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.