America’s First Daughter, by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie

REVIEW:  I was a little impatient reading this book because it is long and at times seemed to move slowly.  BUT I found it intriguing!  The authors did an amazing job of capturing the times and the feelings about slavery and women.   There are so many interesting aspects to the novel that my discussion guide ended up being three pages!    This is a great book for book groups and should lead to lively discussions!

Citizens

Slaves

Thomas Jefferson Martha – wife, deceased Martha “Patsy” – daughter, married Tom Randolph Polly “Maria” – daughter, married Jack Eppes Lucy – daughter, deceased Wayles – Martha’s father William Short – Martha’s relative, aid to Jefferson Colonel Randolph Wife - deceased Tom – oldest child, married Patsy Judith – married cousin, Richard Randolph Nancy – had child to Richard Randolph, died 3 younger sisters Gabriella Harvie – Colonel’s 2nd wife Thomas Mann - son Tom and Patsy’s children Ann – married Charles Bankhead, abusive Thomas Jefferson “Jeff” – married Jane Nicholas Ellen – died Ellen – married Joseph Coolidge Cornelia Virginia “Ginny” – married Nicholas Trist Mary James Madison Benjamin Franklin Septimia George Wythe Maria Cosway – Paris, Jefferson’s married lover Lafayette

Hemings Betsy – had children by Wayles Sally – Martha’s half-sister, several children with Jefferson, two survived Jimmy – to Paris with Jefferson as cook Nance Critta Martin Bob Mary Hemings Bell – widow of owner of general store, now proprietress Betsy – Mary’s daughter, Polly’s maid Others Mammy Ursala

 For discussion:

NOTE: Page numbers are from the paperback edition.

1. Were you surprised by the description of Thomas Jefferson’s strong mourning?  Did this fit with your image of him?  Why did no one seem to notice or intervene?
2. Was it fair for Martha to extract the promises that she did from Thomas (never marry again) and Patsy (always take care of father) (pages 30 – 33)?
3. Do you think Jefferson knew that his wife made Patsy promise to take care of him?  How did this affect his as well as Patsy’s life?
4. On page 57 Colonel Randolph said to Jefferson, “You’re better off in retirement.  No good comes of public service anymore.”   How would our country be different if Jefferson agreed?
5. When Patsy was thinking about entering the convent, she thought that she would teach Polly to be devoted rather than truthful because Patsy thought being devoted was a much more important virtue (page 108).   What do you think?
1. Also, on page 215 Patsy chose devotion to father over love for William Short.  Do you think she made a wise choice?
2. Well into their marriage Patsy said “I thought perhaps the thing for Tom I felt that was deeper than love might be dedication (page 271).   How does this fit with her previous statements?   Did she make a wise choice to let devotion and dedication direct her life?
6. Do you think it was in Polly’s best interest to leave her and Lucy behind when Jefferson and Patsy went to Europe?
7. It is now common knowledge that Jefferson fathered children with Sally Hemings.  What did you think about his choice when Polly first arrived and he was upstairs with Sally?   Was the fact that she resembled his wife mitigate his actions?
8. At Polly’s wedding when Tom was struggling, Patsy said to him, “I’ll tell you a secret about being happy, Tom.  Sometimes you just have to pretend at it until it becomes real” (page 329).   Do you think this is good advice?
9. The first time Tom hit Patsy was on page 292.  In the next section she thinks, “I’d fretted about my father’s reputation, but I’d given too little thought to Tom’s.  I deserved to be slapped to my senses” (page 293).  Why do you think Tom turned violent with Patsy?   Should Patsy have felt that she was spending too much of her energy on her father and not her husband?
10. What did you think of Tom Randolph?   Did he have any chance to be a better man?  Was he flawed from the beginning or did it happen over the years?
11. Did you agree with Patsy’s request of President Madison to have Tom recalled from military duty and assigned to be tax collector?  Did she have the right to do that?
12. Could any man Patsy married have competed favorable to her father?  Was her and Tom’s marriage doomed from the start?

13. When Ann returned home beaten and pregnant, she said she deserved it (page 543).  Patsy began to wonder what example she had set for her daughters and reflected that, “…Ann had never been taught to do anything but honor and obey a husband, and none of this was her fault” (page 543).   Given the times do you think Patsy could have raised her daughters differently?
14. When the book opened Patsy was contemplating burning some of Jefferson’s incriminating letters.  What do you think she should do? 
15. How did this book as a whole fit with your idea of Thomas Jefferson? 

*****

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

The Glorious Heresies, by Lisa McInerney

REVIEW:   While the writing is very good, I did not find this novel a pleasure to read.  The subject matter is very dark and few of the characters have redeeming qualities.  One of the discussion questions at the back of my edition asked what the reader knew about Ireland before reading and if the novel confirmed or added to that knowledge.  While written by an Irish author and containing many Irish idioms in the conversations, I don’t think this story is unique to Ireland and could have been set anywhere.  I don’t feel I gained any new knowledge about Ireland or understanding of the Irish people.  The author did do a good job of showing how difficult and sad many lives really are.  I would only recommend it as a study of a lower level of society and as a way of understanding how many people have none or limited choices in life.   I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for this review.  

Characters

Tony Cusack Maria – wife – died in suicidal car accident Ryan – oldest son Kelly, Cian, Cathal, Ronan and Niamh – siblings Fiona – Tony’s twin sister Joseph – Fiona’s son – musician – invited Ryan to play with his group Karine D’Arcy – Ryan’s girlfriend Niall Vaughan – Karine had affair with him while Ryan was in jail Jimmy Phelan Maureen Phelan – mother, did not raise Jimmy Una Phelan – Maureen’s mother – raised Jimmy Deirdra – Jimmy’s wife Ellie and Conner – children Tara Duane – Tony’s neighbor Melinda (Linda) – daughter Dan Kane – drug dealer - Ryan went to prison to protect him Georgie Fitzsimons – sex worker Robbie O’Donovan – killed by Maureen Harmony Faye Fitzsimons – Georgie’s daughter with David – David’s family took and will raise the baby Ruby Dea – owned farm, took in people who needed a place to stay Mo Looney (Maureen) Saskia – also member of CAIL? Christians Active in the Light (CAIL) – mission William Tobin – leader Clover – wife Georgie David Coughlan – baby’s father Saskia Frank Cotter – disposed of bodies, killed by Jimmy Tim Dougan – helps dispose of bodies

 For discussion:

NOTE: Page numbers are from the U.S. paperback edition published by Crown Publishing.

1. When Ryan went to jail, Tony could have saved him by saying that he could control him.  Why didn’t he do that?  What was his motive?  Do you think it was better for Ryan to go to jail or would he have been better at home?
2. In chapter 9 Tony was in a therapy session about his excessive drinking and thought the counselor asked all the wrong questions.  What did you think?  Was it possible that the therapist could understand and ask more probing questions?
3. How realistically do you think the sex trade was depicted in the novel?  Did you feel any sympathy or compassion for the women?  Why or why not?
4. In chapter 19 when Georgie and Maureen were talking, Maureen said that men divide women into categories, “The mammies.  The bitches.  The wives.  The girlfriends.  The whores.  Women are all for it too, so long as they fall into the right class.  They all look down on the whores. There but for the grace of God” (page 265.) Do you think this is still true today in your society?   Why or why not?
5. Regarding men, in the same chapter Maureen said that, “they’re divide up just as neatly, didn’t you know?  Saints and sinners. Maters and slaves. The good guys and the bad guys…No one gets to the top if he hasn’t a mound of bodies to climb” (pages 265 & 266).  Do you agree?  How did this play out in the novel?
6. At the end, why did Ryan let Georgie live and send her out of the country?  Was this in his character?
7. Discuss Ryan and Karine and how their relationship developed after Ryan was released from jail.  Could they have acted different than they did?
8. Which character did you find most sympathetic?  Why?
9. Did any of the characters have a choice in their life?  Could any of them led a life that was different than that depicted in the novel?  Why and how?On page 330 Jimmy reflected that he was not a murderer but was using “pragmatic judgement.” What do you think?
10. On page 330 Jimmy reflected that he was not a murderer but was using "pragmatic judgement."  How did he rationalize this distinction?
11. What do you think will happen to Karine?  She is doing well in college.  Why does she stay with Ryan?  What do you think will be her future?
12. Did you like the ending?  What do you think happened after the story ended?
13. There were a lot of Irish idioms in the novel.  How did they affect your reading experience?  What do you think some of them mean?  Some examples with citations are:

• Gurriers – “Gurriers tied to you were still gurriers” (page 209).
• Craic – “But weren’t we having the craic?” (page 210).
• Clanger – “…drew Tony Crusack’s indiscretion from catastrophe to conspiracy to clanger” (page 94).
• Melt – “Oh my God, you break my melt, d’you know that?” (page 96).
• Umbral – “He stood at the window looking into umbral immensity…” (page 116).
• Missus MILF – referring to Tara (page 305)
• Hames – “It’s not you making a hames of clean living” (page 118)
• Noondeenaw – “…having birthed a famous noondeenaw” (page 120)
• Wanno – When Georgie told Clover she was not an expert on God, Clover replied, “Let me tell you this, neither is yer wanno with you” (page 140).
• Wan – “She’s a pal of your wan next door.” (page 170).

Many I was able to figure out with context clues:

• Gardai – police
• Beour – girl
• Naggin – shot of liquor
• Craitur – creature
• Gowl – someone stupid

*****

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