Endurance by Scott Kelly

NOTE: To celebrate man's first walk on the moon fifty years ago, my book groups are reading books about space.

People

International Space Station

Scott Kelly Leslie – 1st wife, divorced Samantha and Charlotte – daughters Amiko – 2nd wife Mark Kelly – twin brother Gabby Gifford – wife Richie – father, alcoholic and abusive Patricia – mother, became policewoman when boys 11 years old Tom Wolfe – author of The Right Stuff

Anton Shkaperov Samantha Cristoforetti Terry Vitts Mikhail (Misha) Kornienko – spent year with Kelly Gennady Padalka Scott Kelly – March 27, 2015 – March 1, 2016 Kjell Lindgren – first time in space Kimiya Yui – first time in space Oleg Kononenko Sergey Volkov – took over command when Kelly left Andreas (Andy) Mogensen – 10 days on ISS Aidyn Aimbetov – 10 days on ISS Arrived December 15, 2015: Yuri Malenchenko – Russian Tim Kopra – American Tim Peake - English

For Discussion:

NOTE: Page numbers are from paperback edition.

1. What did Scott learn from his mother’s decision and training to be a police officer?
2. Discuss the importance of traditions to the astronauts.  For example:
1. Russians standing in specific boxes outlined on ground and answering “We are ready for the flight” when asked (page 35),
2. Americans playing lowball poker in Operations and Checkout Building until the commander loses (page 35),
3. Russians peeing on right rear wheel of bus at specific place on way to launch pad (page 36),
4. And the final wave before entering the space craft (page 49).
3. Have you always wondered about how astronauts went to the bathroom?  Was your curiosity satisfied?
4. Starting around 2000, the requirements to be an astronaut changed from an emphasis on piloting skills to the “ability to perform a lot of different jobs and to get along well with others” (page 57).  Were you surprised by this?  What do you think would be the most important characteristic for an astronaut?
5. On the space station, the astronauts time was organized in short increments using the Onboard Short Term Plan Viewer (OSTPV), where a “dotted red line moves relentlessly across the OSPTV window in my laptop, pushing throughout the block of time mission control has estimated for each task” (page 81).  How would you like to live like that?
6. Discuss the writing.  Did you like the format of the writing, with the chapters alternating between the space station and his path to get there?  What did you think about the entries from Kelly’s dream journal to introduce each chapter on the ISS?
7. Kelly wrote that personal idiosyncrasies are magnified on the ISS.  For example, Tim Kopra always repeated what was said (page 381) and Lisa Novak was obsessive (page 296).  What character trait of yours would be more noticeable in space?   What character traits would drive you crazy in others?
8. When keeping track of their time on the ISS, Misha kept track of the number of days left to be there but Scott kept a tally of the number of days he had been there.  Discuss the difference in philosophy keeping track of the time.  How would you keep track?
9. What do you think his biggest adjustment was upon his return to earth?

*****
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 the upper right link.

Moon Shot, by Alan Shepard and Deke Slayton

NOTE: To celebrate the 50th anniversary of man's walk on the moon, my book groups are reading books about the space program.

Project Mercury – one man per flight	Gemini – two men per flight Ten manned flights in 20 months
Scott Carpenter Gordon Cooper John Glenn - first man to orbit earth Virgil “Gus” Grissom - died in Apollo 1 Walter Schirra - only one to fly in all three programs Alan Shepard – first man in space, 9 hours on moon with Apollo 14 Deke Slayton	Gemini 3: Grissom, Young Gemini 4: McDivitt, White (died in Apollo 1) Gemini 5: Cooper, Conrad Gemini 6: Schirra, Stafford Gemini 7: Borman, Lovell Gemini 8: Armstrong (first man on moon), Scott Gemini 9: Stafford, Cernan Gemini 10: Young, Collins Gemini 11: Conrad, Gordon Gemini 12: Lovell, Aldrin
Apollo – three men per flight	Apollo-Soyuz Test Project
Apollo 1: Grissom, White, Chaffee – died in cabin fire Apollo 7: Schirra, Cunningham, Eislele Apollo 8: Borman, Lovell, Anders – first to orbit moon Apollo 9: McDivitt, Scott, Schweiker Apollo 10: Stafford, Young, Cernan Apollo 11: Armstrong, Aldrin, Collins Apollo 12: Conrad, Bean, Gordon Apollo 13: Lovell, Swigert, Haise Apollo 14: Shepard, Roosa, Mitchell Apollo 15: Scott, Irwin, Worden Apollo 16: Young, Duke, Mattingly Apollo 17: Cernan, Schmitt, Evans	Stafford Slayton Brand Leonov - Russian Kubasov - Russian

For Discussion:

NOTE: Page numbers are from hardback edition of book.

1. After his flight, Alan Shepard and his wife were invited to the White House to meet with the President Kennedy.  As he was taken to the National Association of Broadcasters convention and a parade in Washington DC, Shepard felt he was being used and that the president was “…showing off a war trophy named Shepard, and it smelled” (page 131).  Was he justified in this feeling?  Was it a necessary evil for the space program to continue?
2. Do you think the role the wives of the astronauts played would be different today?  Do we hear about any of the current wives?
3. During John Glenn’s flight a problem developed that “…his life was in jeopardy” (page 148).  The decision was made not to tell him about the problem at first, which angered Glenn.  Do you think he should have been told sooner, even though there was nothing he could do?
4. In the first chapter about Apollo 11, there was a computer alert as the Eagle was approaching the moon. It fell to 26-year-old Steve Bales (the guidance officer, knowledgeable about all computers on board) to make the final call (page19-21).  How hard was it for Bales to make the call to continue?
5. Apollo 8 was called “…the single greatest gamble in space flight then, and since” (page 229).  Was the gamble justified?
6. Both Shepard and Slayton were eliminated from flying because of medical conditions.  How were they able to stay with the program after such disappointments?  Was it worth it for both of them to risk medical procedures to be able to fly again?
7. Were you surprised that the astronauts were able to sleep?  On page 223, Frank Borman was in such a deep sleep that at first, upon waking, he did not know where he was.
8. Discuss the character of Deke Slayton.  When Apollo 13 had trouble, he broke the rules and talked directly to the astronauts who were reassured by hearing his voice. When he was medically cleared for flight, he refused to bump someone who had already been assigned a flight even though he had seniority and could do so.
9. The authors described two different reactions of astronauts on Apollo 14 to seeing earth from space.  Why did the authors choose to highlight these two?  Do you think any of the other astronauts felt differently or had the same experience?
1. Alan Shepard felt he was there to take home the message “…that everyone there must learn to live on this planet together” (page 311).
2. Ed Mitchell was “…swept along by a peak experience in which the presence of divinity became almost palpable” (page 311) and “…the universe has meaning and direction” (page 312).
10. Discuss the writing style, particularly with both authors writing about themselves in the third person as opposed to an autobiography.
11. If you had the chance, would you go into space?

*****

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

Rocket Boys (also published as October Sky), by Homer Hickam

NOTE: In  honor of the 50th anniversary of the United States' first men on the moon, my book groups are reading about space.

People

Homer and Elsie Hickam – parents Jim – brother, football star in high school Homer “Sonny” Big Creek Missile Agency (BCMA): Homer Quentin – from Bartley, thought Homer had leadership skills Roy Lee Sherman O’Dell Billy – joined group later School: Dorothy Plank – Homer’s high school crush Buck - football player, tormented Homer Valentine Carmina Emily Sue Miss Riley – chemistry teacher The Great Six – teachers in grades 1 - 6 Coalwood Mine: General Superintendents: Van Dyke, Fuller, Bundini Mr. Isaac Bykovski – welder at mine, made parts for BCMA Leon Ferro – made parts for BCMA Mr. Dubonnut – union leader Jake Mosby – junior engineer Tag Farmer – constable, hired by Van Dyke Basil Oglethorpe – writer for McDowell County Banner Rev. Lanier Geneva Eggers – prostitute, saved as infant by Homer Sr. Dr. Wernher von Braun

For Discussion:

NOTE: Page numbers are from paperback edition of Rocket Boys.

1. Discuss the importance of failure to the boys’ success.  According to Quentin, “Failure, after all, just added to our body of knowledge” (page 71).
2. Discuss Homer Sr. and Elsie’s parenting of Homer and Jim.  Would Homer’s life have been different without the encouragement of his mother?
3. Discuss Homer’s father.  How did your concept of him change as the story progressed?   On the positive side he started to help the BCMA, had saved Geneva as an infant at a risk to himself and had taught himself calculus from a book for his job.  On the negative side he sent Mr. Bykovski back into the mine after he helped the BCMA which led to him being killed and he would not go see a rocket launch.
4. Discuss Homer’s reaction to the mine accident in chapter 18.   His dad lost an eye, Mr. Bykovski was killed, and his mother told him he was selfish (page 246).   Afterwards Homer thought, “The worst thing I had ever felt in my life had taken control of me.  I felt: nothing” (page 250).
5. Why was Mr. Bykovski willing to risk his job to help Homer and his friends make the rocket?
6. Discuss Rev. Lanier’s sermon in chapter 7.  When he started, he was preaching about sons not respecting their fathers, and Homer thought it was meant to chastise the Rocket Boys.  But then he said, “These boys, and we all know I’m talking about our very own rocket boys, are dreaming great dreams.  They should be helped, not stifled” (page 106).  Homer felt the Great Six had influenced Rev. Lanier.  Why was the company so against the rocket boys’ experiments?
7. Homer Sr. was blamed for the football team’s suspension for one year (page 115).   This was a tragedy for boys such as Buck who had no other hope of attending college.  How did you feel about this?  Was it fair to punish the boys?
8. The boys had to work for everything they needed.  For example, Mr. Van Dyke sold them old phones they were trying to steal and did not tell their parents because it was a “business deal.”  Mr. Bykovski taught them to weld instead of just making what they needed.  How might things have been different if they were just given what they needed?  What did the boys gain from these experiences?
9. Why did Dorothy Plank keep inviting Homer over to study but rebuffed his romantic advances?
10. At a school assembly, Emily Sue observed that everyone liked Homer because he liked himself compared to his brother, Jim, who was “trying to find someone who will like him for who he is, not because he’s a big football star” (page 85).  Do you think this was a correct assessment of the two boys?  Did you think Jim was that insecure with himself?
11. At one point, Homer reflected that “learning something, no matter how complex, wasn’t hard when I had a reason to want to know it” (page 143).   Can you relate this to anytime you had or wanted to learn something?

*****

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

The Wright Brothers, by David McCullough

NOTE: In honor of the 50th anniversary of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin's walk on the moon, my book groups are reading about space.   Wilbur and Orville Wright started it all in 1903!

December 17, 1903 “Their flights that morning were the first ever in which a piloted machine took off under its own power into the air in full flight, sailed forward with no loss of speed, and landed at a point as high as that from which it started” (page 107)

Wilbur Wright Orville Wright Katherine Wright Bishop Milton Wright – father Susan Koerner Wright - mother, deceased Lorin and Reuchlin – brothers Carrie Kayler – housekeeper Oliver Crook Haugh – threw bat that injured Wilbur, became notorious murderer Paul Lawrence Dunbar – poet, high school friend, African American, first published in West Side News, became nationally known Charles Taylor – managed bicycle shop William J. Tate – postmaster at Kitty Hawk, NC Octave Chanute – civil engineer, trusted advisor Otto Lilienthal – German glider enthusiast, published unreliable data

Timeline: 1889 – Orville started printing local newspaper, West Side News 1891 – Ended newspaper, concentrated on printing business 1893 – opened Wright Cycle Exchange 1899 – Wilbur wrote Smithsonian asking for books on subject of flight 1900 – Wilbur flew manned flights at Kill Devil Hills 1903 – first piloted flight under own power 1908 – test flights in France and US 1908 – September, first death in plane accident

For Discussion:

NOTE: Page numbers are from hardback edition of book.

1. Because of the bat injury thrown by Oliver Haugh, Wilbur did not go to Yale and instead spent three years at home reading.  How would history have been different if he was not injured?
2. A friend commented that, when growing up, Wilbur and Orville had no special advantage. Wilbur disagreed and said, “…the greatest thing in our favor was growing up in a family where there was always much encouragement to intellectual curiosity” (page 18).  How was this important in their lives?
3. Discuss the importance of reading to the brothers’ success.   Their father “heartily championed the limitless value of reading” and “Between formal education at school and informal education at home, it would seem he put more value on the later” (page 17).  How did this shape the brothers’ success?
4. How has reading impacted your life?
5. How were the brothers able to maintain their faith in what they were doing for so many years? How did they keep going despite so many setbacks? 
6. Through everything, how did the brothers maintain their friendship and collaboration?  For example, when the plane arrived damaged in France due to rough handling by customs inspectors, Wilbur blamed Orville but Orville “knowing the stress his brother was under, made no issue of the matter” (page 163).
7. How instrumental were the other people (Katherine, Charles Taylor, William Tate) in their success?  What part did each play?  Could they have been successful without one or more of them?
8. Were you surprised at the end that Orville and Katherine relationship was broken due to Katherine’s marriage at age 58 to Henry Haskell?   Why do you think Orville reacted this way?
9. Why were they so ignored by the American press and government?  When the editor of The Dayton Daily News was asked why his paper did not notice the important thing happening so close-by he said, “I guess the truth is that we were just plain dumb” (page 116).  The first accurate story was in Gleaning in Bee Culture in early 1904, but the article was rejected by Scientific American in January 1905.
10. Wilbur and Orville had no idea the role aviation would play in war.   Do you think they would have persevered if they had known what death and destruction planes would cause in the future?
11. What do you think they would have thought about space exploration? 

*****

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 Word Association.  Click on the upper right link.

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.