The Boy, by Tami Hoag

Characters
Police and families	Others
Detective Nick Fourcade Detective Annie Broussard Justin – son, age 5 Kelvin Dutrow – new sheriff Sharon Spicer – fiancé Cameron Spicer – son Keith Kemp – crime scene investigator, from Houma with Dutrow Ossie Comptom Young Prejean Chaz Stokes Wynn Dixon – technology Gus Noblier – old sheriff who brought in Dutrow	Genevieve Gauthieir KJ – son Florette family: Nora Dean – brother Jojean – mother Kimberly Karstares – reporter Vanessa Theriot – autistic, sexually abused, case unsolved Bobby – father Lola Troliano – Nora’s best friend Roddie Perez – Genevieve’s neighbor Landlord Jeffery Avery – Administrator at Evangeline Oaks Janine – wife Claire Marcel – Genevieve’s “aunt”

For Discussio

1. How well do you think the author portrayed the various females (Annie, Jamie, Sharon, Genevieve, Jojean, Kimberly)?  Did she develop the female characters in more depth than the men?
2. What did you think about Genevieve as you were reading?  Did she deserve the mercy Annie showed her in the end?  How do you think the rest of her life will go?
3. At the end, do you think Nick should have let Cameron drown?
4. Did the Cajun French dialect add or detract to your reading?  How often did you check the Glossary in the back of the book?
5. Have you read detective novels in the past?  How did this one compare?  Would you recommend it to a friend?  Why or why not?
6. As a charity fund raiser, the author donated naming two of the characters in the book to the highest bidders (Jamie Blynn and Lola Troiano).  Would you like to have your name in a book?

*****
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.  

Warlight, by Michael Ondaatje

Timeline and Characters
1917	Rose – age 8 Marsh Felon – age 16, family of thatchers, fell off roof
1919	Rose – 10 Marsh Felon – returned for Rose’s family while at university
1923	Rose - 14 Marsh Felon – 22, roof climber, recruited Rose Ruth Howard – roof climber, recruited Felon
1945	Rose Williams and husband went away to war, “Viola” Nathaniel – 14, “Stitch” Rachel – “Wren” “The Moth” – Walter Norman Marshall – “The Darter” Arthur McCash Olive Lawrence – geographer and ethnographer Agnes – Nathaniel’s friend Harry Nkoma – Criterion Hotel
1949	Nathaniel – 18 Rose – 40, killed (during funeral someone went through house and removed papers, clothing, etc.) Marsh Felon – came to funeral, tried to talk to Nathaniel Sam and Linette Malakite – important in Nathaniel’s life before Rose killed
1959	Nathaniel – 28, job at Foreign Office Rachael – son Walter Linette Malakite – sold Nathaniel her house, did not remember him Arthur McCash Marsh Felon – working in Foreign Office, “legend” (page 191) “The Darter” – wife Sophie/Agnes, daughter Pearl

For Discussion:

NOTE: Page numbers are from the paperback edition.

1. In 1959, when Nathaniel was working at the Foreign Office, he went back in the files for information about his parents and the people who took care of him and Rachael while their parents were gone, but he could not find any of them in the files.  Why?  What happened to them?
2. Who was Arthur McCash?  He first appeared in 1945 (pages 100 – 104), then again when Nathaniel was working in the Foreign Office (page 143 and 153).  Besides “The Darter,” why was he the only one Nathaniel had any contact with from the initial group of caretakers?
3. Marsh Felon is a main character in the novel, and yet we do not know many details about his adult life.  Should he have felt responsible for Rose’s death?
4. Why was Rose killed after the war had ended?
5. Why didn’t the author give any information about Rose’s husband?
6. Why was Rachel such a minor character?  She was never close to Rose after the attempted kidnapping.  Was this understandable?  Why did she choose to not keep in contact with Nathaniel?
7. Many war and spy novels focus on the spies and people involved in the war.  This novel focused on the family left behind.  Did you gain any insights?  Did you look at the people actually involved in the war any differently?
8. Discuss your reading experience with this book.  Was it easy to follow?  Did you enjoy it?  Would you recommend this book to a friend?  Why or why not?

*****
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 Island of Sea Women, Lisa See

Characters
Kim Young-Sook Mother – chief of divers’ collective, died in accident Grandmother Father Siblings – younger sister and brothers Jan-bu – husband, studied in Japan, teacher Min-lee – daughter Sung-soo and Kyung-soo – sons Joon-lee – daughter born after Jan-bu killed Do-saeng – mother’s best friend, Jan-bu’s mother Yu-ri – daughter, injured by octopus during dive Baby divers: Gu-ja and Gu-sun Wan-soon (Gu-sun’s baby)	Mi-ja Aunt and uncle – raised her Sang-mun – husband, worked for Japanese Madame Lee – mother-in-law Yo-chan – son Joon-lee and Yo-chan married Ji-Young “Janet” – daughter Clara – granddaughter Shaman Kim Dr. Park - scientist
Historical Events and Organizations
August-September 1949 Country divided into Republic of Korea (south) and Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (north) Northwest Young Men’s Association Bukchen Massacre Young-sook, Min-lee and Kyung-soo survived April 3rd (4.3) Incident – lasted 17 years 2008 – Jeju April 3 Peace Park
Vocabulary
Haenyeo – sea women Water breath – taken before diving Sumbisori – special sound made when breaks water surface and releases air Gal-ot – cloth dyed in unripe persimmon juice; doesn’t retain odor, water resistant, mosquito repellent

NOTE: Page numbers are from the hardback edition of the book.

1. Were you surprised to learn that the women dove through all stages of pregnancy and that it was a very pleasant experience?  If you are a female, would you consider doing that?  What do you think the current medical community would say?
2. What did you think about the complete role reversal in the haenyeo communities?  After her mother’s death, Young-sook thought, “No man was built to shoulder the full weight of feeding and caring for his family. That was why he had a wife and daughters” (page 71).
3. Who was at fault, if anyone, when the following accidents happened?
1. Yu-ri did not listen to mother and went back for the octopus.  Her mother had told Young-sook to stay with Yo-ri but had also called the divers back to the boat.  What should Young-sook have done?  Was it her fault Yu-ri was injured?
2. Young-sook felt guilty about her mother’s death.    Was this feeling justified?
4. When Do-saeng retired, she thought that Young-sook would replace her as head of the collective and thought it was pre-arranged.  However, Gu-ja was the only one nominated.  Why did no one nominate Young-sook after she had been groomed for the job?
5. When Dr. Park and the other scientists came to study the haenyeos, were you surprised that they were not more sensitive to the women’s culture and feelings? Why did the women so readily agree to be studied?
6. When Wan-soon drowned, it was Gu-ja’s responsibility because she was head of the collective and had made a poor choice of where to dive (page 298).  Young-sook though it partly was a result of Dr. Park’s study because “[h]is presence – and that of the other scientists – had rippled out, changing us and how we saw each other” (page 299).  What did she mean?
7. At the Bukchen Massacre, Young-sook asked Mi-ja to save one of her children but she would not.  Young-sook blamed her for what happened to her family (page 234) for the rest of her life.  Was this fair?  Should Young-sook have been more perceptive and understanding of the abusiveness in Mi-ja’s life?  Should she have forgiven as the years passed and Joon-lee married Yo-chan?
8. How did Young-sook’s inability to forgive influence the rest of her life?  Was it possible for her to forgive?   Did you think it was realistic that she would carry it so far that she would not go to Joon-lee’s wedding and did not read the letters from America to know that her daughter had died?   
9. Were you surprised that every girl Joon-lee’s age on the island had been given a copy of Heidi?  The girls read the book to their mothers and sisters and everyone talked about it. Why was that book chosen?  What did the girls and women take away from the book?
10. What did you think about the ending of the story at the opening of the Jeju April 3 Peace Park?  
11. When did you figure out that Clara was Joon-lee’s granddaughter?
12. What emotions did you experience while reading?  Did knowing that Young-sook was alive in 2008 influence how you felt?
13. Did you like the organization of the book – four days in 2008 interspersed throughout the story taking place from 1938 to 1975?

*****
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.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz, by Heather Morris

Characters/People
Prisoners and family	Guards and others
Lale Gloria Sokolov – sister, married to a Russian soldier Gita Furman Cilka, Dana and Ivana – friends Pepan – Tattooist Leon – Lale’s assistant after Pepan disappeared Girls who work in Canada House – smuggled out jewels and valuables to Lale Gypsies/ Romany Hilda Goldstein – Gita’s neighbor from home Sonderkommando – removed bodies from oven, received extra privileges Jakub – American prisoner, Block 11	Commandant Rudolf Hoess – Auschwitz Houstek Baretski – Lale’s guard Schwarzhuber – head of Birkenau, rapes Cilka Josef Mengele Kapo – boss of barracks Bella – at desk in administration office Victor and Yuri (son) – builders paid to work in camp Friedrich – guard at Russian camp, takes Lale into town to get girls for the evening

NOTE: Page numbers are from paperback edition.

1. What were the personality characteristics that helped Lale survive in the camp?
2. Lale said he learned to flirt by trying to get what he wanted from his mother when he was younger.  His mother advised him to, “Be attentive, Lale; remember the small things, and the big things will work themselves out” (page 113).   Was this good advice in the concentration camp as well as with dating?
3. Lale feels that he, like the Sonderkommando, has “chosen to stay alive for as long as he can, by performing an act of defilement on people of his own faith” (page 139).  Can you understand their feelings?  Do you agree with them?
4. After learning about Cilka’s fate, Lale tells Gita that Cilka is a hero and that “[c]hoosing to live is an act of defiance, a form of heroism” (page 156).  Will Lale be judged also as a hero or a “perpetrator or collaborator” (page 157).
5. In the “Additional Information” section at the end of the book it said that Cilka was “charged as a Nazi conspirator and sentenced to hard labor” (page 10).  Why was she judged differently than Lale and Sonderkommando?
6. Victor and his son, Yuri, smuggled food in to Lale to share with the others.  At the beginning Victor said they would do it because, “if we can help just one of you, we’ll do it. Right, Yuri?” and Lale responded, “Save the one, save the world” (page 72).  How did we see this philosophy play out through the novel?
7. Were you surprised to read how Jakub did his job but still protected Lale?  Jakub told Lale, “I will kill you before I let you give me any names.” and “If I must kill one Jew to save ten others, then I will” (page 172).  What were the various ways people looked out for each other in the book?

*****
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. 

Carnegie's Maid, by Marie Benedict

Real people and events

Fictional

Andrew Carnegie Margaret Carnegie – mother Tom – younger brother Father - deceased Family came to Pittsburgh when Andrew was 12, impoverished Andrew started as telegrapher and invested in businesses Document written on 12-23-1868 by Andrew regarding life’s path Andrew was drafted to fight in Civil War but paid for replacement Col. James Anderson – opened personal library to young men on Saturday evenings Edgar Thompson Mrs.  Pitcarin Harry Phipps John Vandevort Tom Miller - Cyclops Iron Co Iron City Forge – Tom Carnegie William Coleman – iron manufacturing Lucy – daughter, married Tom

Galway: Clara Kelly Father and Mother Eliza – older sister Cecelia – younger sister Mrs. Seeley Mr. Ford – cook, former slave Ruth wife; Mabel, daughter Mr. Holyrod – Butler Mrs. Stewart – housekeeper Hilda – maid Clara’s relatives in Slab Town: Patrick Lamb Maeve Children Miss Atkinson Miss Carlyle – nurse to Mrs. Carnegie in New York

FoDiscussion

NOTE: Page numbers are from hardback edition.

1. What did you think about Mrs. Carnegie and her insecurities?   Also discuss her treatment of Clara, demeaning her in public but asking for her opinion in private.
2. At one point Andrew and Clara were in the Fairfield parlor and Andrew said the parlor was “actually meant to be read like a book, with each object functioning like a word in a story” (page 142).  Clara realized that “[t]he ‘book’ about Fairfield was like the narrative of his life Mrs. Carnegie was crafting” (page 143).  He then proceeded to tell her what they hoped each guest would think about the Carnegie’s as they looked around the room.  How would someone “read” the rooms in your house?
3. Discuss what happened when Mrs. Carnegie and Andrew went to New York and were not welcomed into the society there.  Given that Clara knew more because of what she learned listening to the servants, do you think she should have given more advice regarding such things as sleeve length?
4. What did you think when Clara told Andrew that “New York society folk…invent ways to distinguish themselves from the rest of the citizenry” (page 227)?
5. When Clara challenged Andrew about his desire to be accepted by the New York society, he answered that his reason was because “It is a challenge” (page 229).  Do you believe this was his reason when in the past he proclaimed that he “loved the American ethos of equality and the ability to rise about your born station” (page 229)?   Was this desire to be accepted by the New York society out of character for him?
6. Was it fair of Andrew to want to continue to talk with Clara as an equal?
7. Clara’s father continued to support the Fenian movement at the risk of losing the family’s plot of land.   Was he justified in these actions and was Clara justified in being angry with him?
8. When Iron City merged with Cyclops to form Union Iron Company, Patrick Lamb and many others lost their jobs while Andrew benefited.  Was this Andrew’s responsibility or concern?
9. When Mr. Ford said goodbye to Clara, she said it was her fault she had to leave because she was “pretending to be someone I am not” (page 265).  Mr. Ford replied, “If that was a crime, we’d all be in jail, Miss Kelley.  We are all pretending in this life. One way of another” (page 265).  Do you think this is true?  Who was pretending to be something they were not in this novel?
10. What is the responsibility of the historical fiction writer to the reader and to the historical figures when building a story around real events and real people?  What, if any, is the responsibility of the reader?

*****
First Semester Success, 2nd edition, is available as an eBook and hard copy from amazon.com and a hard copy from wordassociation.com.

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, by Jamie Ford

Characters
1940s	1980s
Henry Lee Parents Ethel Chen – postal clerk Miss Beatty – cafeteria lady Keiko Okabe Parents Chaz Preston – bully Charles Preston – father, building developer Oscar Holden – jazz pianist Sheldon Thomas – sax player, street performer	Henry Lee Ethel Marty Samantha Sheldon Thomas Kay Hatsune – Keiko Palmyra Pettison – new owner of Panama Hotel

For Discussion:

NOTE: Page numbers are from the paperback edition.

1. Discuss Henry’s relationship with his parents:
1. Did not tell them about bullying at school
2. No common language – Henry forbidden to speak Chinese at home but parents could not understand English
3. Father disowning Henry because of Keiko

2. Discuss the relationship between Henry and Marty.  How was it affected by Henry’s upbringing?  Were you surprised that Marty approved of trying to find Keiko?

3. Discuss Henry’s father.  Henry’s mother told him that his father came to America as an orphan after experiencing Japan invading China and killing “many, many people.  Not soldiers but women and children, the old and the sick” (page 127).  Was it realistic to think his father would be able to feel differently toward Keiko?

4. At the end of his life, Henry’s father wanted to repair the relationship with his son.  Also, on his deathbed he “wanted to die with a clear conscience” (page 263) and confessed that he was responsible for the letters between Henry and Keiko never being delivered.   Was it possible for the breach between father and son to be repaired at this time and with the revelation of this information?  Should Henry have forgiven him?

5. Do you think Ethel played a part in the non-delivery of the letters?

 

6. On pages 114 and 115 when Henry and Keiko were in the record store to buy the Oscar Holden record, the owner said, “We don’t serve people like you – besides, my husband is off fighting.”   Keiko was surprised that grown-ups would act this way, but Henry knew, “from his own experience that sometimes grown-ups could be worse.  Much worse.”  Was it possible for the lady in the store to act any differently?

7. In 1942 when Henry was translating for Mr. Preston and his father about Mr. Preston’s interest in forcing the Nichibei publishing company out of business and buying the land, Henry purposefully mistranslated so that the sale did not happen.  Were you surprised that Henry would do that?

8. Discuss the different ways people in different cultures show affection.  On page 201 Henry states that affection in his family was shown with “usually a nod and occasionally a smile.  He just assumed all families were that way – all people too.” 

9. Discuss Samantha and her sudden dominance in the story.  Was this realistic?  Do you think she would have been accepted by Henry so readily in real life?

10. One of my favorite characters was Mrs. Beatty, the cafeteria lady.  When Keiko was sent away with her family, Mrs. Beatty served a Japanese recipe for lunch. Then she refused to serve Chaz who was taunting Henry.  She was described as having a “war face” when refusing Chaz (page 149) and an “intimidating mountain of a woman – and a person of few words” (page 150-1).  What did you think of her character?

11. In the tenth anniversary edition of the book, the author said that Sheldon and Mrs. Beatty were two of his favorite characters and that he had “written short stories starring each of them.  [He] just wasn’t ready to say goodbye” (page 326).  Did you like the characters?  Why?

12. Did you learn anything about the Japanese experience in America during the war?  Why do you think they were so cooperative when they had to leave everything behind?

13. Did you like the way the novel was written with the parallel stories?

*****
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 Woman in the Window, by A. J. Finn

Characters
Residents	Others
#213 – Dr. Anna Fox – child psychologist Ed – husband Olivia – daughter Punch - cat #207 – Alistair Russell Jane Russell - #1 and #2 Ethan - son #210 - Takedas Nick – son #212 - Dr. John Miller and wife #214 - Henry and Lisa Wasserman #216 - Gray family: father, mother (book club hostess), twin teenage daughters	Katie – Ethan’s biological mother David – tenant Bina – physical therapist Wesley Brill – former partner, affair Dr. Julien Fielding Detective Little Detective Norelli Agora website: Anna – thedoctorisin GrannyLizzie

r Discussion:

NOTE: Page numbers are from the hardback edition.

1. When the Anna, Ed and Olivia were leaving the resort, why do you think Ed told Anna to drive?
2. The author did not reveal that Ed and Olivia were dead until page 309.  Were you surprised?
3. How would you react is you saw someone spying on you like Jane Russell #1?
4. What did you think had happened when Anna’s password was changed and she received a picture of herself sleeping from guesswhoanna@gmail.com?
5. As you were reading, what did you think was happening at the Russell’s?
6. What did you think about Ethan as the story progressed?  When, if ever, did you become suspicious of him?
7. What were the clues that hinted at the solution?  Did you figure out the mystery before the author revealed the ending?  Were there any red herrings to throw the reader off?
8. Two questions I had while reading:
1. On page 359, Anna thought that she had only one ally.  Who was it?
2. On pages 391-392, Anna refers to a picture she was told she had drawn but had no memory of drawing. What was the picture?
9. How well do you think the author described agoraphobia?  Were you able to understand Anna?  What did you know previously about the condition?  Did you learn anything or gain new understanding?
10. Given Anna’s experiences, were you able to understand her descent into addiction and agoraphobia?  As a psychologist, should she have been able to help herself?
11. Was Dr. Fielding irresponsible?  He prescribed extremely powerful pills and did not check up very much to see she was following instructions.  He knew she was living alone.  Was there anything else he could have done besides committing her?
12. What do you think happened to Anna after the novel ended?
13. Of the movies listed, which have you seen?  What did all of the movie titles add to the story?

*****
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.