We are a book club that is in Ogden, Utah. We are a group of people who love to read and share our insights. We welcome anyone who wants to join and discuss.
Book Choice for July 2019
Fablehaven by Brandon Mull
Chosen by Melissa Sparks
Summary....
For centuries mystical creatures of all description were gathered into a hidden refuge called Fablehaven to prevent their extinction. The sanctuary survives today as one of the last strongholds of true magic. Enchanting? Absolutely. Exciting? You bet. Safe? Well, actually, quite the opposite.
Kendra and her brother, Seth, have no idea that their grandfather is the current caretaker of Fablehaven. Inside the gated woods, ancient laws keep relative order among greedy trolls, mischievous satyrs, plotting witches, spiteful imps, and jealous fairies. However, when the rules get broken -- Seth is a bit too curious and reckless for his own good -- powerful forces of evil are unleashed, and Kendra and her brother face the greatest challenge of their lives. To save their family, Fablehaven, and perhaps even the world, Kendra and Seth must find the courage to do what they fear most.
Discussion questions
Spoiler alert! Some of the questions contain key elements of the plot. Do not read if you don't want to know what happens!
There can be great protection from exact obedience. How is this principle reinforced for Seth? For Kendra?
Kendra is generally a rule keeper, while Seth is a rule breaker. How did their attitudes evolve over the course of the book?
Consequences serve an essential role for maintaining order and justice and harmony. How do laws help to keep order in Fablehaven? How are Kendra and Seth affected by the consequences of their decisions?
It can be a challenge to find the courage to do what we fear most. What enables Kendra to do something that terrifies her?
Many of the creatures in Fablehaven have roots in various mythologies, particularly Greek. Can you identify which creatures come from which mythologies?
Several of the creatures of Fablehaven personify specific attributes. What do the fairies seem to personify? The satyrs? The cliff troll? What are the strengths and weaknesses of those characteristics?
Lena spends part of her life as a naiad, in an unchanging state. What aspects of mortality does she like? What does she dislike? How do you think she feels about being returned to the water? Was it fair for the fairies to do that?
Fablehaven exists to help protect and conserve vanishing magical species. Why is that worthwhile? Why do you suppose Grandpa Sorenson even wants to protect the dangerous creatures?
There is a promise at the front of the book that none who enter Fablehaven will leave unchanged. How do their experiences at Fablehaven change Seth and Kendra?
Book Choice for June 2019
Rhythm and Bluegrass by Molly Harper
Chosen by Allison Hess
Summary.... Bonnie Turkle, multimedia historian for the Kentucky Commission of Tourism, is dispatched to Mud Creek, a tiny eastern Kentucky town, with few prospects but many oddballs, to rescue important artifacts from McBride’s Music Hall. Now fallen beyond disrepair, McBride’s was once a jewel of the early American music scene, an intersection of the country-western and rhythm and blues circuits. The former owner’s grandson, Will McBride, who also happens to be Mud Creek’s esteemed mayor, would like nothing more than to see the place bull-dozed in favor of a factory that will provide much-needed jobs to his citizens. But Bonnie finds evidence of a legendary musical event at the music hall and her plans to turn it into a museum put Mud Creek’s economic future at risk – not to mention the growing flirtation between the two of them. If Will and Bonnie can’t find common ground, the town’s past and future will be lost.
Book Choice for May 2019
Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
Chosen by Laura Baumgarten
Summary.... Elantris was the capital of Arelon: gigantic, beautiful, literally radiant, filled with benevolent beings who used their powerful magical abilities for the benefit of all. Yet each of these demigods was once an ordinary person until touched by the mysterious transforming power of the Shaod. Ten years ago, without warning, the magic failed. Elantrians became wizened, leper-like, powerless creatures, and Elantris itself dark, filthy, and crumbling.
Arelon's new capital, Kae, crouches in the shadow of Elantris. Princess Sarene of Teod arrives for a marriage of state with Crown Prince Raoden, hoping -- based on their correspondence -- to also find love. She finds instead that Raoden has died and she is considered his widow. Both Teod and Arelon are under threat as the last remaining holdouts against the imperial ambitions of the ruthless religious fanatics of Fjordell. So Sarene decides to use her new status to counter the machinations of Hrathen, a Fjordell high priest who has come to Kae to convert Arelon and claim it for his emperor and his god.
But neither Sarene nor Hrathen suspect the truth about Prince Raoden. Stricken by the same curse that ruined Elantris, Raoden was secretly exiled by his father to the dark city. His struggle to help the wretches trapped there begins a series of events that will bring hope to Arelon, and perhaps reveal the secret of Elantris itself.
A rare epic fantasy that doesn't recycle the classics and that is a complete and satisfying story in one volume, Elantris is fleet and fun, full of surprises and characters to care about. It's also the wonderful debut of a welcome new star in the constellation of fantasy.
Elantris Reading Group Questions
(WARNING: SPOILERS!)
Several people have asked for a list like this, so I wrote it! If you have a local book club, please consider suggesting Elantris to them. Then, you can use questions from the author himself to guide your discussion!
1) Most people who read the book find themselves gravitating toward one of the three characters. Which was your favorite, and why? Did you find yourself disliking the time I gave to other characters, and if so, which one was your least favorite?
2) The format of the book is a little bit unique. I use a ‘chapter triad’ system, where I rotate through the three viewpoints covering roughly the same period of time thrice over. How do you think this enhanced/detracted from the book? Did you even notice?
3) Some of the cultures in ELANTRIS were based, obviously, on ones from our world. (JinDo, Duladel.) Others were developed specifically for the book. (The Elantris society, most of Fjordell society.) Which culture felt the most real to you, and why?
4) The ending of the book was devised to stand out from the rest of the work. The chapter triad system broke down, the tone changed from ‘political intrigue’ to ‘outright warfare’ and the viewpoints began to speed up, moving in quick rotation. Did you like the rushed feeling of the ending, or did you find it too overwhelming? Why? Which of the twists were your favorite? Which ones did you see coming, and which ones surprised you?
5) The magic in ELANTRIS was designed to be one of its more unique points, which makes it ironic that for most of the book, it doesn’t work. What were your thoughts on this? Did you like the scientific approach to magic, or would you have preferred something more mystical? What parts of the magic system and its plotting did you like, and which did you find unimportant?
6) Hrathen’s death has been discussed very extensively in several groups I know. What were your opinions on his demise?
7) Where do YOU think the Seons came from, and how do they relate to the magic of AonDor?
8) Elantris was written as a stand-alone book. That doesn’t mean, however, that I’m not planning to eventually do more in this world. What would you like to see in a sequel?
9) Speaking of sequels, here’s what I’M planning. A book that takes place ten years after the events of ELANTRIS. It would occur in the capitol city of Fjorden, and would star Kiin’s children as viewpoint characters along with a Seon viewpoint character. The plot of the book: Wyrn has declared that Jaddeth, the Derethi God, is going to finally return. (A new interpretation of the scriptures says that he’ll return when everyone east of the mountains converts, so they don’t have to worry about Teod and Arelon.) Kiin’s family, ambassadors to the Fjordell state, has to deal with the chaos of this announcement, and investigate the truth behind the Dakhor magic. Thoughts?
10) Would you read any more of Brandon Sanderson’s books? (Hint: Mistborn is already out, and it’s really good!)
Book Choice for April 2019
Frontier Grit: The Unlikely True Stories of Daring Pioneer Women by Marianne Monson
Chosen by SaraBeth Nye
Summary.... These are the stories of twelve women who "heard the call" to settle the west and who came from all points of the globe to begin their journey: the East Coast, Europe, and as far away as New Zealand. They endured unimaginable hardships just to get to their destination and then the next phase of the story begins. These are gripping miniature dramas of good-hearted women, selfless providers, courageous immigrants and migrants, and women with skills too innumerable to list. All the women in this book did extraordinary things. One became a stagecoach driver, disguised as a man. One became a frontier doctor. One was a Gold Rush hotel and restaurant entrepreneur. Many were crusaders for social justice and women's rights. All endured hardships, overcame obstacles, broke barriers, and changed the world, for which there are inspiring lessons to be learned for the modern woman.
This meeting was actually a fun one. We got to learn a lot from each other and our choices. There were some that couldn't make due to prior obligations. But, we found out their choices and I thought it would be fun to post them here.
Amber Campbell: Full Measure with Sharyl Attkinson - The Vaccination Debate.
Today we investigate one of the biggest medical controversies of our time: vaccines. There’s little dispute about this much-- vaccines save many lives, and rarely, they injure or kill. A special federal vaccine court has paid out billions for injuries from brain damage to death. But not for the form of brain injury we call autism. Now—we have remarkable new information: a respected pro-vaccine medical expert used by the federal government to debunk the vaccine-autism link, says vaccines can cause autism after all. He claims he told that to government officials long ago, but they kept it secret.
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Full Measure is a weekly Sunday news program focusing on investigative, original and accountability reporting. The host is Sharyl Attkisson, five-time Emmy Award winner and recipient of the Edward R. Murrow award for investigative reporting. She is backed by a team of award winning journalists.
SaraBeth Nye: A Delectable Education Podcast
Through weekly conversations, three moms who have studied the Charlotte Mason method of education and put her ideas into practice in their homes join together to share with one another for the benefit of listeners by giving explanations of Mason's principles and examples of those principles put into practice out of their own teaching experience. These short discussions aim at providing information, support, and encouragement for others by unfolding the myriad aspects.
Jamie West: Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini
In Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker, novelist Jennifer Chiaverini presents a stunning account of the friendship that blossomed between Mary Todd Lincoln and her seamstress, Elizabeth “Lizzie” Keckley, a former slave who gained her professional reputation in Washington, D.C. by outfitting the city’s elite. Keckley made history by sewing for First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln within the White House, a trusted witness to many private moments between the President and his wife, two of the most compelling figures in American history.
In March 1861, Mrs. Lincoln chose Keckley from among a number of applicants to be her personal “modiste,” responsible not only for creating the First Lady’s gowns, but also for dressing Mrs. Lincoln in the beautiful attire Keckley had fashioned. The relationship between the two women quickly evolved, as Keckley was drawn into the intimate life of the Lincoln family, supporting Mary Todd Lincoln in the loss of first her son, and then her husband to the assassination that stunned the nation and the world.
Keckley saved scraps from the dozens of gowns she made for Mrs. Lincoln, eventually piecing together a tribute known as the Mary Todd Lincoln Quilt. She also saved memories, which she fashioned into a book, Behind the Scenes: Thirty Years a Slave and Four Years in the White House. Upon its publication, Keckley’s memoir created a scandal that compelled Mary Todd Lincoln to sever all ties with her, but in the decades since, Keckley’s story has languished in the archives. In this impeccably researched, engrossing novel, Chiaverini brings history to life in rich, moving style.
Melissa Sparks: Saints 1815-1846 The Standard Of Truth by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days presents the inspiring true story of the women and men who dedicated their lives to establishing The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints across the world. Unlike past histories, which were primarily written as reference works, Saints is written as a narrative that is engaging to read.
“Saints is a different kind of history,” said Ben Godfrey, product manager for the Saints project. “Instead of a dry recitation of the facts, Saints relates the events through the eyes of the people who lived them. The result is fast-paced and enjoyable to read.” Saints is also a multilayered history that allows readers to explore topics in depth with links to explanatory topics and the primary sources behind the text. It is based on decades of rigorous research. Every event, character, and statement is supported by historical sources. There is no historical fiction here, the history’s writers and editors say.
The explanatory Church History Topics provide detail that goes beyond the narrative. Each article has links to additional reading and trustworthy supporting sources. Readers will find links to the topic articles in the footnotes in Saints, or they can find them in the Church History section of the Gospel Library app or by visiting saints.lds.org.
Elder Steven E. Snow, Church Historian and Recorder and a General Authority Seventy, explained that “Saints was prepared in response to the Lord’s commandment to ‘keep the church record and history continually’ (Doctrine and Covenants 47:3).”
Cover of the first volume of Saints.
Speaking of the importance of Saints today, especially for younger generations of Church members, Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said, “The young adults of the Church are truly remarkable. They face important life decisions during a time when Satan is raging in the hearts of men and women everywhere.
“I believe we will discover that even though times have changed, the same principles that helped the early Church members overcome their trials of faith will be equally valuable for us today.” Saints illuminates aspects of Church history that have been lesser known or misunderstood. It includes details and context that are important for understanding topics like violence in Missouri and Illinois, plural marriage in the early Church, the Kirtland Safety Society, and many more. Saints is also a global history, presenting the experiences of women, men, and children involved in important events of the Restoration all over the world.
The first volume in the series, titled The Standard of Truth, covers the period from Joseph Smith’s youth through the dedication of the Nauvoo Temple (1815–1846). It will be available on September 4 in 14 languages digitally and in print in English. Print editions in other languages will follow before the end of the year.
Melissa Johnson: Counting Stars by Michele Paige Holmes
Jane was hoping for a date - maybe even a boyfriend. What she wasn't expecting was Paul Bryant's completely original and sincere pick-up line: Hi. I'm Paul. I have terminal cancer. My wife was killed in a car accident, and I'm looking for a woman to raise my children.
Allison Hess: Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowley
The central character in the series is Harry Potter, a boy who lives in Surrey with his aunt, uncle, and cousin – the Dursleys – and discovers, at the age of eleven, that he is a wizard, though he lives in the ordinary world of non-magical people known as Muggles.[8] The wizarding world exists parallel to the Muggle world, albeit hidden and in secrecy. His magical ability is inborn, and children with such abilities are invited to attend exclusive magic schools that teach the necessary skills to succeed in the wizarding world.[9] Harry becomes a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a wizarding academy in Scotland, and it is here where most of the events in the series take place. As Harry develops through his adolescence, he learns to overcome the problems that face him: magical, social, and emotional, including ordinary teenage challenges such as friendships, infatuation, romantic relationships, schoolwork and exams, anxiety, depression, stress, and the greater test of preparing himself for the confrontation that lies ahead in wizarding Britain's increasingly-violent second wizarding war.[10]
Each novel chronicles one year in Harry's life[11] during the period from 1991 to 1998.[12] The books also contain many flashbacks, which are frequently experienced by Harry viewing the memories of other characters in a device called a Pensieve.
The environment Rowling created is intimately connected to reality. The British magical community of the Harry Potter books is inspired by 1990s British culture, European folklore, classical mythology and alchemy, incorporating objects and wildlife such as magic wands, magic plants, potions, spells, flying broomsticks, centaurs and other magical creatures, the Deathly Hallows, and the Philosopher's Stone, beside others invented by Rowling. While the fantasy land of Narnia is an alternate universe and the Lord of the Rings'Middle-earth a mythic past, the wizarding world of Harry Potter exists parallel to the real world and contains magical versions of the ordinary elements of everyday life, with the action mostly set in Scotland (Hogwarts), the West Country, Devon, London, and Surrey in southeast England.[13] The world only accessible to wizards and magical beings comprises a fragmented collection of overlooked hidden streets, ancient pubs, lonely country manors, and secluded castles invisible to the Muggle population.
The Harry Potter Rap
Tracy White: Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies about Who You Are So You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be by Rachel Hollis
With wry wit and hard-earned wisdom, popular online personality and founder of TheChicSite.com founder Rachel Hollis helps readers break free from the lies keeping them from the joy-filled and exuberant life they are meant to have.
Founder of the lifestyle website TheChicSite.com and CEO of her own media company, Chic Media, Rachel Hollis has created an online fan base of hundreds of thousands of fans by sharing tips for living a better life while fearlessly revealing the messiness of her own. Now comes her highly anticipated first book featuring her signature combination of honesty, humor, and direct, no-nonsense advice.
Each chapter of Girl, Wash Your Face begins with a specific lie Hollis once believed that left her feeling overwhelmed, unworthy, or ready to give up. As a working mother, a former foster parent, and a woman who has dealt with insecurities about her body and relationships, she speaks with the insight and kindness of a BFF, helping women unpack the limiting mind-sets that destroy their self-confidence and keep them from moving forward.
From her temporary obsession with marrying Matt Damon to a daydream involving hypnotic iguanas to her son's request that she buy a necklace to "be like the other moms," Hollis holds nothing back. With unflinching faith and tenacity, Hollis spurs other women to live with passion and hustle and to awaken their slumbering goals.
Rachel Hollis: How To Build Confidence, Believe In Yourself, And Become Your Best Self.
This was the first book that launched our Book Club in January 2018. Since then we have grown as close friends. We are happy of what we've become. We have gotten to know each others from members to close friends.
We are going to be changing it up a bit. We'll be watching the movie from 2017 with our husbands as a date night. Amber Campbell has opened up her home for the event. At this time it will be announce on when we are having this. You are welcome to read or re-read the book. This date night with be a dinner and a movie.
Movie / Book Choice for March 2019
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie (Movie - 2017)
Chosen by Amber Campbell
Summary...
On the book: What more can a mystery addict desire than a much-loathed murder victim found aboard the luxurious Orient Express with multiple stab wounds, thirteen likely suspects, an incomparably brilliant detective in Hercule Poirot, and the most ingenious crime ever conceived?
Cast from the 2017 Movie (I'm super excited, A LOT of excellent actors):
Book Choice for February 2019
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
Chosen by Jamie West
Summary...
A foundling, an old book of dark fairy tales, a secret garden, an aristocratic family, a love denied, and a mystery. The Forgotten Garden is a captivating, atmospheric and compulsively readable story of the past, secrets, family and memory from the international best-selling author Kate Morton.
Cassandra is lost, alone and grieving. Her much loved grandmother, Nell, has just died and Cassandra, her life already shaken by a tragic accident ten years ago, feels like she has lost everything dear to her. But an unexpected and mysterious bequest from Nell turns Cassandra’s life upside down and ends up challenging everything she thought she knew about herself and her family.
Inheriting a book of dark and intriguing fairytales written by Eliza Makepeace—the Victorian authoress who disappeared mysteriously in the early twentieth century—Cassandra takes her courage in both hands to follow in the footsteps of Nell on a quest to find out the truth about their history, their family and their past; little knowing that in the process, she will also discover a new life for herself.
Media Choice for January 2019 Your Choice Chosen by The Book Club
Note...
We each get a few minutes to discuss the Media of our choice. Book Reports and Dioramas are greatly appreciated. :)!
I want to share a few of my favorites from each category for ideas.
Books:
The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin
The Martian by Andy Weir
The Art Forger by B.A. Shapiro
Shanghai Girls by Lisa See
Delirium by Lauren Oliver
(I have a much-much longer list)
Movies:
Lost in Translation
The Martian
Airplane!
Caddyshack
Wonder Woman
(Again, I have a much longer list)
TV Shows:
Lost
The Walking Dead
Riverdale
Man in the High Castle
Superstore
(I also have a much-much longer list)
Podcasts:
Things I Missed In History Class
Cold (This is about the Susan Powell case. This is an independent investigation by Dave Cawley of KSL Newsradio. It includes diary entries from Susan and Josh Powell and interviews from family, friends and co-workers.)
NPR Fresh Air by Terry Gross
Crafting & Coffee with Amy Latta
Sewing Out Loud
The Moth (There is some language by it's people telling stories about things that happened in their lives and situations. There's varieties funny, sad and human stories).
LibriVox (This is a podcast that independent readers record public domain audiobooks like Frankenstein, Sherlock Holmes, Pride and Prejudice, Anne of Green Gables, etc. People donate their voice to read theses wonderful written works of art.)
Book Choice for November 2018
Man's Search For Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
Chosen by Laura Baumgarten
Summary...
Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl's memoir has riveted generations of readers with its descriptions of life in Nazi death camps and its lessons for spiritual survival. Between 1942 and 1945 Frankl labored in four different camps, including Auschwitz, while his parents, brother, and pregnant wife perished. Based on his own experience and the experiences of others he treated later in his practice, Frankl argues that we cannot avoid suffering but we can choose how to cope with it, find meaning in it, and move forward with renewed purpose. Frankl's theory-known as logotherapy, from the Greek word logos ("meaning")-holds that our primary drive in life is not pleasure, as Freud maintained, but the discovery and pursuit of what we personally find meaningful.
At the time of Frankl's death in 1997, Man's Search for Meaning had sold more than 10 million copies in twenty-four languages. A 1991 reader survey for the Library of Congress that asked readers to name a "book that made a difference in your life" found Man's Search for Meaning among the ten most influential books in America.
Discussion Questions
1. What do you think Frankl’s views of religion are and how are these reflected through his experiences and/or theories?
2. Throughout the book, particularly Part One, Frankl does not identify himself as Jewish. Why do you think this is?
3. Explain Frankl’s theory of success. Do you agree or disagree with him?
4. What is "barbed wire sickness" (p. 7)?
5. What is the significance of Frankl’s reasons for staying in Austria?
6. Identify some "‘Frankl-isms"that you find inspirational or with which you identify.
7. According to Frankl, “An abnormal reaction to an abnormal situation is normal.” What is does he mean by this paradox? How can you relate it to a time in your own life?
8. What is the "ultimate freedom" according to Frankl?
9. Frankl says that to be alive in the camp meant that one had lost his scruples: "The best of us did not return." What does he mean by this? How does the statement reflect life in the concentration camps during the Holocaust?
10. Why do you think that cigarettes and smoking were the last pleasures enjoyed before death? Why or how would they signal imminent death to other prisoners?
11. What were the "phase 1" reactions following entry into the concentration camp scene? What were the "“phase 2" reactions to being well-entrenched in the concentration camp routine?
12. What were the "phase 3" reactions to being released and liberated from a concentration camp? Explain your understanding of the gradual shift in reactions.
13. What do you think Frankl’s definition of love is? Does it fit into Frankl’s philosophy of existentialism?
14. How does Frankl’s wife give his life meaning?
15. Read pp. 37–41 passage about Frankl’s wife. How do these passages explain or exemplify the separation of the mind from the body?
Read p. 29 passage. Compare and contrast to this famous passage from Elie Wiesel’s Night:
Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed. Never shall I forget that smoke. Never shall I forget the little faces of the children, whose bodies I saw turned into wreaths of smoke beneath a silent blue sky. Never shall I forget those flames which consumed my faith forever. Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which deprived me, for all eternity, of the desire to live. Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself. Never.
16. Talk about the passage on pp. 86–87 that questions the over-simplification of decent vs. indecent or good vs. evil among human beings in the Holocaust.
17. According to Frankl, how do suffering and death complete life and give it meaning?
18. Twice Frankl mentions the fear that "we were heading to Mauthausen." What does he mean?
19. What is Frankl’s advice to the hut/block for staying alive?
20. Explain how responsibility is a crucial component of logotherapy?
21. How does Frankl explain survival in the camps with regard to logotherapy?
22. Do you agree or disagree with Frankl that " mass neurotic syndrome" is pervasive in the young generation of today? How can it be combated through logotherapy then?
23. Regarding the movie analogy on p. 143: Discuss the relevance/analogy of this passage to your own life. Do you think that the movie analogy is a good example for Frankl’s view of existentialism?
24. How do you know if or when any single situation or event in your life has been actualized? How does this movie analogy force you to reflect upon your own life?
25. According to Frankl, what are the three main avenues for reaching meaning in life?
Book Choice for October 2018
Flight of the Sparrow: ANovel of Early America by Amy Belding Brown
Chosen by Sarah Beth Nye
Summary... She suspects that she has changed too much to ever fit easily into English society again. The wilderness has now become her home. She can interpret the cries of birds. She has seen vistas that have stolen away her breath. She has learned to live in a new, free way....
Massachusetts Bay Colony, 1676. Even before Mary Rowlandson is captured by Indians on a winter day of violence and terror, she sometimes found herself in conflict with her rigid Puritan community. Now, her home destroyed, her children lost to her, she has been sold into the service of a powerful woman tribal leader, made a pawn in the on-going bloody struggle between English settlers and native people. Battling cold, hunger, and exhaustion, Mary witnesses harrowing brutality but also unexpected kindness. To her confused surprise, she is drawn to her captors’ open and straightforward way of life, a feeling further complicated by her attraction to a generous, protective English-speaking native known as James Printer. All her life, Mary has been taught to fear God, submit to her husband, and abhor Indians. Now, having lived on the other side of the forest, she begins to question the edicts that have guided her, torn between the life she knew and the wisdom the natives have shown her.
Based on the compelling true narrative of Mary Rowlandson, Flight of the Sparrow is an evocative tale that transports the reader to a little-known time in early America and explores the real meaning of freedom, faith, and acceptance.
Questions for Discussion
1. What was your overall response to the novel? What did you feel? What did you learn?
2. Discuss Mary Rowlandson’s relationships with the three men in her life—Joseph, James, and Samuel.
What does she give and what does she receive from each relationship? 3. Mary Rowlandson lives in a society ruled by men in which women were allowed few of the freedoms that we take for granted today. Identify those constraints, discuss how they might have helped or hurt the Bay Colony’s survival, and discuss how women might have found meaning in life despite them.
4. As an Indian captive, Mary feels freed from the constraint of “mutual watch,” the “relentless scrutiny of each other’s conduct required of all church members.” Discuss the idea of mutual watch as it plays out in the novel, and what it might be like to live under such a system. Can you think of any modern-day equivalents?
5. Mary experiences both cruelty and kindness at the hands of her Indian captors. Compare their behavior toward her to the cruelty and kindness shown her by her husband, Joseph, and other members of English society.
6. Discuss the various forms that freedom and imprisonment take in the novel. What role does the sparrowplay in the author’s exploration of those ideas?
7. While living with the Indians Mary begins to find beauty, peace, and sacred mystery in the wilderness. How does she initially view the natural world and what inspires this change? Compare her experience of the natural world to your own.
8. Mary becomes convinced that slavery and physically punishing her children are wrong, and she stands up to her husband Joseph on these issues. What makes her so sure she is correct to reject them? Is mere conviction enough, or is something else required?
9. James Printer tells Mary, “We have both bought our redemption at a terrible price.” And Mary realizes that she felt redeemed when she followed the promptings of her heart. Discuss the many meanings of redemption in the novel.
10. The Puritan worldview differs markedly from our own. Discuss their beliefs as they relate to God’s love and punishment, child rearing, grief, the infectious nature of sin, slavery, obedience to authority, and salvation. In what ways are these ideas still part of current thought and practice? In what ways have our thinking changed?
11. Because their exposure to another culture has changed their beliefs and perceptions, both Mary and James feel estranged from their original people. Have you ever felt estranged from your own “group of origin”? Care to share your experience?
12. Have you read other “captivity narratives,” either those from previous centuries or those written by recent, contemporary captives (such as Elizabeth Smart and Jaycee Dugard)? How do they compare with Mary Rowlandson’s story?
13. What do you most admire about Mary? What makes her story relevant today?
14. What do you hope to remember about this novel six months or a year from now? Do you think that some part of it will remain with you for even longer than that?
