The Lauras, by Sara Taylor

REVIEW:  I have mixed thoughts about this book.  The author did an outstanding job presenting Alex’s conflict about gender roles and choices.  I thought it was very insightful that Ma and Alex had no conflict, it was the rest of the world that felt the need to assign everyone to a specific designation.  While the character of Ma was excellent in how she dealt with Alex’s sexuality, I thought she was irresponsible in the lifestyle she included Alex in, including changing school so often and extensive lack of supervision.  Keeping in mind that this is fiction and some rules can be bent, the story line at times seemed unrealistic.  (Of course, my background colored my reading.  This story may well resonate with others.)  All that said, I did enjoy my reading experience and wanted to keep reading to find out how everything was resolved.  In the end, isn’t that what we want in a book - to enjoy the reading experience and maybe gain some new or deeper understanding in the human experience?  This book fulfilled that expectation.  I received a complimentary copy of this book for this review.

Characters

Travels

Alex – 14 when novel begins Ma Father First Laura – friends with Ma, ages 9 – 12 Second Laura – group home in New Jersey, age 14 Third Laura – group home in PA, age 15 Man in car - molested Alex Fletcher – owned Tattoo Parlor and club Fourth Laura – artist, gave Ma Cadillac Fifth Laura – Hood College, Maryland Mr. Panagopoulos – Anthony’s grandfather Anthony – from foster home, Ma sprinkled ashes in ocean Marisol Deceased infant daughter Margaret-Mary Rue Anna-Maria – daughter, ran away with Ma’s help Simon – met Alex when he was working at Cojones, drag club Carla – Sixth Lara, Ma’s daughter given up for adoption when she was a teenager Final Laura - Canada

West Virginia – waitress Florida - waitressing in two bars Harrison County, Mississippi Texas – rescued Anna-Maria Reno -bartending Alex attacked at school California Canada – end of Ma’s Quest Alex – back to Virginia to see father

 For discussion:

NOTE: Page numbers are from hardback edition.

1. Did it bother you that the first three Laura’s were presented out of order (1^st, 3^rd, 2^nd)?  Why do you think the author did that?
2. In chapter VII (page 81-81), did you understand the explanation of why all the women in the stories Ma told Alex were all called Laura?
3. In chapter VIII (page 93), Alex thought that “There were stories that she couldn’t tell.  Everyone has then; most people pretend that they’ve been forgotten.”  Do you think most people have hidden stories?
4. What did you think about Ma dragging Alex with her on the Quest?  Did you wonder why she didn’t leave Alex with his father?
5. Discuss the long-term effect on Alex of the molestation by the man in the car while Alex was hitchhiking home from sending a post card to the father (chapter V).
6. In chapter XVIII there was a story about how the mother and father differed in their approach to Alex getting in trouble (Ma yelling and then Dad taking Alex for a ride to talk and buying a milkshake).  Was one more effective than the other?  Did they work well together?
7. Discuss how you felt about Alex and Ma as their stories unraveled.  Did your thoughts and your sympathies change?
8. In chapter XVIII Alex worked at Cojones, a drag club.  Should Ma have been more vigilant and allowed Alex to do this?
9. Who did you think the final Laura in Canada was?  Any of the previous ones?
10. Did the author do a good job describing Alex’s feelings of asexuality?  Was that important to the story?  As you were discussing or thinking about the book, did you have a hard time not referring to Alex as either “he” or “she?”
11. Did the author do a good job of explaining and describing Ma’s and Alex’s restlessness?  Were you able to empathize with how they felt?  Given how young Alex was, do you think Ma should have been so permissive?
12. The book dedication is, “To Laura, who left a hole in me.”   How did you interpret this?
13. Could this story have been real?

*****

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.

Small Great Things, by Jodi Picoult

NOTE:  One of my favorite quotes is “No two persons ever read the same book” by Edmund Wilson (1895-1971), a literary critic and writer.  My book group had a very interesting discussion about this book.  (We are all female, white, upper middle class and retired.)  The members who were nurses had trouble with the post-it note, saying that it was definitely against protocol in the hospitals where they had worked.   Another member was not able to finish the book because she found it too upsetting.  I have heard Peggy McIntosh speak (see the Bibliography) so had some previous experience with the idea of invisible racism.   I thought the book was extremely well written, important and addressed a topic that many people have not even considered.  It will be interesting to see how it is received by future generations.

Characters
Main	Others
Ruth Jefferson Edison – son Rachel >> Adisa – sister Hollowell family – employed Ruth’s mother as a maid Christine – daughter – childhood friend of Ruth’s Turk Bauer – White Supremacist Brittany – first wife Davis – deceased infant Tanner – Turk’s brother, killed in auto accident with black man Francis Mitchum – Brittany’s father Kennedy McQuarrie – Public Defender Micah – husband Violet – daughter Wallace Mercy – TV host Odette Lawton - prosecutor	Marie – Charge Nurse Corinne – friend Raine Tesco – introduce Turk to White Supremacist Group, later dropped out Howard – new to Public Defenders Office, black Roarke Matthews – Turk’s lawyer Deborah – Turk’s second wife Carys – daughter Judge Thunder

 For Discussion

NOTE:  Page numbers are from the hardback edition.

1. Discuss the significance of the title.  Was it appropriate?
2. On page 49, Ruth thought that having a newborn and a teenager are similar because both are “…incapable of saying exactly what it is that’s causing pain.”  Do you think this is a good analogy?
3. What did you think Ruth should have done when Davis stopped breathing?
4. Should Marie or Corinne share some of the blame because they left Ruth alone with the baby?
5. Compare Ruth’s and Kennedy’s account of their luncheon meeting.  Kennedy’s chapter is on pages 188-197 and Ruth’s on 198-204.
6. Review Ruth’s explanation about how she feels in Kennedy’s chapter after Ruth’s statement in court (Pages 407-408).  For example, one thing Ruth says is that “But did you ever think our misfortune is directly related to your good fortune.”   Did the author do a good job of showing Ruth’s feelings?  Were you able to understand how she felt?
7. Kennedy said on two different occasions that she doesn’t even see color.  Do you think this is realistic or possible?
8. After their shopping trip when Kennedy and Ruth were sharing true confessions, Ruth stated that, “The reason we don’t talk about race is because we do not speak a common language” (page 265).  Do you think this is true?
9. Discuss the different characters.   Which character would you like to talk to in real life?  What were their various points of view and how did they change, if at all, throughout the novel?  Did the author do a good job of showing each character’s views?  
10. Was the ending and Brit’s discovery realistic?   Why would Brit’s father still pursue White Supremacy knowing about Brit’s mother?
11. Did the book make you think of race differently?  Were there any specific events in the book that surprised you or made you think?
12. Do you think the book would change anyone’s mind?
13. Would you have read this book differently if the author was a different race instead of white?   Would readers of different races understand the book differently?
14. How do you think this book will be discussed 20-30+ years from now?

*****
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 Japanese Lover, by Isabel Allende

NOTE:  This was an interesting book with a lot of story lines, so my discussion guide it quite long.  I think it will lead to great discussions!

Characters
Lark House	Families and others
Irina Bazili (Elisabeta) - aide Hans Voigt – director Lupita Farias - head of cleaning staff Dr. Catherine Hope – 2nd level resident Alma Mendel Belasco – 1st level resident, silk screen artist, Belasco Foundation, parents killed in WWII Jacques Devine “Frenchie” - died and left estate to Irina Lenny Beal – 1st level new resident Kristen	Belasco Larry (Alma’s son) and Doris Seth – lawyer, author, Alma’s grandson Pauline – lawyer, granddaughter Lillian and Isaac Belasco – took in Alma during WWII Daughters – Martha, Sarah Son - Nathanial - married Alma Samuel Mendel – Alma’s brother Fukuda Takao – gardener for Isaac Belasco, family interned during WWII Heideko – wife, blossomed in internment camp Charles – killed in war James – arrested in camp Megumi Ichimei – Alma’s life-long love Delphine – Ichimei’s wife Others Boyd Anderson – guard in internment camp, married Megumi Ron Wilkin – FBI Agent, rescued Irina Radmila and Jim Robyns – Irina’s mother and step-father

For discussion:

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

1. The author made many observations about the elderly.   Do you think she was correct?  For example:
1. On page 31 she wrote “We want our loved ones to be safe, Seth.  But what they want for themselves is autonomy.”
2. On page 7 and 8, Dr. Hope observed that, “The elderly are the most entertaining people in the world…They have lived a lot, say whatever they like, and couldn’t care less about other people’s opinion.”
3. Page 13: “ …in itself age doesn’t make anyone better or wiser, but only accentuates what they have always been.”
4. Page 60: Dr. Hope said she was content, “Because I have time to spare, and for the first time in my life nobody expects anything of me.  I don’t have to prove anything, I’m not rushing everywhere; each day is a gift I enjoy to the fullest.”
5. Page 65: “However old one is, we need a goal in our lives.  It’s the best cure for many ills.”
2. Do you think a place like Lark House exists?  Would you be willing to move there?
3. One of the projects of the Belasco Foundation was to create green spaces in at-risk neighborhoods.  The Foundation felt that the green spaces transformed the neighborhood (page 23).  Is this realistic?
4. Isaac Belasco felt that doing good deeds was important and said that, “there is only one aristocracy, that of decency, and that this was not inherited or bought with money or titles, but was only gained through good deeds” (page 71).
5. When Alma first moved in with the Belasco’s she was very unhappy and cried every night.  Isaac stated that, “Childhood is a naturally unhappy period of our existence, Lillian.  It was Walt Disney who invented the notion that it has to be happy, simply to make money” (page 44).   Do you agree?
6. On page 31, the story said that Alma’s personality changed in a matter of two hours after a nap.  What do you think happened to change Alma?
7. Did you learn any facts or new insights about the Japanese internment during WWII?
8. Discuss Irina.   Did you pick up any hints early in the novel that all was not as it seemed with her?  How did you think she should respond to Seth’s offers of marriage?
9. On page 199, Irina starts a “Letting Go Group” because she saw that those with lots of possessions were more anxious than those with few possessions.  What did you think about this?
10. Discuss Alma regarding the following descriptions and information.  Did any of them change your thinking about Alma? 
1. Were you surprised when she did not want to marry Ichimei when she became pregnant?
2. In self-reflection on page 232, Alma realized that, “her greatest prejudice was that of social class.”
3. On page 252 she reflected that, “She never sacrificed herself for another person or an ideal: self-denial was not one of her virtues.”  How would Isaac react to this? (See #4)
11. Was it realistic that both Nathaniel and Delphine both ignored or supported the love affair between their spouses?
12. Were you surprised by the revelation of Nathaniel’s affair with Lenny?  Were you suspicious that there was more to Nathaniel’s story from the beginning?
13. When Seth told Alma about his father’s observations of Ichimei, he said that he had a kind of an aura (202) and that he could control his pulse and temperature (202).  What did you make of these observations?
14. What did Samuel’s story add to the novel?
15. Discuss your reading experience.   What were you thinking and anticipating as you were reading?

*****

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.

Wildflower Hill, by Kimberly Freeman

Characters
1920s – 1960s	2009
Beattie Blaxtant-Hunter Henry MacConnell – lover, common-law husband Lucy – daughter Cora - friend Molly – Henry’s wife Beattie’s father – fired professor of natural philosophy Mother – ill Margaret Day Doris Penny – neighbor Tilly and Frank Harrow – general store owners Wildflower Hill: Charlie Harris – Aborigine Mikhail – driver, married Catherine Alice – housekeeper Raphel Blanchard – original owner Terry – farm manager Leo Sampson - lawyer	Emma Blaxtant-Hunter Nana Beattie Ray – grandfather, Beattie’s husband Louise Blaxtant – Hunter – mother Dad Uncle Mike Adelaide – personal assistant Wildflower Hill: Monica Taylor Patrick Penelope Sykes – Historical Society Jimmy Farquhar – owned adjacent farm Hollyhocks – dance troupe Mina Carter Raymond Carter – Mina’s father

 For discussion:

Note: Page numbers are from the paperback 2011 edition.

1. When Beattie left Henry and escaped to Tasmania, was Margaret Day’s immediate kindness realistic?
2. What motivation drove the various characters?  Margaret?  Molly? 
3. Discuss Beattie’s and Molly’s relationship concerning Lucy.   Was there anything that could be done to make it better?
4. Later in her life, do you think Beattie should have told Ray about Lucy and her previous life?
5. Discuss the choices the different characters made.  Did they really have a choice?  Is there anything they could have done differently?  Consider Henry and Beattie moving with Lucy, Beattie leaving Henry, Henry reuniting with Molly and taking Lucy, Lucy telling Beattie not to contact her, the townspeople’s reaction to Beattie?
6. Given the historical time period, were people’s actions regarding Charlie and Beattie understandable? 
7. Could you understand Mina’s father’s actions and his resistance to attending the ballet performance?
8. The cover of my edition showed a picture of a young girl from the shoulders down and wildflowers at the bottom.   What do you think an appropriate cover for this book would be?
9. My edition included an interview with the author.  The final question was about what happened to Emma and Lucy after the story ends.  The author responded that she had no plans for a sequel and wrote the following in a reader’s book who was upset that the ending was open-ended, “And Lucy took Emma inside and loved her to pieces.”   Do you think this is what happened?  Why or why not?

*****
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.

Beautiful Animals, by Lawrence Osborne

REVIEW:  I am not actually sure how I feel about this book.  It was interesting and compelled me to continue reading, but I didn’t really care about most of the characters.   It also seemed a bit far-fetched – I was not sure if the story could really happen.  While I understand this is fiction, I did not think it was meant to be total fantasy.  The positives were that it gave an interesting description of the lives of the very wealthy, although not a positive depiction.  I also have no frame of reference to know if it was accurate.  For me the ending was not satisfying.   Given each author’s purpose the ending does not necessarily have to neatly tie everything up, but this one did not make me think or reflect on what I had read.  My review does not seem very positive, but I did read the whole book and enjoyed the reading experience.  I think it would be a good for a book group – it will certainly lead to a lively discussion.   I received a complimentary copy of the book for this review.  

Characters

Naomi Codrington Jimmie – father Phaine – step-mother Carissa – maid Samantha “Sam” Haldane Amy and Jeffrey – parents Brother – 15 Toby Carhargan – American boy Sam met on island Faound – Arab, castaway Benedetta – Met Faound in Italy, stole money Rockhold – friend of Jimmie’s Susan – assistant in London Girls selling drugs from row boat

For Discussion:

Note: All page numbers are from hardback edition of book.

1. On page 79 (chapter 7) Naomi reflected back on the mistake (“ineptitude and cowardice”) she made during her brief law career and wanted to do something good.  She thought, “Morality was nothing more than paying attention to the chain reaction while not causing another one.”   Should she have foreseen the chain reaction of her good deed to Faound?
2. At times Naomi was very reflective.   Could she have used this trait to focus her life and feel that she was doing something meaningful?  Was saving Faound filling this need?
3. On the second page of chapter 8, Naomi was surprised that she “…felt quite at ease confessing everything to him (Faound), it if was even a confession.”  Why did she feel that she could be so open with him?
4. Were you surprised Naomi and Faound had sex?  Why or why not?
5. Naomi thought it was “reprehensible – no, a vile – thing” (page 96, chapter 8) that Jimmie and Phaine had so many material possessions while so many people had nothing.  Do you think they should feel guilty about what they had?
6. On page 106 (chapter 9) Naomi reflected that, “She wanted to be a Samaritan: the easiest job in the world, and perfect for the useless European middle classes.”  What did you think when you read this sentence?
7. Were you surprised how involved Carissa was willing to be in the break-in and cover-up?  Why?
8. When Faound was in Italy he purchased a pair of very expensive shoes.  The author wrote about shoes, “Shoes - so banal and yet so magnificently significant” (page 170, chapter 16).  What did you think about this sentence?  Do you pay attention to people’s shoes?  What information do they give?
9. On pages 194-195 (chapter 17), Carissa says to Naomi, “You’re just selfish…It wasn’t about helping the migrant, it was about you and your father and Phaine.  I know, they were cruel to you.  It’s not entirely your fault.”   Do you agree?
10. Also on page 195 Naomi says to Carissa, “But I understand.  It’s nothing personal, is it?”  and Carissa replies, “It’s very personal.  I wasted seven years of my life here slaving for you.  I’m not letting it go to waste.”   Were you surprised that Carissa held this resentment for seven years?  Did Jimmie, Phaine and Naomi think Carissa was happy and that they were treating her well?
11. What parts did Sam and the girl in the row boat selling drugs play in the narrative?  Were they necessary to move the story along?  Why or why not?
12. Discuss the various characters.  Who did you feel were sympathetic characters?  Who did you not like?  Why?

*****

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.

Three Pastiches Related to Sherlock Holmes Novels

NOTE: Our local library group is having a “Summer of Sherlock.”  In June, we read Arthur and Sherlock, by Michael Sims.  (This book is about how Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created Sherlock Holmes and who were the models for the detective.)  In July, we discussed the four Sherlock novels written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.   In August, we will discuss three current Sherlock Holmes novels authorized by the Conan Doyle Estate: Moriarty and The House of Silk, by Anthony Horowitz, and The Italian Secretary by Caleb Carr.  The following posting is long, but it contains discussion guides for the three novels as well as a few general questions.

The Italian Secretary, by Caleb Carr

Characters

Sherlock Holmes Dr. John Watson Mycroft Holmes – Sherlock’s brother, confidant of Queen Victoria David Rizzo – murdered 1566 - private secretary to Mary Queen of Scotts Sir Alister Sinclair – murdered – architect at Holyroodhouse Dennis McKay – murdered – foreman Alex Morton – latest of nine to try to kill Queen Victoria Lord Francis Hamilton – resident family member at Holyrood, scamming people about ghost in Holyrood Hackett – butler Andrew – son – footman Robert Sadler – park gillies “Likely Will” Sadler – armourer – partner of Lord Francis in scam Alison Mackenzie – pregnant by “Likely Will”

 For Discussion:

NOTE: Page numbers are from 2005 paperback edition

1. Do you think the depiction of Sherlock Holmes in this modern novel agrees with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original character?  In your discussion consider the following:
1. On page 176 Holmes is very complimentary to Alison Mackenzie and makes similar compliments to Andrew on page 182.
2. Did you have unanswered questions when you were done with the book?  Where these “red herrings” to throw the reader off?  If so, were they effective?  The two things that I wished had been explained (and maybe I just missed it) were:
1. The Queen’s toothache – on page 102 Holmes asked which tooth it was and on page 109 he said that the dentist was of great importance.
2. What was the significance of the lute and sheet music at the end?
3. Did you like the addition of the ghost?  In the “Afterword” written by Jon Lellenberg, the U.S. Representative of the Conan Doyle Estate, he wrote that, “I am not sure Sir Arthur Conan Doyle would approve…” but cited The Hound of the Baskervilles as “excuse and inspiration” (page 330).

The House of Silk, by Anthony Horowitz
Characters
Sherlock Holmes Dr. John Watson Mycroft – Sherlock’s brother Inspector Lestrade Ridgeway House: Edmund Carstairs Catherine – wife (Keelan O’Donaghue) Eliza – sister Mother – died of gas asphyxiation Baker Street Irregulars: Wiggins Ross Dixon Sally Dixon – Ross’ sister	Flat Cap Gang: Keelan O’Donaghue Rourke O’Donaghue Chorley Grange: Reverend Charles Fitzsimmons Joanna – wife Mr. Vesper – teacher Robert Weeks – teacher House of Silk: Inspector Harriman Dr. Thomas Achland Lord Horace Blackwater Honorable Alec Ravenshaw

 For Discussion:

NOTE: Page numbers are from paperback edition.

1. Did you think that the subject matter (pedophilia) was a bit riskier than what Sir Arthur Conan Doyle would write?   Was it effective?
2. How many places did you find that the author paid homage to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle?  Two that I picked out were the mention of the short story, “The Red-headed League” (page 101), and where Sherlock explained to the pawn broker how he deduced so much about him similar to when Sherlock first met Dr. Watson (page 111) in A Study in Scarlet.

Moriarty, by Anthony Horowitz
Main Characters
Good Guys	Bad Guys
Athelney Jones – Scotland Yard Elspeth – wife Beatrice – daughter Robert Lincoln – son of Abraham Lincoln, American Envoy in London Police: Lestrade Gregson Multiple others NOTE: Jones, Lestrade and Gregson are characters from The Sign of Four	Frederick Chase – Pinkerton – narrator, a.k.a. James Moriarty Jonathan Pilgrim Colonel Sebastian Moran – sharpshooter Perry Clarence Devereux – agoraphobia, a.k.a. Coleman DeVriess Edgar and Leland Mortlake Scotchy Lavelle Highgate: Scotchy Lavelle – tortured and murdered Henrietta – Lavelle’s mistress - murdered Clayton - petty criminal - murdered Mary Stagg – survived Cook and Kitchen boy – murdered Chancery Lane: Silas Beckett – barber, a.k.a. John Clay Archie Cooke – hurdy-gurdy man, a.k.a. Duncan Ross

For discussion:

NOTE: Page numbers are from the paperback edition.

1. When Beatrice was being held captive and Devereux was using her as a bargaining tool to get Jones and Chase to meet with him, there were two lines of thinking about Devereux’s motivation.  Which did you think was correct?  Did your opinion change when you finished the book?
1. On page 271 Jones felt that Elspeth did not need to worry, that Devereux had nothing to gain by hurting them,
2. On page 272 Chase thought that Devereux had a more sinister plot than just wanting to talk with them, Devereux might kill them simply because it was his nature.
2. When Jones and Chase were held captive, Jones still had his walking stick.   Did you think this was logical or did you question this?  Why?
3. What did you think when you finished the book?  How was it different from what you expected?
4. If there is a sequel what do you think it will be about?
5. Moriarty thought he had left clues for the reader to figure out who he was – see page 346.   Did you pick up any clues?  Were you at any time suspicious that there was a twist coming?
6. Discuss your reading experience?   Did you start the book with any preconceived ideas that were not correct?

General Discussion

1. How true were these three novels to the Conan Doyle canon?  Would Sir Arthur Conan Doyle approve?
2. If you read more than one, which did you enjoy the most?  The least?  Why?
3. Why do you think Sherlock Holmes continues to be so popular?

*****

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 Four Sherlock Holmes Novels, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

NOTE: Our local library group is having a “Summer of Sherlock.”  In June, we read Arthur and Sherlock, by Michael Sims.  (This book is about how Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created Sherlock Holmes and who were the models for the detective.)  In July, we will discuss the four novels listed below.  In August, we will discuss three current Sherlock Holmes novels authorized by the Conan Doyle Estate: Moriarty and The House of Silk, by Anthony Horowitz, and The Italian Secretary by Caleb Carr.

Characters
Sherlock Holmes Dr. John Watson
A Study in Scarlet	The Sign of the Four	The Hound of the  Baskervilles	The Valley of Fear
John Rance – constable Lestrade – detective Tobias Gregson – detective Victims: Enoch J. Drebber Joseph Stangerson John Ferrier Lucy – adopted daughter Jefferson Hope For discussion: How were the warning signs placed in the Ferrier’s home?	Gregson Lestrade Athelney Jones – police Mary Morstan Captain Morstan - father Mrs. Cecil Forrester – Mary’s employer Mrs. Hudson – housekeeper Major John Sholto Thaddeus – son Bartholomew – son The sign of the four: Jonathan Small Mahomet Singh Abdullah Khan Dost Akbar Tonga – with Small Baker Street irregulars Wiggins – leader For discussion: In this book in particular the police detectives were more prominent and took the credit for solving the crime.  Why did this not bother Sherlock more?	Sir Charles Baskerville -descendent of Hugo, murdered Mr.  Henry Baskerville – son of Charles’ 2nd brother Stapleton – son of Rodger, Charles’ 3rd brother Beryl – wife John Barrymore – butler Eliza – wife Selden – Notting Hill murderer, escaped, Eliza’s brother John Mortimer Mr. Frankland – neighbor, always filing law suits Hound – phosphorus on mouth to mimic flames	Dr. Moriarty Inspector MacDonald White Mason – local officer Sergeant Wilson – Sussex police John Douglas – Birlstone Manor a.k.a. Birdy Edwards – Pinkerton, also John McMurdo Ivy - 2nd wife Cecil Barker Ames – butler Mrs. Allen – housekeeper Ted Baldwin – bicyclist In America: Ancient Order of Freemasons #341 (Scowrers) Councillor Jack McGinty John McMurdo Brother Morris Ted Baldwin - rival for Ettie Mike Scanlon – McMurdo’s roommate Shafter – boarding house Ettie - daughter

For Discussion:

1. Sherlock felt that his skill as a detective was because he could reason backwards (analytically).  On the other hand, being able to reason forward (synthetically) was more useful in everyday life (A Study in Scarlet, Part 2, Chapter 7).   Do you agree?  When would each type of thinking be useful?
2. In The Sign of the Four, Sherlock listed skills necessary for a good detective.  How did he exhibit these skills?
1. Never guess.  “It is a shocking habit – destructive to the logical faculty” (chapter 1).
2. Never overlook the simple things.  “It is just these very simple things which are extremely liable to be overlooked” (chapter 10).
3. Eliminate all wrong answers to determine correct one. “Eliminate all other factors, and the one which remains must be the truth” (chapter 1).
4. Examine objects used every day to learn about the person. (chapter 1)
5. Also, in The Valley of Fear, Sherlock said he liked to be in the place where the crime happened to see if he could learn anything from the atmosphere.  “I’m a believer in the genius loci” (Part 1, chapter 6). 
3. Referring back to learning about a person by examining what they use every day, what would the things you use and touch every day tell Sherlock about you?
4. Many mystery writers include a red herring, false clue, to throw off the reader.  Were there any red herrings in the novel you read?
5. Three of the four stories (nor Hound of the Baskervilles) almost had two separate stories, one about the crime and Sherlock Holmes’ detective work and the second the back story of the crime.  Did you like this approach?
6. In The Sign of the Four, Sherlock restated a premise by Winwood Reade that “as an individual man is an insoluble puzzle, in the aggregate he becomes a mathematical certainty” (chapter 10).   Do you agree?  Were there examples in this novel or the other three?  What about in our current world?
7. If you read Arthur and Sherlock, by Michael Sims, how did that information influence your reading of the four novels?
8. If the novels were published today would they be any different?

*****

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, wordassocciattion.com and barnesandnoble.com.  Click on the upper right link.