My Dear Hamilton: A Novel of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton, by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie

Characters/People

Schuyler family Philip – father Mother Angelica – oldest daughter, married Jack Carter (John Baker Church) Peggy – third daughter, married Stephen Van Rensselaer Dinah – Slave, Schuyler’s cook Jenny – Slave, given to daughters when young Prince – Slave, butler Eliza Schuyler Hamilton – middle daughter Alexander Hamilton – husband Philip – first born Ana – oldest daughter, mental illness Fanny Antill – orphan, raised by Hamiltons John Andre – friend, British officer, spy master who handled Benedict Arnold Benedict Arnold – American traitor Aaron Burr Theodosia Burr – wife, deceased James Madison – fourth president, “Jemmy” Dolly Todd Madison – neighbor, Quaker, widow, married James Madison Maria Reynolds – had affair with Hamilton, with husband blackmailed him George Washington – first president John Laurens – friend, aide to Washington, affair with Hamilton??? Lafayette Georges – son, lived with Hamiltons for awhile Thomas Jefferson – third president John Adams – second president

For Discussion:

NOTE: Page numbers are from paperback edition.

1. When her baby brother died in 1778, Eliza thought, “I was struck by the powerful conviction that God put us here to make a better world.  And it is a conviction that has informed the rest of my life” (page 64).  How did she fulfill this conviction?
2. In 1781 there was a break in Hamilton and Washington’s relationship over a trivial matter - Hamilton kept Washington waiting and thought he treated him with disrespect (pages 148-149).  Why wouldn’t Hamilton agree to a reconciliation?
3. Discuss Hamilton’s affair with Maria Reynolds in 1792.   Does he deserve any sympathy because he was lured into a trap?  Discuss the double standard regarding infidelity – Hamilton told Eliza, “An unfaithful husband cannot be compared to an unfaithful wife whose actions cast doubt on the legitimacy of their children” (page 317). 
4. In 1797 when the affair was again used against Hamilton, Eliza felt she was continuously tainted by the sin of her husband.  She reflected, “For I was a wife who’d failed to inspire fidelity.  And yet, my fidelity to him was now also to be counted against my virtue” (page 415).  Discuss how she handled this situation.  Was there anything else or better she could have done?
5. How much influence did Eliza have over Hamilton?  How did this change throughout the novel?
6. Discuss the issue of slavery as it impacted the people in the novel.  How well did the authors address this issue?  Did you understand the thoughts of the slave owners?
1. Eliza grew up in household with slaves, but they were her father’s so she had not made the choice to keep slaves (page 159).  
2. Hamilton hired a slave from her master to help Eliza in 1781 (page 160).
3. In 1784 Eliza thought about how she grew up with Jenny serving her and her sisters, but they did not think about her being a slave (page 216).
4. In 1790 Eliza and Hamilton “borrowed” Jenny and took her away from her mother (page 294).
5. In 1799 Eliza found out that Hamilton had bought a slave for Angelica when she moved back to America (page 427).
7. Hamilton felt that the circumstances of his birth negatively impacted him all of his life.  How did these feelings influence his actions?  Do you think the same would be true today?
8. Discuss the authors’ writing style.  Did you like the way each section and chapter ended with a hint about future events or issues?
9. Keeping in mind that this is historical fiction, did you learn any more or gain any understanding of American history through this novel?
10. Discuss the 50 years Eliza lived after Hamilton died.   How did she overcome the obstacles to tell his story?
11. This novel is about Eliza Hamilton, not Alexander.    How well did the authors focus on her?  Could her story be told without also telling his?

*****

First Semester Success, 2nd Edition, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available as an eBook and hard copy from amazon.com and hard copy from wordassociation.com.  Click on upper right link.

Peace Like a River, Leif Enger

Characters

Jeremiah Land – was studying to be a doctor, but changed career paths after being caught in tornado Helen – wife, abandoned family, married a doctor Davy Reuben Swede – writer, future professor Swede’s two characters: Sunny Sundown and Valdez Killed by Davy: Isreal Finch and Tommy Bacca August and Birdie Shultz Tin Lurvy – traveling salesman, gave Jeremiah the Airstream trailer Thomas DeCuellar – defense attorney Martin Andreeson – federal investigator Roxanna Cawley Jape Woltzer – helping Davy, waiting for world to change (page 229), “Mr. Robinson,” planning to kill Andreeson Sara

For Discussion:

NOTE: Page numbers are from the paperback edition.

1. At the very beginning on page 4, Reuben narrated that his Dad would tell Reuben and Swede that, “We ard the world, my children, will always be at war.  Retreat is impossible. Arm yourselves.”   What did he mean?
2. Reverend Johnny Latt was described as a “Bible-thumper.”    Dad said to Reuben, “Everybody thumps something, Reuben” (page 28).   What did he mean?  What do you “thump?”
3. Consider the “miracles” attributed to Jeremiah in the book: reviving Reuben at birth (page 3), walking on air (page 17), healing the face of Supt. Holgren (page 80), repairing the rip in the saddle (page 48), the soup that kept increasing (page 47), and the car driving on empty gas tank.  What did you think about these?   If you are familiar with the Bible, do you see a parallel?  Do you think the author meant for the reader to see a parallel?
4. Why did the “miracles” stop when the family met Roxanna (page 292)?

5. Isreal Finch was written as a bad person, and yet when Reuben saw Isreal’s father he wondered, “Was it possible that real loss had occurred at the death of Isreal Finch? That real grief had been felt?” (page 132).  Why do you think the author gave the reader this insight?  What was the author trying to communicate?
6. What did you feel about Davy’s guilt or innocence in killing the two boys who had broken into the house?
7. Were there any truly “bad” or “evil” characters in the novel? 
8. Why couldn’t Swede kill Valdez in her stories?
9. What did the references to western outlaws such as Butch Cassidy, Bob Younger, Charlie Pitts, and Joaquin Murieta who was betrayed by his little brother (276) add to the story?   
10. Did you like Swede’s poems?  Did they add to your enjoyment of the novel?
11. When Reuben earned $25 dollars and the family was out of food, he offered the money for food instead of the canoe he wanted to buy.  Swede suggested to Reuben that his good deed of giving the money would not be as heroic if the family had to ask him to do it instead of him volunteering (page 122-3).   Does someone asking you to do a good deed lessen the goodness of it?
12. Do you think there is any significance to the crow the family saw on the road in North Dakota?  Jeremiah told the children, “All the years I spent in North Dakota, that’s the first crow I ever saw hit on the road” (page 133).
13. When Andreeson asked Jeremiah if August and Birdie Shultz had seen Davy, he told the truth even though his friends had lied and said they had not seen him.
14. Did Reuben betray his brother when he finally told that he had been seeing him (page 275)?  Did Reuben have a choice?
15. Did you enjoy the writing style?  Many of the sections ended with a question that foreshadowed what was to come.

*****
First Semester Success, 2nd Edition, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available as a ebook and hard copy from amazon.com and hard copy from wordassociation.com.  Click on the upper right link.

The Red Tent, by Anita Diamant

Characters NOTE: Italicized names are from the Bible
Female	Male
Dinah – narrator, last child and first daughter of Jacob and Leah Leah – Jacob’s first wife Zilpah – 2nd wife Rachel – 3rd wife, midwife, intimidated Jacob Bilhah – 4th wife, daughter of slave and Laban Ruti – Laban’s last wife, abused, rescued by Leah after Laban gambled her away Tabea – Esau’s daughter, Dinah’s friend Meryt – midwife who delivered Bar-Shalem, befriended Dinah Re-nefer – Hamor’s queen, Shalem’s mother Merenro – slave to Rebecca, thought killed on road but entertained at a party for Re-mose after his circumcision	Jacob – husband and father, son of Isaac and Rebecca Esau – Jacob’s twin brother Laban – father of all four of Jacob’s wives, each to a different mother (Zilpah and Bilhah daughters of slaves) Joseph – Rachel and Jacob’s son, friends with Dinah, nursed by Leah Zafenat Paneh-ah – name after sold by brothers into slavery, interpreted of dreams and could see the future Hamor – king, called Meryt and Dinah to help with Ashnan’s delivery Shalem – first born son, married Dinah Bar-Shalem/Re-mose – son of Dinah and Shalem, renamed by Re-nefer and parentage taken from Dinah Simon and Levi – murdered Shalem and all other living males Benia – carpenter, Dinah’s second husband

For Discussion:

NOTE: All pages are from paperback edition.

1. In the beginning of the novel Rachel, Zilpah and Leah tricked Jacob into marrying Leah instead of Rachel.  Why did Leah go along with this plan?   Do you think Jacob realized the switch?  Discuss Rachel’s behavior – she got what she wanted (not to marry) but then was mad.   Is this human nature?
2. How were the four sisters able to coexist and actually get along and work together when they shared the same husband?
3. How well did the author describe events common to all women – childbirth, first sight of baby, etc.?
4. Simon and Levi were upset that Dinah married Shalem.  One explanation was that they felt “…their own positions would be diminished by such an alliance” (page 197).   Why do you think their reaction (killing all the men) was so over the top?
5. Did you like the end of the novel when Gera (Benjamin’s daughter, Rachel’s granddaughter) told Dinah the story of her family and Dinah’s own story?  Dinah reflected that, “The story of Dinah was too terrible to be forgotten” (page 317).
6. Why did Leah ask Judah to give Dinah the ring that was the token of Jacob’s love for Rachel?  What message was Leah sending Dinah?
7. If you are familiar with the Bible stories of Jacob and Esau and Joseph and his brothers, how did this prior knowledge affect your reading? 
8. The novel is based on Genesis 34 and the chapter ends with Simon and Levi killing all of the males in Hamor’s family and taking Dinah out of the house.  The only other time Dinah is mentioned is in Genesis 46:15 when she is listed as a descendent of Jacob. How believable is the rest of the story as written by Diamant? 
9. There were a few inconsistencies comparing this novel to the Biblical stories.  Does this matter to your enjoyment of the novel?
1. Genesis 29:24 – Zilpah was a maid Laban gave to Leah to be her maid
2. Genesis 29:29 – Bilhah was a maid Leban gave Rachel to be her maid
3. Joseph written to be arrogant (page 285) and illiterate (page 281), but I don’t think that was from the Biblical depiction.
10. How would readers of different ages or men vs. women read this bo
11. Would reading this book give a male reader any insight into women?   Did you gain any insight or understanding?
12. One comment in the beginning of the book stated, “…women handed down wisdom through storytelling inside the red tent.  Todays’ women’s gatherings, including book groups, serve the same purposes.”  Do you agree?   Are there other places and times where storytelling is important today?
13. This is NOT described as historical fiction.   In fact, on the copyright page there is the statement, “This is a work of fiction.  Although loosely based on stories found in the Bible, the events and characters described here are products of the author’s imagination.”  At my book group we were surprised to discover that the word “loosely” was not in the statement in some printings of the book.  Some members were bothered by the use of a Bible story and the bending of facts and then inventing a continuation of the story.  What did you think?  Would the story be just as effective if it was totally fiction?

*****
First Semester Success: 2nd Edition, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available as an  eBook and hardcopy from amazon.com and a hardcopy from wordassociation.com.  Click on the upper right link.