Charles Martin’s unforgettable novel is a powerfully emotional and ultimately uplifting story of heartbreaking loss and undying love. Doss and Abbie were the unlikeliest of couples, but they knew that fate had united them in a powerfully beautiful, seemingly endless love. When Abbie faces the ravages of terminal illness, their unshakable love is only strengthened, leading them to embark on a remarkable voyage down the mighty Saint Mary’s River. Where the River Ends chronicles their love-filled, tragedy-tinged journey and a bond that transcends all.

1. What does Doss’s mother teach him in the novel’s opening scenes? What gift does she give him through the words “if you ever find your well empty, nothing but dust–then you come back here … dive in and drink deeply”?
2. Doss recalls overcoming his suffocating asthma and growing up without a father figure. Abbie had to cope with the death of her mother and life with a domineering father. In what ways did Doss and Abbie heal each other through love?
3. Discuss the Saint Mary’s River as a character in Where the River Ends. What “personality” is reflected in the variety of scenes depicting the river? How does the timeless symbolism of water–as cleansing, life-sustaining, and ever-changing–shape its power in the novel? Where does the river ultimately take Doss and Abbie?

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Unfolding through the eyes of a perceptive little boy, When We Were Romans showcases the captivating storytelling power of award-winning novelist Matthew Kneale. Narrating a trip you will not soon forget, nine-year-old Lawrence describes the day his mother whisked him and his sister from their home in Britain to Rome. His adventure becomes a poignant path of discovery about his parents, and a quest to understand his place in their hearts. The questions and discussion topics that follow are intended to enhance your reading of Matthew Kneale’s When We Were Romans.

1. How does Lawrence see the difference between men’s roles and women’s roles? How does he cope with feeling like the man of the family (with tremendous responsibility) as well as his mother’s very young son (with little control over his circumstances)?
2. How did your perception of Hannah change throughout the novel? Did you trust her husband?

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In The Poet of Baghdad, the life story of one of Iraq’s most revered poets, Nabeel Yasin, is framed against the turbulent crises in his homeland that took place before, during, and after the brutal regime of Saddam Hussein. Written by Jo Tatchell, a journalist who has spent many years in the Middle East and who is a close friend of Nabeel Yasin’s, The Poet of Baghdad is the gripping story of a family and its fateful encounter with history.

1. How did Jo Tatchell’s description of life in Iraq differ to how you imagined it before reading The Poet of Baghdad? What does the book reveal that particularly shocked and surprised you?
2. Discuss Nabeel’s mother Sabria. In what ways did Sabria shape the person Nabeel was to become? Do you personally know of a strong woman such as Sabria? If so, how has she impacted your life?
3. “In these uncertain times, a poet’s aim is to reach people with truth,” (page 77). Consider this statement, as well as the fact that Nabeel’s truth-telling through his poetry is what put him at dangerous odds with the Iraqi government. Why did he speak out in this way?

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Eleanor Coppola shares her extraordinary life as an artist, filmmaker, wife, and mother in a book that captures the glamour and grit of Hollywood and reveals the private tragedies and joys that tested and strengthened her over the past twenty years.

1. Eleanor Coppola often refers to the contradictions within herself, these oppositions are an ongoing theme in her life. Discuss how you see this theme play out throughout Notes on a Life. What sort of contradictory characteristics have you encountered in your own experiences?
2. Discuss the various locations to which Eleanor travels with Francis and what effect these settings have on her existence and emotional state. How does filming on location in foreign lands differ from her life at home in Napa Valley? What role does cultural heritage play in shaping the lives of the Coppola family?
3. How does Eleanor react to being thrust into the spotlight when her documentary, Hearts of Darkness, receives critical acclaim? How does this compare to her later artistic endeavors? What does this imply about the nature of fame?

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Christina Schwarz, author of the New York Times bestseller and Oprah’s Book Club pick Drowning Ruth, once again turns her storytelling eye to the evocative landscape of Wisconsin, where life is not as simple–or as innocent–as it seems. Beautifully tracing the emotional labyrinth of a marriage on the brink of collapse, So Long at the Fair is the story of a man struggling to choose between the wife he still loves and the mistress he desires. The questions and topics that follow are intended to enhance your reading.

1. So Long at the Fair reveals the perspectives of multiple characters and dual timelines. In what way did this enhance your reading? How would the storytelling have been affected if you had just seen Jon’s point of view?
2. Jon is portrayed as a perfectionist who is compulsively clean and organized. Yet there are glimpses of areas in his life that defy this, such as an unorganized desk drawer, a car glove box in disarray, and his tendency to misquote the lyrics of well-known songs. What is the significance of these contradictions?

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In The Unlikely Lavender Queen, journalist Jeannie Ralston shares the story of how she went from being a single, driven New York City career woman to a married lavender farmer living in rural Texas. Describing her transition from city mouse to country mouse, and recalling the hilarity and poignancy it brought, Ralston touches upon many themes including self-worth, identity, reconciling big-city dreams with small-town ideals, and the competing interests that sometimes complicate a marriage.

1. The book opens with two quotations, one from Henri Matisse and the other from Alice Walker. Discuss what each means in the context of Jeannie Ralston’s story. Why do you think she chose these particular quotes?
2. In the Prologue, Ralston describes her maiden morning as a farmer, and juxtaposes it with a memory of her life in New York: “I recalled one of the last times I was out at this hour, years earlier. It was on the other side of sleep, right after a New Year’s Eve party, as I was stumbling through SoHo with my then-fiancé.” Have you ever had moments when your current life seems at odds with your past? How does it make you feel? Do you long for the past, or have you “moved on?”
3. Before reading The Unlikely Lavender Queen, did you know anything about botanical farming? What did you learn? Do you think you could be a farmer like Ralston?

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Exhilarating, addictive, and superbly accomplished, All We Ever Wanted Was Everything crackles with energy and intelligence and marks the debut of a knowing and very funny novelist, wise beyond her years. It’s our hope that this guide will help spark a lively conversation that will continue long after you’ve turned the last page.

Read a review at Salon.com and visit Janelle Brown’s website.

1. Discuss the epigraph by J. M. Barrie and its meaning in the novel. How are the notions of failure, success, and personal fulfillment examined in the book and are they complicated by the expectations of family, culture, and society?
2. This novel is centered on three very different women. Explore the concepts of femininity and feminism in the novel and the ways in which Janice, Margaret, and Lizzie reinforce and challenge those models.

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Filled with evocative descriptions of Cambridge, past and present, of seventeenth-century glassmaking, alchemy, the Great Plague, and Newton’s scientific innovations, Ghostwalk centers on a real historical mystery that Rebecca Stott has uncovered, involving Newton’s alchemy. A riveting literary thriller, Ghostwalk is a rare debut that will change the way most of us think about scientific innovation, our perception of time, and the force of history.

1. Before her death, Elizabeth tells Lydia, “Cambridge is just a palimpsest”–a word meaning a parchment that has been written on, scraped off, and used again. What does she mean by this? How does that metaphor figure in the construction of the novel? Could the metaphor of the palimpsest represent anything else in the novel other than the city?
2. At Elizabeth’s memorial service, Cameron reads lines from the Wallace Stevens poem, “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird”:

   When the blackbird flew out of sight
   It marked the edge
   Of one of many circles.

   How are these lines relevant to Elizabeth’s death? What edges of circles, or intersecting lives and stories, does Elizabeth now mark even though she has disappeared from sight?

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The author of the bestselling Leonardo’s Swans traverses the centuries into the hearts of two extraordinary women to reveal the passions, ambitions, and controversies surrounding the Elgin Marbles. Visit Karen’s website at www.karenessex.com

1. What were your initial impressions of Mary and Lord Elgin’s relationship in the opening scenes of Stealing Athena? How do the dynamics of the relationship change as the novel progresses?
2. Discuss the significance of Sir William’s giving Mary the copy of Plutarch’s Life of Pericles in the beginning of the novel. How does this relate to Mary’s understanding of Emma Hamilton, Aspasia, and the varying roles of women in society?
3. How was your reading enhanced when the narration switched from third person, in the more modern scenes with Lord Elgin and Mary, to first person, when Essex introduces Aspasia and the world of ancient Athens? How does this shape your understanding of the characters in Stealing Athena?
4. How would you characterize the relationship between Mary and her parents? How does the fact that Mary is their only child impact that relationship? Is this ultimately beneficial or detrimental to Mary? (more…)

For generations in Jerusalem, a fabled mansion has been the retreat for foreign correspondents, diplomats, pilgrims and spies–but until now, few have known the true story of the house that became the American Colony Hotel or its bizarre history of tragedy, religious extremism, emotional blackmail, and peculiar sexual practices.

1. The “Overcomers” are described as “educated, attractive, mostly well-to-do, and some socially prominent.” Did this affect the way they were viewed by others? Have you ever felt more or less judgmental of particular religious adherents based on superficial characteristics (i.e. mainstream Mormons and Jews versus the less-assimilated Fundamentalist Mormons or Hassidic Jews)?
2. The author quotes Alexis de Tocqueville’s observation that Americans of his day were prone to extreme religious practices and beliefs: “Religious insanity is very common in the United States.” Even today, many Europeans look at Americans as beholden to an outdated puritanical ethic. Does de Tocqueville’s statement still apply to Americans today?

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