender hold her back? Do you think this phenomenon is limited to science? What does it mean that Jane’s daughters observe this kind of sexism in action? Do you think Jane would make the same daring choices in response to it all if her daughters weren’t in the picture?


How would you describe Eve and Veras relationship to each other. What do each of them desire in life?

How do Eve and Veras vision of the future differ?

In what ways does Jane fail and succeed at parenting the girls?

• Jane is a woman achieving alongside her family, not in spite of it
• When Pearl is born why isn't Jane documenting anything. Is this a science experiment or just a wild, fun adventure for her?
• On page 121 why all of the sudden does Jane give the girls a pass for drinking but reacts so strongly about Eve being sexually active?
• When Pearl is born Jane is totally unprepared. Has no idea what to feed her.
• Jane is constantly texting Helen about Pearl when Helen is in the hospital with George. She texts as if she is the priority.
• When Jane sends the girls out to get baby formula and coconut milk why didn't she think to tell them to get a bottle too!
• pg 211 the girls escape from the boat with a hole convinced Helen is trying to kill them all only to then go their mom and ask if they can leave her there alone and go find the place their dad died. If they were so concerned why on the next page are they trying to leave their mom alone with perceived danger?
• Jane avoids ever asking for her husbands police report of his death. Why?

Okay WTF is up on page 123 with Eve artificially inseminating herself with caveman DNA. Was that believable?

Also WTF is up on page 180 when Jane instinctually tried to breast feed Pearl?

Describe Vera’s relationship with Lars. In what ways does this teenage romance point to shifting dynamics between Eve and Vera? Jane’s reaction to learning that they are dating causes Vera to do something very unusual with the remnants of her father’s research. What do you think she is trying to prove to her mother—and more importantly, to herself?


For a nonspeaking character, Pearl plays an essential role in this story. What did Pearl make you feel? What did she symbolize for you? What do Eve’s and Vera’s reactions to Pearl show us about their feelings toward their mother and their status in the family?


Do you think Helen was trying to kill the girls by sending them out on a boat with a hole in it? What motives would she have?


What events lead Eve and Vera to start becoming distrustful and suspicious of Helen and george?


Did The Last Animal make you think at all differently about the history or future of the planet?

What do you think of the idea of bringing back extinct species? What might happen if science takes gene editing more into its own hands?

Book Discussion: Death Valley. by Melissa Broder

Has anyone been to the Mojave dessert or Death Valley?

How did you find the short chapters in the book?

What were some memorable humorous moments in the novel?

On page 1, the narrator’s friend texts her this philosophical quote from Kierkegaard: “Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.” How does this idea resonate throughout the rest of the book? How can we as humans embrace that philosophy?

What is the narrator’s relationship with her father like? Consider the quote: “It is easier to have an intimate relationship with the unconscious than the conscious, the dead than the living. As my father slumbered, I created a fantasy version of him --- resurrecting the man from my youth” (page 4). How does this fantasy of her father come to play a role in the novel?

What does the giant cactus represent to the narrator?

• asylum for both her greatest wishes and everything she was attempting to escape.

How does this novel of transformation in wilderness solitude differ from other books within that genre like Wild or A Walk in the Woods?

• sometimes the peace of solitude can reveal horrors

What are some of the coping mechanisms the narrator uses to deal with her father's convalescence?

Why do you think the author chose to not reveal the narrators name?

What do you think is the difference between empathy and compassion? Which is harder to achieve?
empathy-when we experience the same thing or feel what another person is feeling. We need to pur ourselves in their shoes to relate. Compassion you don't need to put yourself in their shoes in order to have sympathy.

 
On page 59 the narrator says "realization: love is not always a feeling, sometimes its a verb." What does the narrator mean by that?

In chapter 18, Jethra brings up the five love languages when talking about her own father’s passing. What is your love language?

On page 56 the narrators says “Being human, always new things to forgive”. Where do we see forgiveness in the novel?

Have you ever found yourself in a dangerous situation because you underprepared? How did you handle it?

At one point while lost, our narrator remarks: “It dawns on me then that I must really want to live. And it surprises me” (page 162). How does a brush with her own mortality influence her outlook on life?

What was your impression of the narrator’s novel-in-progress? Why do you think she is stuck figuring out the “desert section”? Does her own time in the desert lead to some sort of epiphany?

Throughout DEATH VALLEY, the protagonist longs to feel less alone and talks to receptionists, anonymous Reddit users and even rocks. What does she get out of these interactions? Why is it sometimes easier to talk to strangers than the people we love? Do you think the talking rocks are an example of magical realism or a fabrication of our lonely narrator’s imagination?

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?

Book Discussion: Moonrise Over New Jessup

How did you find the pacing of the book?

Though Alice, her friends, and family refer to New Jessup as a “town,” it was never formally incorporated as a municipality after the 1903 riot. Technically, this would make it a Black settlement. Why do you think it was important to Raymond and the rest of the members of the New Jessup NNAS to incorporate New Jessup into its own city?

Why do you believe that Raymond wanted Alice to stop working outside the home? What as your reaction when he had her fired?

Alice mentions wanting to vote, but that she is unwilling to “wear out her shoe leather” just to cast a ballot for the same candidates that are always on the ballot. Why do you think she took this position?

The townsfolk reject the NNAS in their town and the efforts to bring integration to New Jessup. Why do you think this is? Are there issues today that people are resistant to "agitate?"

Percy and Raymond were both resistant to coming home to New Jessup after spending time in the larger world. Raymond ultimately moves back and after a point so does Percy despite claiming he wouldn't. What drew him home?

Why do you think Raymond considers the theft of his sister Regina’ shoes the worst part of the altercation at the Montgomery bus station?

What do you think happened to Alice's sister Rosie? What does she represent in the story?

What role does sisterhood and the black female identity play in the novel?

What are the costs of integration for the black community?

In the novel Red Lining, the act of refusing a bank loan to those who live within a certain geographic area is mentioned as a different way to segregate in more liberal parts of the country. In our modern day society what are some ways we still segregate?

Towards the end of the novel Patience challenges Alice when her and Raymond visit DC. Does Patience make any valid points about Alice's position on equal rights and segregation?

Where there some exceptionally poignant moments in the book that effected you?

What are your thoughts on the author's writing style?

Book Discussiom: Elsewhere by Alexis Schaitkin

 Do you have any theories on how the affliction started in the first place?

How are the townsfolk able to live without understanding the affliction?

The people of the town speculate as to why certain mothers may have disappeared. Why did the mothers disappear? Was there a common bond amongst them?

What notions of motherhood does this book bring up? Does it challenge any of your own views on motherhood?

When did you first realize Ruth’s true identity?

Discuss the townswomen’s practice of pricking their mates with a silver hairpin, which they always have in their hair, during sex, and then sucking their blood from the wound. Does this practice exist in isolation, or does it impact other aspects of the story?

What do the childless women in the town represent? What is their place in the town? In the story? What questions does this book provoke about women who lie outside a given norm?

Mr. Philips says he wonders whether the town exists “because we require it.” What does he mean by this, and is it true?

What role does photography play in the book?

Do you believe Vera made the right decision in leaving?

In what ways did motherhood change Vera?

 

Book Discussion: Big Swiss by Jen Beagin

A woman in upstate New York who works transcribing therapy sessions for a sex coach becomes infatuated with one of his clients, a repressed married woman from Switzerland who has a refreshing attitude towards trauma.

Have you ever been to Hudson, NY? How would you describe it? Similar or different from the author?

What does the beehive inside the house represent? Is there a metaphor buried there? (maggots at the heart of the hive)

In the beginning of the book we learn that Greta was diagnosed with Emotional Attachment Disorder by a therapist. (a behavioral disorder that effects the ability to form and maintain relationships.) In what ways does this manifest in her relationship with Big Swiss?

When speaking with OM about her trauma Big Swiss says on page 8 "I'm not attached to my suffering. I'm not attached to what happened to me. I don't believe it explains everything about me, because I haven't made it part of my identity. I'm a worker, not a wallflower. I would never call myself a "survivor" I'm just -not one of those trauma people." Is trauma something you think a person can ever get over? Does making trauma part of your identity hold you back or fuel you?

On page 79 Big Swiss says she accepts some responsibility for her attack because she went to his house on his own volition and ignored her instincts.  Does society condition victims to think they were players in their own trauma? What are your thoughts on this? 

On p. 247 Greta mentions Big Swiss might have something to teach her about living. To "eradicate self-pity and replace it with something productive." How do you think one can actually accomplish that?

Did you find OM an effective therapist?

Big Swiss was not able to orgasm for her whole life until the mid-point of the book. She describes masturbating to images of flowers. Is this just a metaphor or do you think there is something deeper there?

What do you think drew Big Swiss to Greta?

Throughout their affair what traits or behaviors do Greta and Big Swiss bring out in each other?

Was Greta obscuring her true identity from Big Swiss an ethical violation? How would you have handled it if you were Greta?

On page 216 at the dinner party with Luke Big Swiss says that the Swiss "like to keep each other in check. Americans could never handle that, because they're such infants, and so easily rattled. They can't ride the train without getting their feelings hurt. They can't walk down the street without being offended." Do you think this is true of Americans? If so why is that?

There are times that Greta seems to be hostile or antagonizing to Big Swiss. Where does that behavior come from? P. 232 Big Swiss tells her her tough girl routine is transparent.

What did you think of the ending?

Book Discussion: Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez

Mayor describes how he’s bullied at school and his general feelings of not fitting in. How do you think this draws him to Maribel? What do they have in common that perhaps those around them, including their parents, cannot see on the surface?

How is the scene where the Riveras sit down for a dinner of oatmeal a turning point for the family and for the book? Discuss the role of food in the novel, especially how it evokes memories of home and establishes a sense of community. Are there any food traditions in your own family?

What are some key differences in the way that the women in the novel respond to challenges of assimilation compared to the men? How does Alma’s point of view highlight these differences?

How does Garrett cast a threatening shadow over several characters’ thoughts and actions? Did your opinion of him change after you learned about his home environment? How much blame can, or did, you ascribe to him for what happens to Arturo?

Do you, the members of your family, or your friends have stories of moving to another country to start a new life? Did any of the stories in the novel resonate with those you know?

How did you feel about the different narrators. Do you think the author needed to have all of them?

What was the author's message with this novel?