Booth, by Karen Joy Fowler

 

People/Characters
Booth Family	Others
Junius Booth – father, Shakespearean actor Mother Rosalie – oldest daughter June – oldest child Edwin Asia Frederick – first to die, in Boston Henry – died in England Mary Ann – died Elizabeth – died John Wilkes – born 1838 Joe – born 1840, last child	“Aunty” – Mrs. Elijah Rogers, neighbor Husband – owned Hall family   Joe Hall – farm manager Ann – wife, he eventually bought her freedom Asia and Susanna – born free Joseph – bought freedom Lucinda, Mary Ellen, Pinkney – owned by Elijah Rogers Nancy – owned by Elizabeth Preston   Adelaide Booth – Junius’ legal wife in England Richard Booth – son

 

NOTE: The page numbers are from the 2022 paperback edition.

1.      Discuss the various people in the novel.  For example, what did you think about Rosalie?  On page 386 the author wrote, “Once again, Rosalie is being cast upon the winds.  Just shy of forty years old and she still has no say in where or how she lives.”  Given her physical limitations, did she have any alternative?  How much were the other women in charge of their lives?

2.      Did you have to keep reminding yourself that this was a true story, presented as historical fiction?

3.      Did you think the African Americans were portrayed accurately given the time period in history? 

4.      Did you like all of the quotes from Shakespeare?  Did they add to your enjoyment of the book and the characters?

5.      How responsible was the family for what John finally did?  Could they have known and stopped him?

6.      What did you think when you finally got to Book Six where we finally get to the assassination and the aftermath?  Did that change your thinking about the bulk of the book leading up to that?

7.      At the beginning of chapter viii in Book Six, the author wrote, “What is it like to love the most hated man in the country?” (page 457).  Family members reacted differently: Edwin forbid his name to be said in his presence, Rosalie and Asia still loved him.  Given how famous the family name was, what do you think it was like for the remaining family members?

8.      Did you like the organization with the excerpts about Abraham Lincoln throughout the novel? 

9.      How did knowing the history of Lincoln and John Wilkes Booth affect your reading?