The Glass Universe, by Dava Sobel

People

Vocabulary

Dr. Henry Draper Anna Palmer Draper – funded research Edward Pickering – director of Harvard College Observatory, 1877-1919 Lizzie – wife William Pickering – Edward’s younger brother, first director Southern Hemisphere Observatory Solon Bailey – found site for Southern Hemisphere Observatory, 2nd director Catherine Wolfe Bruce – funded 24” telescope and more Williamina “Mina” Fleming – started as maid, developed classification system for stars, discovered 10 novae and 300+ variable stars 1906 granted honorary membership in Royal Astronomical Society Had 30-year career Antonia Maury – Henry Draper’s niece; Vassar grad; studied physics, astronomy and philosophy; expanded Fleming’s classification system Henrietta Swan Leavitt – Radcliff alumna, discovered thousands of variable stars Annie Jump Cannon – first female to examine stars at night by telescope Margaret Harwood - 1912 – first recipient Nantucket Maria Mitchell Assoc. fellowship 1915 – first woman in charge of independent observatory Dr. Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin – discovered stars the same in chemical composition, different in temperature in 1925

Photometry – measurement of brightness of stars Polaris – North Star, basis for brightness scale Mizar – star in handle of Big Dipper Nova – new or temporary star Eros – newly discovered asteroid in 1898

For Discussion:

NOTE: Page numbers are from paperback edition.

1. Discuss the pace of the advancement of the women in the book.
1. Miss Cannon – 1896-1897, first time woman used telescope herself (page 75)
2. Antonia Maury – 1897, first time woman credited with authorship in Annals of the Harvard College Observatory (page 79)
3. Mina Fleming – 1899, named curator of astronomical photographs, the first woman to hold a title at observatory, college or university (page 89)
4. Margaret Harwood – 1915, first woman in charge of an independent observatory (page 167)
5. 1930 – women did not have to resign when married (page 228)
6. 1938 – Harvard officially named Annie Cannon as Astronomer and Curator; Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin as Phillips Astronomer (page 244)
7. 1956 – Harvard named first woman as full professor (page 258)
2. Until 1930, if a woman married, she had to quit the observatory.   Why do you think the women were so dedicated to their science? 
3. After WW I, some scientists wanted to exclude scientists from enemy countries from postwar professional societies (page 173).  Do you think they should have been excluded or was the advancement of science more important? Warner Von Braun once worked for the Nazis but was instrumental in our space exploration program and landing man on the moon.
4. What did you like or not like about this book?  What did you learn?  
5. If you did not like it, why do you think it received as average review on Amazon of 4 ½ stars?

*****
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.

The Martian, by Andy Weir

Ares 3

On Earth

Mark Watney – stranded on Mars Commander Melissa Lewis – husband Robert Beth Johanssen Rick Martinez – piloted MDV, wife Marissa, son David Alex Vogel – wife Helena Dr. Chris Beck Hermes – rocket ship MDV – Mars Descent Vehicle MAV – Mars Ascent Vehicle Hab Sol – One day on Mars, 24 hours and 39 minutes earth time

Venkat Kapoor – director of Mars operations, handled all direct communication with Watney Teddy Sanders – NASA administrator Mandy Park – monitoring satellites around Mars, discovered Watney alive Annie Montrose – director of media relations Bruce Ng – director of JPL Mitch Henderson – Ares 3 flight director Rich Purcell – astrodynamicist, plan to send Hermes back to rescue Watney Cathy Warner – CNN reporter Dr. Irene Shields – flight psychologist China: Guo Ming – director National Space Administration Zhu Tao – under-director

For Discussion:

NOTE: The page numbers are from the paperback edition.

1. The crew were four months into their trip back to earth before they were told that Watney was alive back on Mars.   Should they have been told sooner?
2. Consider Mark Watney.  How realistic do you think his character was?    Were his problem-solving skills realistic?   Was it realistic that he was able to maintain his sense of humor?
3. Previously this summer we read Moon Shot, by Deke Slayton and Alan Shepard, and Endurance, by Scott Kelly.  What did you read or learn in these books that added to your understanding of this fiction book?  When Watney needed some encouragement as he was getting ready to leave to meet crewmates, he asked himself, “What would an Apollo astronaut do?” (page 268).
4. Did you understand Teddy Sanders decision to not try the “Rich Purnell Maneuver” to save Watney?  What would you have decided and why? 

5. The crew did not hesitate about their desire to go back and rescue Watney.  Were you surprised? How do you think you would react if you were in their families’ position?   Discuss the different reactions of their families:
1. Robert, Lewis’ husband said, “I understand why you’re doing all this.  Still, from a selfish point of view, I miss my wife” (page 243).
2. Marissa, Martinez’s wife, said, “You volunteered to extend the mission five hundred and thirty-three days…asshole” and “your son…won’t have any memories of you” (page 249).
3. Johanssen’s father asked her, “Why would you do that to your mother?” (page 251).
6. Johanssen was picked to be the one to survive if there was a catastrophe because she was the youngest and smallest and would need the least amount of food.  It was revealed she would be expected to eat her crewmates if it came to it.  What did you think about that?
7. At the end, the author changed style twice.  On pages 309 and 310 he told the story in the third person, referring to Watney as “the traveler.”  On pages 323 and 324 he again wrote in the third person and referred to Watney as “the astronaut.”  Was this an effective writing device?  Did you like it or not?
8. How realistically do you think the novel portrayed Mars explorations and the personalities of all people involved?
9. In the last seven paragraphs, Watney addresses the issue of the cost of rescuing him.   Did you like this ending of the book?

*****

First Semester Success: 2nd edition, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available as an eBook and hardcopy from amazon.com and hardcopy from wordassociation.com.

Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro

Characters	Locations
Kathy H. – narrator, carer for 11 years, age 31 when telling story Ruth Tommy Hailsham: Miss Geraldine – favorite guardian Miss Lucy – thought students not being taught enough, should be told the truth Madame – took best art work for Gallery Miss Emily - head guardian Chrissie and Rodney – at The Cottages, thought they saw Ruth’s “possible” in Norfolk	Hailsham Through age 16 Guardians Collection chests The Exchange The Sales The Cottages There for two years after Hailsham People left to become carers or donors Norfolk

 For Discussion:

NOTE: Page numbers are from paperback edition of book.

1. The reader is told the destiny of the Hailsham students on page 81.  Were you surprised or did you figure it out before that?  How well did the author plant clues to keep you interested without explicitly giving the information?
2. What affect did not knowing anything about the outside world have on the students? 
3. Did you agree with Miss Lucy that the students should be told more about their purpose in life?
4. Discuss the ongoing relationship among Kathy, Ruth and Tommy.   Why did each behave the way they did?  Why did Ruth always seem to cause conflict?
5. The purpose of encouraging art and collecting the best work for The Gallery was to show others that the children had souls.  Did you agree with this?  Did it give them false hope?
6. Kathy noticed that couples at The Cottages patterned their behavior after couples on TV shows (page 120) and after a while Ruth changed how she interacted with Tommy to match.  Did you find this surprising?  In the novel it was in the early 2000’s.   What TV couples were they modeling?  If children had no other role models, what would they learn today from watching how couples and friends interacted in the media?
7. Did your opinion of Madame change at the end of the novel, particularly when reading her interpretation of why she cried watching Kathy dance to song as a young girl.  She told her, “And I saw a little girl, her eyes tightly closed, holding to her breast the old kind world, one that she knew in her heart could not remain…”  (page 272).
8. As she was leaving Kathy and Tommy, she said, “You poor creatures” (page 272).  How did this make you feel?  How did it affect Kathy and Tommy?
9. Was it kind or cruel to raise the students at Hailsham where it was, “…demonstrated to the world that if students were reared in humane, cultivated environments, it was possible for them to grow to be as sensitive and intelligent as any other ordinary human being” (page 261)?  Why was this not popular with the citizens in the country?
10. What did you think about the idea that the students were cloned from “trash” instead of a productive person?
11. On page 96, Kathy directly addresses the reader and identifies the reader as another donor, “I don’t know how it was where you were but at Hailsham…”  Did you pick up on this?  Does it make a difference in your understanding of the story?
12. Did you know the basic premise of the story before beginning the novel?  (In my edition of the of the book there was no plot summary on the back cover.)  What difference did prior knowledge of the story, or lack of prior knowledge, make to your reading experience?
13. Do you often read dystopian novels?  Do you like the genre?  If not, did you like this one?
14. The blurb on the front of my paperback edition says, “The best novel of the decade.” by Time magazine.  Do you agree?   Why was the novel so highly regarded?

*****
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.