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.

China Dolls, by Lisa See

Characters
Grace Lee – born in America, Chinese but raised “American” Abused by father Helen Fong – born in America, raised Chinese Ba - father Monroe – brother, married an Occidental Lai Kai and Dajun– first husband and son, killed by Japanese Tommy – son with Tim McNulty Ruby Tom – Kimiko Fukutomi, born in America, Japanese, hid ethnicity Hideo – brother, killed by Americans Yori – brother, internment camp, enlisted Joe Mitchell – pilot in war Tim McNulty – manager C. C. Brown’s, affair with Helen Ray Boiler – killed Ida	Forbidden City Night Club
	Charlie Low Eddie Wu – dancer, gay, married Helen, dance act together Li Tei Ming – Charlie’s wife, singer Ida – “pony”, became Grace’s roommate, hid Japanese ethnicity Lin Sisters – “warbling trio”

 For Discussion:

NOTE: Page numbers are from paperback edition of novel.

1. Discuss how the three families approached their ethnicity and living in America:
1. Grace – denied Chinese culture and raised totally as an American.
2. Helen – raised Chinese, no American influence
3. Ruby – raised in Japanese culture but decided to pass as Chinese for career
2. In the same vein, discuss how each girl was raised and how it impacted their lives:
1. Grace – act totally American
2. Helen – follow Chinese culture: no touching, cannot show teeth when smile, subservient to father
3. Ruby – raised in Japanese culture: rules such as “smile behind pressed fingers so I’d look more alluring” and “begin each sentence as though everything were my fault” (page 80).  

3. Did you see Grace’s father in a different light when you read about her mother’s story on pages 288-289 and the story of her birth on 116-117?  Grace remembered that her dad was a dreamer, and that “Dreamers are born to be disappointed.  My dad was, certainly, and in this single regard I now understood him in a way I never had before” (page 116).
4. Grace’s parents became totally Americanized, but Grace was still bullied in school by three girls of Finnish heritage: Velma, Ilsa and Maude.   When she slowly realized that the three girls were themselves outsiders and that they picking on her to boost themselves, she thought, “It takes training to learn how to be a bigot” (page 116).  Did this give you any insight into why people bully or put others down?
5. Ruby was more Americanized than her family, denied her Japanese heritage, and did not necessarily support Japan’s war efforts.  For example, she called Japan’s “rape of Nanking a war crime” (page 81) and was slapped by her mother who called her ungrateful.  Her parents also disapproved of the fact that she had her own opinions and liked boys.  How did all of this influence her life?
6. In the days after Pearl Harbor, both Grace and Helen were suspicious of Ruby. When Ruby expressed fear about being taken to internment camp Helen said, “What about us?  What’s going to happen to Tommy and me?  They [the Japanese] could come and kill you, Grace” (page 180).   Were these feelings expected? 
7. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor when Ruby was crying in her room, Grace did not go comfort her because she “didn’t want her to lose even more face by seeing me” (page 187).  Ruby brought this up again at the end of the novel, page 350.  Was this a cultural reaction or an excuse not to get involved?   Do you think she should have gone to her?
8. What did you think about Helen as her story was revealed throughout the novel?  Were you able to understand her actions, particularly trying to turn Ruby against Grace and spreading the rumor that Grace turned in Ruby?
9. How well do you think the author portrayed the reactions and feelings of the various people in America after the bombing of Pearl Harbor?
10. The entertainers felt they were doing their part in the war effort by entertaining, and in many cases going to bed with, soldiers. Were they justified in this behavior?  Were these actions viewed in a different light during that time period?  How would that be viewed now?
11. Were you surprised to read that Helen turned Ruby in and that Grace was blamed?  Even though she had kept Ruby’s secret before, Grace was now afraid to help Ruby or answer her letters (page 235).  How much did Helen influence Grace’s decision not to answer?  Did you understand this fear?
12. In 1943 Chinese were granted permission to become American citizens.  Even though Helen’s family was heavily involved in the war effort (Lincoln a dentist in military, Madison and Jefferson made ammunition, mother organized women to cook for soldiers) they did not apply because they did not want to lose “rights to return to the home village” (page 235).  Could you understand this decision?
13. In a review of Lisa See’s new book, The Island of Sea Women, the reviewer wrote that friendship is one of her main themes in her novels.  How was friendship portrayed in this novel?
14. Did you gain any new insights after reading this 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.  Click on the upper right link.

The Round House, by Louise Erdrich

Characters
American Indian	White American
Antone Bazil Coutts – “Joe” Antone Bazil Coutts – father, Bazil Geraldine – mother, tribal enrollment specialist Mooshum – grandfather, told stories in his sleep Aunt Clemence – mother’s sister Uncle Edward Virgil Lafournais – friend, “Cappy” Randall – older brother, had vision about Joe Zack Peace – friend Angus Kashpaw – friend Uncle Whitey – owns gas station Sonja – wife, ex-stripper Albert and Betty Wishkop Linda Lark – unofficial adopted daughter Mayla Wolfskin – called Geraldine for help Tanya - baby daughter – Yeltow trying to adopt her George and Aurora Wolfskin – custody of Tanya	Dr. Egge Father Travis – priest from Texas YEC – Youth Encounter Christ Zelia Grace and George Lark – wanted to kill weaker, second twin (Linda) Linden – healthy twin Soren Bjerki – FBI agent assigned to Indian Country Curtis Yeltow – governor of South Dakota, Tanya’s father, wants to adopt

 For Discussion:

NOTE: Page numbers are from hardback edition.

1. At the beginning of the novel, Joe writes that he was lucky because he “was a boy doted on by women” (page 25).   Why did he think this was a good thing?
2. When Edward and Bazil were discussing Father Travis and his “questioning sermons”, Edward wondered if “he’s entirely stable, or then again, if he might be simply…intelligent” (page 77).  What did you think of this observation?
3. Regarding Father Travis, what did you think about the incident when the three boys were spying on him because they thought he was a suspect?  He revealed his injuries to the boys and did not tell their parents what they had done.  Was what he did and did not do appropriate?
4. Why do you think Linda donated a kidney to her brother, Linden, after the following: her mother looked for Linda only after Linden needed a kidney, the doctor told her that his kidney failure was his own fault, and Linden told Linda he did not want her kidney because she was so ugly (chapter 6)?  Later on, she told Joe she was sorry she had helped Linden.
5. Father Travis was at Dealey Plaza when JFK was assassinated.  When telling Bazil the story and about how a dog had run into the street, Father Travis reflected that “…how many unknown and similarly inconsequential accidents and bits of happenstance were at this moment occurring or failing to occur…” (page 132).  Were there bits of happenstance in the novel that influenced the story?   Have you experienced an inconsequential happenstance that later proved to be important to your life?
6. How did you understand the American Indian terms throughout the novel?
1. Joe’s doodemag, luck, were cranes and herons (page 134)
2. When someone throws their spirit at you, Mooshum advised, “go to your doodem… find the ajijaak” (page 132)
3. A wiindigoo could cast its spell into another person, eats fellow humans
7. Was it appropriate for Sonja to help Joe put the money he found in the lake in multiple bank accounts?  What should she have done with the money?  Were you surprised she took most of the money?
8. What did you think about Sonja’s birthday present to Mooshum?  Why did she continue on with Joe in the room?
9. What was the point of the story about Akiikwe (Akii) and her son, Nanapush.   Her husband said Akii was inhabited by a wiindigoo and should be killed by Nanapush.  When on the run, Nanapush saved himself by sheltering in a buffalo carcass and following that the buffalo woman spoke to him.  The people built the round house (where attack occurred) in the buffalo’s image (page 215).
10. When Father Travis was explaining to Joe why there was evil in the world (page 253-4), do you think he knew Joe’s ulterior motive for wanting to learn to shoot gophers?
11. Father Travis gave Joe the book Dune, by Frank Herbert.  In this science fiction novel, the main character, a boy, goes on a journey to avenge a plot against his family.   What does this tell you about what Father Travis knew?
12. Bazil used a visual analogy with the moldy casserole to explain to Joe why he did what he did.  In the end he said, “What I am doing now is for the future, though it may seem small, or trivial, or boring to you” (page 230).  Did this help you to understand the plight of the American Indian?
13. Were you surprised that Joe killed Linden in the end and that Cappy came to help?   How much did Joe’s parents know or suspect?

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