A Story Lately Told, by Anjelica Houston

People

Huston Family: Walter Houston – grandfather John – father Enrica Georgia Soma (Rikki) – mother  (John’s fourth wife) Tony – brother   Danny – step brother (father John, mother Zoe) Allegra – step sister (mother Rikki, father John Julius)   Pablo – John’s adopted son from “last life in America”   Joan Buck – friend Lizzie - friend   “Nurse” – Kathleen Shine – children’s nanny starting when Anjelica was three   Bob Richardson – Huston’s live-in boyfriend for four years – mentally ill   Cici – John’s fifth wife

For discussion:

NOTE: Page numbers are from the paperback edition.


1. On page 42 and 43 of the paperback, the author wrote, “Dad collected people as well,” and that she had only met Pablo once or twice because he “belonged to Dad’s last life in America.”   What does this say about John Huston’s regard for the value of family, friendship and people in general?


2. Anjelica and Tony were never told what was happening or why.   How did this affect them as children?  How do you think it will affect them as adults?


3. Why did everyone allow John to raise Allegra after Rikki’s death?    Her natural father offered to raise her.  Houston wrote on page 207 “I was proud of Dad when he agreed to raise Allegra” and then on page 211 she wrote “I’m scared of Dad…He frightens me.”


4. Which characters did you like/dislike?  What were your feelings regarding the people in the book as you were reading?


5. Discuss the Huston as a writer.  What was your reading experience with this book?


6. Are you interested in reading the sequel?  Why or why not?


7. How has the idea of “celebrity” changed since the early days of movies when the studios “managed” actors’ lives and careers?   Is it for the better or worse?


8. Do you think the idea of “celebrity” has been tainted by people like Kim Kardashian who are “famous” for nothing? 

*****
First Semester Success: Learning Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available at wordassociation.com, amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.

How Children Succeed, by Paul Tough

This was the One Book-One Conference selection for the College Reading and Learning Associations' national conference in November 2014. Here is a summary of the chapters and questions for discussion.

Chapter	Key Terms, Ideas and People
Introduction	Current research in child development focusing on: Non-cognitive skills Personality traits Character
Chapter 1 How to Fail (and How Not To)	Elizabeth Dozier, Principal – Fenger High School Nadine Burke Harris – doctor   Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) – childhood trauma related to adult health – body’s physical reaction to stress   51% of children who scored high on ACE scale had trouble in school   Prefrontal cortex – part of brain affected by early stress – this area also controls emotional and cognitive self-regulatory activities (executive function)   High quality mothering can protect children from trauma and stress
Chapter 2 How to Build Character	KIPP – Knowledge is Power Program – David Levin - students did well while there but faltered when at new school. Those who succeeded not necessarily the brightest but had other qualities such as optimism and resilience   Martin Seligman – Learned Optimism Pessimists react to negative events  as if they are permanent, personal and pervasive Optimists react to negative events as if they are specific, limited and have short-term explanations   Angela Duckworth Christopher Peterson   Marshmallow test – child able to delay gratification better when they created their own distractions, thought about goal more abstractly However, this did not work in academics.  Students found it hard to delay gratification when goals are abstract.  Duckworth divides achievement into motivation and volition (will power or self-control).   M&M incentive – lower students increased IQ test scores when receiving M&Ms as reward for right answers.  This also did not work in academics.  Most “reward” programs did not produce positive results.    Seven strengths that will likely predict high academic achievement and satisfaction in life (Peterson): Grit Self-control Zest Social intelligence Gratitude Optimism Curiosity  MCII – Mental Contrasting with Implementation Intentions Three goal-setting stages: 1. Optimists – imagine future 2. Pessimists – dwelling on obstacles 3. Mental Contrasting – focus on positive while planning for obstacles ***Relates to 2013’s book, Making Hope Happen, by Shane J. Lopez, Ph.D.   Group Identify – Stereotype Threat – can have positive or negative effect on achievement   Carol Dweck – students do better if they believe they can improve their intelligence instead of believing it is fixed   Jane Martinez Dowling –KIPP Through College
Chapter 3 How to Think	Chess Elizabeth Spiegel  - teaching executive function through chess Self-analysis - analyze mistakes – what could have been done differently   Difference between “wanting” something and “choosing it” – makes difference in behavior and determination   Confirmation bias (confirm correct answer) vs. falsification (look for information to disprove answer) – Falsification is a skill characteristic of best chess players   Malcolm Gladwell – 10,000 hours to become expert in any field   James Black – chess master – smart at chess but not in academics – could not make up what he had missed earlier in school
Chapter 4 How to Succeed	United States has fallen from 1st to 12th worldwide in percentage of 25 – 34 year olds who are graduates of four-year colleges   1990 >> 2000 - Rate of bachelor degree attainment: Wealthy families with at least one parent with college degree: 61% >> 68% Disadvantaged families with no parent with college degree: 11.1% >> 9.5%   Problem no longer access to college – now concern is completion   William G. Bowen, Michael S. McPherson, Matthew Chingos Studied college completion High School GPA most accurate predictor of success Better measure of self-control, motivation, perseverance, good study and time management habits   Jeff Nelson – OneGoal – goal is from high school to successful  college attempt Found that effective teacher important to successful transition   Time college students spend studying: 1961 – 24 hours/week 1981 – 20 hours per week 2003 – 14 hours per week This is an opportunity for disadvantaged students to make up lost learning
Chapter 5 A Better Path	Socioeconomic status predicts academic success   Focus switched from poverty to educational reform – focus now on teacher quality and tenure   According to Tough, the real issue is how to improve the life chances of millions of impoverished children.  Many school reform ideas work well with impoverished, able students but not with impoverished least-able students   Poor children usually have high ACE scores

For discussion:
1. Do you agree with the author’s ideas?  Why or why not?
2. Do you have Grit?  How did you develop it?
3. How do you define “character” in relation to academics and/or success in life?
4. How important do you think mistakes are to learning and to success?
5. Was there any idea that was particularly interesting to you?
6. Do you currently do anything to help your students gain non-cognitive skills for success? 
7. What can we do in our colleges and classrooms to help students gain these characteristics?
*****
First Semester Success: Learning Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available from wordassociation.com, amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.

The Burgess Boys, by Elizabeth Strout

Updated November 2016

Characters
Burgess Family	Shirley Falls	New York
Jim – corporate attorney Bob – legal-aid attorney Susan – Bob’s twin, optometrist Zachary Olson – Susan’s son Barbara – mother, deceased Helen – Jim’s wife Pam – Bob’s 1st wife, former parasitological research assistant Ted – husband Twin sons Margaret Estaver – Bob’s 2nd wife – Unitarian Minister	Mrs. Drinkwater – Susan’s tenant Gerry O’Hara – police chief Charlie Tibbetts – local lawyer Diane Dodge – DA’s office – Civil Rights Rick Huddleston	Dorothy and Alan – couple Jim and Helen vacationed with,  Jim’s boss Adriana Martic – Bob’s neighbor, affair with Jim and sexual harassment charge
	Somalis
	Abdikarim Ahmed – abandoned by younger wife and children, championed for Zachary Omed – translator at hospital Haweeya - wife

 For discussion:

NOTE:  All page numbers refer to the paperback edition of the book.

1. Did you like the introduction of the mother and daughter talking about the Burgess family?  Did the help or hinder your understanding of the book?  Why did the author decide to start the story that way?

2. Discuss the Burgess family dynamics:

*Bob (4 years old) always thinking he caused accident that killed their father

*Jim never telling Bob truth about their father’s accidental death (page 225)

*Their mother taking her anger out on Susan

*Susan and Jim always calling Bob stupid and other insults

3. Discuss Jim’s behavior in hotel room at end of vacation where Helen overhead him yelling at Bob the way his neighbor in Shirley Falls yelled.  How did Helen react to this scene?

4. On page 272 Bob realized he was no longer welcome at Helen and Jim's house.  Why was this?

5. On the following page, 273, when Bob ran into Jim on the street before Bob knew what was happening, Jim said, "Bob, I have to be really straight here.  You have always made me crazy.  I am tired of you, Bob.  I am so fucking tired of you.  Of your Bobness.  I an so - Bob, I just want you gone,  Jesus, please go."  Was this fair?  What did he mean by "his Bobness?"

6. On page 287, when Jim's affair was discovered and he was talking with Helen, he said, "I was supposed to take care of everyone.  Growing up.  That was my job."  Do you think that was explicitly stated or did Jim just take on that role?  Did he ever really take care of the family?

7. On page 83, what did Pam mean when she was reading about Shirley Falls and the parasitological and psychological concerns of the refugees and thought, "I am living the wrong life."?  Was anyone else in the book learning the wrong life?

8. To Abdikarim, the policemen’s laugh when they first saw the pig’s head was significant.  Why?  Why do you think they laughed?

9. What were the positive results that came about because of Zach’s actions?  Would they have happened otherwise?

10. What insights did you gain about the immigrant experience from this book?  How would you feel in a strange place where no one understood your language or your customs? 

11. Discuss the contrast between the American value in looking someone in the eye when speaking contrasted to the Somalis’ belief that to look someone in the eye is rude and disrespectful?  How can two such diverse cultures co-exist?

12. What was your reaction when the newspaper published a picture of Zach smiling as he first left the police station?

13. Do you think Zach should have been prosecuted of what he did?  Why do you think he did it?

14. What do you think happened to Jim at the end of the novel?

15. Who was the happiest person in the book?

16. Which character did you feel the most sympathy for?  The least sympathy? 

*****

First Semester Success: :Learning Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available at wordassociation.com, amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.