Grays Hill
Barbara T. Cerny, 2010
Strategic Book Publishing
280 pp.
ISBN-13: 9781631353420
Summary
Oksana and Rafe mix like oil and water. Can she melt his hardened heart and breathe life back into him once again or will he stay on the sidelines forever?
After her father committed suicide rather than face his mounting gambling debts, Oksana Wallingford knows she will have to work in order to keep food on the table and her younger brother, the new baron, in school. When her best friend finders her a position as the nanny of his brother's children, it is the opportunity Oksana needs. But what she didn't contend with was Rafe, the recently widowed Duke of Essex and her new employer.
Oksana and Rafe's personalities are like oil and water. However, what begins as mutual hate slowly begins to change into something more. But what future can they have when Rafe has sworn off marriage for good?
As the mismatched pair struggles to come to terms with one another, a disaster that throws everything into question strikes them both.
Author Bio
• Birth—N/A
• Where—Denver, Colorado, USA
• Education—A.S., Mesa State College; B.S., Arizona State University; M.S., Lehigh University
• Currently—Oakwood, Ohio
Author Barbara T. Cerny grew up in Grand Junction, Colorado, which at that time was a small town of 30,000 people.
She left that little burg to see the world, garner three college degrees, and to serve in the US Army. After eight years on active duty and fourteen years in the reserves, she retired as a lieutenant colonel in 2007.
While deployed to the Middle East in 2005, Ms. Cerny finally figured out she had to get going on the real love of her life, writing. She wrote her first two novels during that time and hasn’t stopped. She is presently working on novels number seven, eight, and nine.
When not writing, Ms. Cerny works as an information technology specialist and supervisor for the US Air Force. She lives with her loving husband, their two active teenagers, two needy cats, and two turtles. The turtles patiently watch her write and listen to her intently as she discusses plot lines with them. (From the author.)
Visit the author's website.
Follow Barbara on Facebook...and Twitter.
Book Reviews
Duke’s staff, his estate and his children, there will be blood. Blood boiling, curdling and pumping at the rapier speed of desire. A rapier, as fans of armed combat will recall, is a thin sword, used in fencing, thrusting attacks, and in this novel, courtship. The two will feint, stab, lunge, and add insult to injury—while trying valiantly not to fall for and over each other. Kudos to Cerny for creating a female protagonist who can match wits and parry with the best of them. Grays Hill turns romance into a fun sporting event where you find yourself cheering the opponents onto victory. Score, love.
Lucy Wang, Indie Reader
Cerny writes wonderfully, capturing the realities of her chosen time and the constraints of a stifling system, which she does with unimpeachable expertise
BookViral
I liked the relationship development. Many books are weak on that. This is not immediate lust and sex. Rafe and Oksana have interesting interactions and conflicts for a long time before that happens. What I liked best was how they "desired" each other.
Jane Stewart, Amazon Top 100 Reviewers.
Discussion Questions
1. Grays Hill is set in the late 1700's early 1800s. Does this time period work best for this story? Could this story happen today?
2. Oksana is overweight and very tall. How do you think that makes her feel in that time period? Did it add to or detract from the story? How?
3. The Duke is hiding a child with Down Syndrome. We cope with that very differently today but some countries still hide their "imperfect" people. How does that make you feel? Do you agree or disagree with hiding handicap?
4. In many romance novels, the two main characters fall into bed and love immediately. Is this realistic for the time period? How about for today? Do you like a quick fall then some conflict, or a slow build with the conflict?
5. There is a lot of fencing in the book. Do you think a woman would have actually fenced in that time period? Would a Duke allowed her to learn or even taught her?
6. The author’s favorite lead into a love scene in all her books is this one—"The only Tarkington you will every sleep with will be me!" How did that line make you feel? If a man said that to you would you swoon or run for your life?
7. If you were writing the ending of Rafe and OJ’s story, what would it be?
8. What is your take on OJ and Geoff’s friendship? Are you glad they remained friends or would you rather have seen them become lovers and have their happily ever after instead?
(Questions courtesy of the author.)
Up and In
Deborah Disney, 2014
HarperCollins
258 pp.
ISBN-13: 9781460704356
Summary
A laugh-out-loud debut that will delight fans of Liane Moriarty and Fiona Higgins, this is The Devil Wears Prada at the school gates!
Distinctly middle-class parents, Maria and Joe have committed every bit of available income to giving their daughters Kate and Sarah the best education possible, which to them means attending the most exclusive girls school in the state.
But when Kate befriends the spoilt and moody Mirabella, Maria must learn to play nicely with Mirabella's mother, Bea—the beguiling yet beastly queen of the toffee-nosed school mothers at Riverton.
A series of social blunders and intentional snubs make Maria determined to ensure Kate's rightful position both at school and on the Saturday morning netball team, but as Maria works hard to negotiate the social hierarchy, her previously contented life with Joe falls far from view.
With her mastery of dialogue and character, Australian author Deborah Disney skillfully balances keen and witty observations about daily life with the more serious issues of schoolyard bullying and social isolation.
You will laugh, you will nod along, and you will want to take the increasingly neurotic Maria aside and point out that in all her desperate, gaffe-filled attempts to fit in with the well-heeled, champagne-swilling mummies of Riverton, she might just be risking all that she holds dear. (From the publisher.)
Author Bio
• Birth—May 5, 1970
• Where—Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
• Education—B.A., L.L.B., University of Queensland
• Currently—lives in Brisbane, Queensland
Australian author, Deborah Disney, practised as a litigation lawyer prior to finding her true calling in the school pick-up line where she started typing a little story on the notes app on her iPhone one afternoon. That little story turned into a book, and before too long that book turned her into a published author with HarperCollins.
Deborah is Wife to a patient and understanding man, and Mum to two school-aged daughters and one Border Collie, all of whom take turns at being her favourite. The two things she values most in people are kindness and humour. And when they praise her work. Which she finds both kind and funny, as she can't imagine writing novels ever feeling anything like work.
Deborah's first novel, Up and In, hit the bestseller charts on both Amazon and iBooks in Australia and has also enjoyed international acclaim. Deborah is currently working on her second novel, which is about in-laws. (From the author.)
Follow Deborah on Facebook.
Book Reviews
My stand-out fiction read for 2015.
Rebecca Sparrow, author, Mammamia columnist and host of So What Are You Reading?
This story showcases a world where motherhood is a competitive sport ... highly recommended.
Chicklit Club (High Raters)
While the book is satirical and clearly a mummy-mafia-on-speed version of events, it has so many nuggets of truth that Up and In is destined to become the next must-read for any mum navigating schoolyard politics.
Kidspot Parenting Magazine
I am so excited that this is Deborah Disney's debut novel. It's accomplished, compelling and one of those novels that will tug at the heartstrings one minute and have you giggling the next. Warm, extremely well-written and a complete delight to read. If you're looking for a light, funny, yet insightful novel then congratulations—you've found it!
Bookaholic Holly
Discussion Questions
1. Is Maria essentially more self-absorbed, or more compassionate?
2. What motivates Maria's desire for Kate to be included in activities with, and accepted by, the daughters of the beas?
3. At what point, if any, can Maria truthfully say she doesn't care what Bea thinks of her?
4. Kate comments that Maria and Bea are alike. Do these two women have any similar attributes or flaws?
5. Are Maria’s observations about the beas always fair?
6. Which character is the least likeable?
7. What factors have contributed to Kate’s loss of confidence?
8. Is honesty or positivity more important when providing your child with feedback about their pursuits?
9. Would this story have played out similarly if the characters had been soccer mums (of boys) instead of netball mums?
(Questions courtesy of the author.)
Of Angels and Orphans
Barbara T. Cerny, 2009
Strategic Book Publishing
351 pp.
ISBN-13: 9781631353413
Summary
Orphaned Nate will do anything for his Angel Audra. However, is he willing to become the most wanted jewel thief in the kingdom for her?
Audra Markham is a ten-year-old girl born into privilege, but only in the sense of wealth. The granddaughter of a Viscount, Audra is the object of ridicule in her spoiled and spiteful family. Alone and unloved, Audra seeks solace in the comfort of food.
In another part of London thirteen-year-old Nathaniel Abbot lives a wretched life, forced to steal food in order to survive. Living in squalid conditions at the local orphanage, Nathaniel and three of his friends are spared further suffering when Audra “rescues” them from their plight.
Two lost souls that cannot find their place in the word suddenly find a place in each other’s hearts. Follow the lives of Audra and Nate as they grow from loyal childhood companions to inseparable young lovers, struggling through the perils of their own lives and facing difficult decisions that threaten to keep them apart.
Author Bio
• Birth—N/A
• Where—Denver, Colorado, USA
• Education—A.S., Mesa State College; B.S., Arizona State University; M.S., Lehigh University
• Currently—Oakwood, Ohio
Author Barbara T. Cerny grew up in Grand Junction, Colorado, which at that time was a small town of 30,000 people.
She left that little burg to see the world, garner three college degrees, and to serve in the US Army. After eight years on active duty and fourteen years in the reserves, she retired as a lieutenant colonel in 2007.
While deployed to the Middle East in 2005, Ms. Cerny finally figured out she had to get going on the real love of her life, writing. She wrote her first two novels during that time and hasn’t stopped. She is presently working on novels number seven, eight, and nine.
When not writing, Ms. Cerny works as an information technology specialist and supervisor for the US Air Force. She lives with her loving husband, their two active teenagers, two needy cats, and two turtles. The turtles patiently watch her write and listen to her intently as she discusses plot lines with them. (From the author.)
Visit the author's website.
Follow Barbara on Facebook...and Twitter.
Book Reviews
A wonderful, incredibly touching, incredibly well-done story about the quiet power of personal connection.
Steve Donahue - Historical Novel Society.
5-stars! I really loved the narration style and the picturesque way the story is presented. Taking the readers to the old Georgian era is not a small feat. The cobbled streets, the cobbler, the smithy or even the highwayman, all contributed in creating the aura of that era. Each character was well etched. The change in the atmosphere of the story from England to America was subtle, yet present. A job well done Ms. Cerny.
Rubina Ramesh - The Book Club.
5-stars! I was given this book by the author in return for an honest review. What an exceptionally well written story. I fell in love with this book and its characters. Set in the 18th century it tells the story of a love between an orphan and a rich child that only grows as they grow. The lengths that they will go to in order to be together is remarkable!!! This is a truly wonderful story and I can’t wait to read more by this author!
Janie Lucas, #38 Top Reader - Goodreads
Discussion Questions
1. OAAO is set in the late 1700's early 1800s. Does this time period work best for this story? Could this story happen today?
2. Audra thinks of herself as fat, ugly, and unloved by her family. Why do you think she feels this way? Did you ever feel this way while you were growing up --- as if you weren't actually a part of your own family? Do you think that’s a common feeling for some children?
3. Nate, Audra, Jack, and Joey commit a crime to save Audra from having to marry the Duke. Do you think this was the right move for them? Did the author over step the boundaries of her moral authority to make these teens commit such a horrible act?
4. Nate falls in love with 10-year old Audra nearly immediately. Is this possible? Was it love or gratitude? Have you ever had immediate chemistry with someone you've met, either in a friendship or a romantic relationship? Do you believe it's a physical response or an emotional one?
5. Audra is forced to kill her own brother in a fencing match to the death. Where do you think she found the strength, fortitude, or hatred (whatever you want to call it) to do that final, fatal action against her brother?
6. The author originally wrote this as a full romance novel, complete with sex scenes (still found in eBook version). She took them out to allow her daughter to read it. Do you feel it would have been better/worse/different with the sex scenes added back in? Which scenes? Lady Sarah seduces Nate and he spends that summer at the estate as her lover? Audra invites Nate to her (twice) before her marriage as she can't imagine if things fell through, giving herself first to Cleveland? In the bell tower of the church? Jack with Moira when the others left for the pub? Indy with Joey when she crept into his room?
7. If you were writing the ending of Nate and Audra's story, what would it be?
8. What did you think of Jack's interesting way of taking the jewels during the kidnapping? Did it do anything for the story? For Jack's character?
(Questions courtesy of the author.)
After the Crash
Michel Bussi, 2015
Hachette Books
384 pp.
ISBN-13: 9780316309677
Summary
Psychological suspense at its finest—a consuming tale of one child, two families, and the dark secrets that define us all.
Just after midnight on December 23, 1980, a night flight bound for Paris plummets toward the Swiss Alps, crashing into a snowy mountainside. Within seconds flames engulf the plane, which is filled with holiday travelers. Of the 169 passengers, all but one perish.
The sole survivor is a three-month-old girl—thrown from the airliner before fire consumes the cabin.
But two infants were on board. Is "the Miracle Child of Mont Terri" Lyse-Rose or Emilie?
The families of both girls step forward to claim the child. Dogged by bad luck, the Vitrals live a simple life, selling snacks from a van on the beaches of northern France. In contrast, the de Carvilles, who amassed a fortune in the oil business, are powerful-and dangerous.
Eighteen years later, a private detective tasked with solving the mystery of the girl known as "Lylie" is on the verge of giving up. As he contemplates taking his own life, Crédule Grand-Duc suddenly discovers a secret hidden in plain view. Will he live to tell it?
Meanwhile, Lylie, now a beautiful university student, entrusts a secret notebook into the hands of Marc, the brooding young man who loves her, and then vanishes. After Marc reads the notebook's contents, he embarks on a frantic search for Lylie.
But he is not the only one looking for her. (From the publisher.)
Author Bio
• Birth—April 29, 1965
• Where—Louviers, Eure, France
• Education—N/A
• Awards—more than 15 French national, regional and local prizes
• Currently—lives in Normandy, France
Michel Bussi is the celebrated French aiuthor of nearly 10 detective novels, a political commentator, and Professor of Geography at the University of Rouen. After the Crash (2015) is his first book to appear in English.
Career
Bussi began writing in the 1990s. He wrote his first novel, set around the Normandy landings, when he was a young geography lecturer at the University of Rouen, but it was rejected by several publishing houses. He then wrote short stories, but they too were rejected.
Ten years later, inspired by a trip to Rome at the peak of popularity of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code, and by a centenary edition of Arsene Lupin by Maurice Leblanc, Bussi resumed work on his manuscript. In 2006 he finished his book, Code Lupin, and found an academic publisher. The first manuscript, however, was reworked nine times before publishing. It sold more than 7,000 copies, and in 2010 was serialized over thirty days by the Paris Normandie daily newspaper.
Bussi now publishes a book a year although they can take several years to become popular. Both Mourir sur Seine (2008) and Nympheas Noirs (2011), for example, achieved only modest success at first. But a combination of the paperback editions, serializations, and finally his major bestseller, Un avion Sans Elle, propelled him into the limelight.
Most of his novels are set in Normandy. His local topicality, together with his teaching and research in Normandy, won him the title of Parrain Officiel (official sponsor) during the 2014 Normandy Festival, a regional festival celebrated throughout Normandy and beyond.
According to the Le Figaro/GfK list of bestsellers, Bussi was one of the 10 bestselling French writers of 2013, selling close to half a million books. (Adapted from Wikipedia. Retrieved 1/10/2015.)
Book Reviews
A novel so extraordinary that it reminded me of reading Stieg Larsson for the very first time...I doubt I'll read a more brilliant crime novel this year.
Sunday Times (UK)
You find yourself quite frantic to know the truth, before this cleverly constructed, smart mystery concludes by delivering a delicious sting in the tail.
Sunday Express (UK)
A richly satisfying story...a hugely enjoyable ride.
Irish Independent
[A]n insightful thriller. A three-month-old girl...is the sole survivor of a 1980 airline crash..., and the primitive DNA testing of the time can’t provide an [identity].... This fascinating tale of intrigue and murder delves into complicated family bonds as it builds to a surprising and shocking conclusion.
Publishers Weekly
When he's not working as a geography professor at the University of Rouen, Bussi is one of France's best-known crime writers. But he really hit the jackpot with this book, which was on the best sellers list in France for two years.
Library Journal
[A]n intriguing premise, but many things about his narrative will frustrate readers, including DNA test results that no one bothers to read, and when people do, they keep the results secret.... Lots of initial promise, but the plot proves improbable and the execution melodramatic.
Kirkus Reviews
Discussion Questions
Use our LitLovers Book Club Resources; they can help with discussions for any book:
• How to Discuss a Book (helpful discussion tips)
• Generic Discussion Questions—Fiction and Nonfiction
• Read-Think-Talk (a guided reading chart)
(We'll add specific questions if and when they're made available by the publisher. In the meantime, use our generic mystery questions.)
GENERIC DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Mystery / Crime / Suspense Thrillers
1. Talk about the characters, both good and bad. Describe their personalities and motivations. Are they fully developed and emotionally complex? Or are they more one-dimensional heroes and villains?
2. What do you know...and when do you know it? At what point in the book do you, the reader, begin to piece together what happened?
3. Good crime writers are skillful at hiding clues in plain sight. How well does the author hide the clues in this work?
4. Does the author use red-herrings—false clues—to purposely lead readers astray?
5. Talk about plot's twists & turns—those surprising developments that throw everything you think you've figured out into disarray. Do they enhance the story, add complexity, and build suspense? Are they plausible? Or do the twists & turns feel forced and preposterous—inserted only to extend the story.
6. Does the author ratchet up the story's suspense? Did you find yourself anxious—quickly turning pages to learn what happened? How does the author build suspense?
7. What about the ending—is it satisfying? Is it probable or believable? Does it grow out of clues previously laid out by the author (see Question 2). Or does the ending come out of the blue? Does it feel forced...tacked-on...or a cop-out? Or perhaps it's too predictable. Can you envision a better, or different, ending?
8. Are there certain passages in the book—ideas, descriptions, or dialogue—that you found interesting or revealing...or that somehow struck you? What lines, if any, made you stop and think?
9. Overall, does the book satisfy? Does it live up to the standards of a good crime story or suspense thriller? Why or why not?
(Generic Mystery Questions by LitLovers. Please feel free to use them, online or off, with attribution. Thanks.)
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The Revenant
Michael Punke, 2002
Picador
272 pp.
ISBN-13: 9781250072689
Summary
Punke's novel opens in 1823, two decades after the trailblazing expedition of Lewis and Clark, when thirty-six-year-old Hugh Glass joins the Rocky Mountain Fur Co. on a venture into perilous, unexplored territory.
A seasoned frontiersman, Glass is scouting ahead of the main troop when he is attacked and savagely mauled by a grizzly bear. His wounds are grievous—scalp nearly torn off, back deeply lacerated, throat clawed open—and he is unconscious when his fellow trappers find him.
Though they wait for Glass's death, he is still drawing breath three days later.
Facing hostile territory and the press of winter, the expeditions captain pays two volunteers—John Fitzgerald, a ruthless mercenary, and young Jim Bridger, the future "King of the Moutain Men"—to stay behind and bury Glass when his time comes. But the fidelity of these volunteers proves short-lived.
When Indians approach their camp, Fitzgerald and Bridger abandon Glass. Worse yet, they rob the wounded man of his rifle and knife, even his flint and steel—the very things that might have given him a chance on his own. Deserted, defenseless, and furious, Glass vows his survival. And his revenge. (From the publisher.)
Author Bio
• Birth—December 7, 1964
• Where—Torrington, Wyoming, USA
• Education—B.A., Georgetown University; J.D., Cornell University
• Currently—lives in Missoula, Montana
Michael Punke is a writer, novelist, professor, policy analyst, policy consultant, attorney and currently the Deputy United States Trade Representative and US Ambassador to the World Trade Organization in Geneva, Switzerland.
He is best known for writing The Revenant: A Novel of Revenge (2002), which was adapted into film in 2015, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy.
Early life and education
The son of Butch Punke, a high school biology teacher and Marilyn Punke, Michael Punke grew up in Torrington, Wyoming with a younger brother named Tim and a sister named Amy, where they all engaged in various outdoor activities in the wilderness like fishing, hunting, hiking, shooting, and mountain biking
As a teenager, he spent at least three summers working at the Fort Laramie National Historic Site working as a "living history interpreter." He was also a debate team champion in high school, which he graduated early from to attend the University of Massachusetts Amherst, later transferring to George Washington University, where he graduated with a degree in International Affairs. He later attended and received his law degree from Cornell Law School, where he focused on trade law. He was elected Editor-in-Chief of the Cornell International Law Journal.
Career
After receiving his law degree, Punke worked in the 1990s as a government staffer for Senator Max Baucus (D-Montana). Specifically, from 1991-92, Punke served as International Trade Counsel to Baucus, who was also then Chairman of the National Finance Committee's International Trade Subcommittee. While working for Baucus, Punke met his wife Traci.
During 1993-95, Punke served at the White House as Director for International Economic Affairs and was jointly appointed to the National Economic Council and the National Security Council.
In 1995-96, Punke became a Senior Policy Advisor at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, where he advised on issues ranging from intellectual property law to trade and agricultural law. He also worked on international trade issues from the private sector, including as a partner at the Washington, D.C., office of Mayer, Brown, Rowe, & Maw. From 2003 to 2009, Punke consulted on public policy issues out of Missoula, Montana.
In 2009, President Barack Obama elected Punke to currently serve as the Deputy U.S. Trade Representative and U.S. Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva, Switzerland. Obama's election of Punke for this position was also confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 2011.
Writing
Punke is the author of The Revenant: A Novel of Revenge, which was published in 2002.
He allegedly came up with the idea for the novel after reading a couple of lines in a history book about real-life frontier fur trapper Hugh Glass. When he began writing the book in 1997, he would show up by 5:00 a.m. at the law office where he worked, write for roughly three hours, and then do his legal job for the next eight to ten hours. As part of the process, he conducted extensive research on Glass, including setting up and testing actual hunting traps.
The book took a total of four years to complete, and according to his brother Tim, Punke caught pneumonia at least four times during the writing process. When Revenant was finally published, in 2002, it received little fanfare. However, Director Alejandro G. Inarritu discovered the novel and, realizing its film potential, immediately purchased the rights. Inarritu championed it and eventually attracted other producers and directors. The film, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy, was released in 2015.
Afterward, Punke relocated with his wife Traci and their two children to Missoula, Montana, where he worked part-time as a policy consultant and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Montana. He also finished two non-fiction books (and their screenplays):
2007 - Last Stand: George Bird Grinnell, the Battle to Save the Buffalo, and the Birth of the New West. 2013 - Fire and Brimstone: The North Butte Mining Disaster of 1917
Punke was also the historical correspondent for Montana Quarterly magazine. (Adapted from Wikipedia. Retrieved 1/7/2016.)
Book Reviews
A superb revenge story.... Punke has added considerably to our understanding of human endurance and of the men who pushed west in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark--a significant feat.
Washington Post
A captivating tale of a singular individual.... Authenticity is exactly what The Revenant provides, in abundance.
Denver Post
One of the great tales of the nineteenth-century West.
Salt Lake Tribune
[P]ainfully gripping drama.... Glass survives against all odds and embarks on a 3,000-mile-long vengeful pursuit of his ignominious betrayers. Told in simple expository language, this is a spellbinding tale of heroism and obsessive retribution.
Publishers Weekly
The American West of the 1820s is a harsh and unforgiving place, something that experienced trapper and frontiersman Hugh Glass knows all too well.... Verdict: A must-read for fans of Westerns and frontier fiction and recommended for anyone interested in stories that test the limit of how much the human body and spirit can endure. —Sarah Cohn, Manhattan Coll. Lib., Bronx, NY
Library Journal
Like any frontiersman, Hugh finds that he can't hope to survive, much less succeed, without the help of the Indians, and he soon acquires a knowledge of their ways and lore. Eventually, his former betrayers find themselves face to face with a Revenant—a man come back from the dead. A good adventure yarn, with plenty of historical atmosphere and local color.
Kirkus Reviews
Discussion Questions
1. While Michael Punke was reading a book about the American West, he discovered a snippet about Hugh Glass. Fascinated by Glass’s story, he began to study his life and times, research that would find its way into his novel, The Revenant. How does the fact that many of the characters were real historical figures affect your reading? Would the novel have been as compelling if it had been entirely fictional?
2. While we live in much different times than Glass, grizzly bear attacks are not unheard of. If you were in Glass’s position, how would you have reacted? What could Glass have done differently?
3. After the bear attack renders Glass immobile and near death, the Captain asks his brigade for two volunteers to stay behind and tend to Glass until he passes. Bridger agrees to stay to "salve his wounded pride," and Fitzgerald stays solely for the extra money. Do you think Bridger’s reason to stay is any better than Fitzgerald?
4. Shortly after Glass is abandoned, he has a dream that he is attacked by a rattlesnake. When he wakes, he realizes it was just a dream, and he also discovers that his fever has broken. What could this dream represent?
5. As the novel progresses, Punke provides backstories for some of the central characters, including Glass, via flashback. We learn that Glass was once employed as a freighter captain for Rawsthorne & Sons’. After learning of his father’s death, Glass hops aboard a Spanish merchant ship to return to Philadelphia to tend to family matters. When the ship is captured by pirates, Glass decides that in order to survive he has little choice but to join the pirates. What does this action say about Glass? Even though he was held against his will, should he be considered a criminal?
6. Glass’s mother and fiance died while he was held by the pirates, so with no real reason to return to the east, he joins the Rocky Mountain Fur Company on their venture into the upper Missouri. Punke writes that Glass "could not explain or articulate his reasons" for joining, and that his reason for joining "was something that he felt more than understood." What could this mean? What did "The West" represent in America in Glass’s time? How has this representation changed over time?
7. During Glass’s time on the frontier, he is faced with many challenging situations. At several points, he has to do things that most of us living in 21st-century North America would find difficult, such as eating rodents and raw meat. Under the same circumstances do you think you would be able to eat rodents and raw meat? Are there any other things that Glass does in order to survive that 21st-century North Americans would find especially difficult?
8. Punke uses dreams as a device to gain insight into a character’s subconscious. Bridger has a dream that he is stabbed in the chest by a mysterious specter with the knife he stole from Glass. Who or what could this specter represent? Does Punke want readers to feel empathy for Bridger? If so, why?
9. At Fort Brazeau, Kiowa Brazeau shows Glass a map of Lewis and Clark’s explorations to which Kiowa has contributed details over the past decade. Punke tells us that "the recurrent theme [of the map] was water." Why were the locations of creeks and other water bodies so important?
10. Kiowa offers Glass a job at the fort, but Glass refuses. Kiowa tells Glass that he finds his quest for revenge to be a "bit of silly venture." Do you agree? Do you think Glass would have been able to survive the frontier alone without his burning desire for revenge?
11. Glass has a respect for Native Americans that is unusual for a white man of this period. How would you describe Glass’s relationship with the Native Americans? What is it about Glass’s approach and personality that allows for the diplomatic interactions he has with most of the Native Americans he encounters?
12. While on the mission to mend ties with the Arikara, Lengevin, Glass, and the rest of the crew are attacked by the Arikara. La Vierge is shot and his brother Dominique refuses to leave him. Glass feels he has no choice but to flee in order to ensure his own survival. Is his decision to leave the wounded behind any different from Fitzgerald’s and Bridger’s decision to leave him? If so, how?
13. When Glass finally manages to find Bridger at Fort Union, he immediately attacks him. However, Bridger does not fight back which compels Glass to end his assault. Why does Glass decide not to kill Bridger? Has Glass forgiven Bridger?
14. At Fort Atkinson Glass finally comes face-to-face with Fitzgerald. Glass, however, is not able to get the revenge he so desperately desires, as Major Constable decides that Fitzgerald will be tried in court. In the seemingly lawless frontier, a trial does seem odd, but is this move toward order and due process a positive and necessary one? Does Fitzgerald’s punishment fit his crime?
15. The novel closes with a conversation between Captain Henry and Bridger. Bridger asks the Captain for permission to join the group of men who are traveling over the Rocky Mountains. The Captain says he is free to go. Why do you think Punke gives the final scene to Bridger rather than Glass?
(Questions issued by the publisher.)