Jasper Fforde
Three separate interviews in which Jasper Fforde discusses the Thursday Next series, his Nursery Crime novels and Shades of Grey, the first in a trilogy set in a future world recognizable as our own - but only just.
Abraham Verghese
An interview with Abraham Verghese about his life and writing and in particular about his extraordinary 2009 novel Cutting for Stone, set in 1960s and '70s Ethiopia and 1980s New York.
Martha A Sandweiss
An interview with Martha Sandweiss in which she discusses her book Passing Strange, a biography of Clarence King who lived a double life—as the celebrated white explorer, geologist, and writer Clarence King and as a black Pullman porter named James Todd, married to Ada with whom he had five children.
Amy Greene
Amy Greene talks about her first novel, Bloodroot, which brings her native Appalachia—and the faith and fury of its people—to rich and vivid life.
Caution! It is likely that the following questions will reveal, or at least allude to, key plot details. Therefore, if you haven’t yet read this book, but are planning on doing so, you may wish to proceed with caution to avoid spoiling your later enjoyment.
In the
"Note to the Reader," the narrator tells us, "There is a final resource to
which I have resorted when necessary--the imagination." How does she use
this resource in telling her story? Is it a resource to which the other
historians in the book resort, as well?
The theme
of mentors and disciples is an important one in the book. Who are the
story's mentors, and in what sense is each a mentor? Who are the book's
disciples?
Near the
end of Chapter 4, Rossi says, "Human history's full of evil deeds, and
maybe we ought to think of them with tears, not fascination." Does he
follow his own advice? How does his attitude toward history evolve in the
course of his own story?
In Chapter
5, Paul's friend Massimo asserts that in history, there are no small
questions. What does he mean by this and how does this idea inform the
book? Do you agree with his statement?
Helen and
Paul come from very different worlds, although they share a passion for
history. How have their upbringings differed? What factors have shaped
each?
Throughout
the book, anyone who finds an antique book with a dragon in the middle is
exposed to some kind of danger. What does this danger consist of? Is it an
external power, or do the characters bring it upon themselves?
Each of the
characters is aware of some of the history being made in his or her own
times. What are some of these real historical events, and why are they
important to the story?
At the
beginning of Chapter 1, Paul's daughter notes, "I had been raised in a
world so sheltered that it makes my adult life in academia look positively
adventurous." How does she change as a person in the course of her quest?
Helen's
history is deeply intertwined with that of Dracula. In what ways are the
two characters connected? Does she triumph over his legacy, or not?
In Chapter
73, Dracula states his credo: "History has taught us that the nature of
man is evil, sublimely so." Do the characters and events of the novel
prove or disprove this belief?
Reprinted with the permission of the publisher, Little, Brown & Co. Page numbers refer to the hardcover USA edition and may vary in other editions.
Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Back Bay Books.
Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.
Named for a flower whose blood-red sap possesses the power both to heal and poison, Bloodroot is a stunning fiction debut about the legacies—of magic and madness, faith and secrets, passion and loss—that haunt one family across the generations, from the Great Depression to today.
Samara Taylor used to believe in miracles. But her mother is in rehab, and her father seems more interested in his congregation than his family. And when a young girl in her small town is kidnapped, her already-worn thread of faith begins to unravel.
When she's not digging up bones or other ancient objects, quirky, tart-tongued archaeologist Ruth Galloway lives happily alone in Norfolk. But when a child's bones are found on a desolate beach nearby, and Detective Chief Inspector Harry Nelson calls Galloway for help, Ruth finds herself in...
Few works of literature are as universally beloved as Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Now, in this spellbinding historical novel, we meet the young girl whose bright spirit sent her on an unforgettable trip down the rabbit hole –and the grown woman whose story is no less...
The Coral Thief, as riveting and beautifully rendered as Ghostwalk, Rebecca Stott’s first novel, is a provocative and tantalizing mix of history, philosophy, and suspense. It conjures up vividly both the feats of Napoleon and the accomplishments of those working without fame or...
I rarely read anything before this. Years ago I picked this one up and couldn't put it down. It changed me into a book nut. It was a wonderful ...
read more
I can't believe I waited so long to read this book. Shame on me. This book was wonderful, lyrical, entertaining - all the makings of a wonderful ...
read more
The book held so much for the reader but in the end I felt robbed. The evolution of Trudy was disturbing and somewhat insulting. She came across as ...
read more
Justice Department still has issues with Google Settlement(Feb 05 2010) The Department of Justice dealt a serious blow Thursday evening to the chances that the Google Book Search settlement will gain court approval later this...
Full Story
Hachette formally adopts 'agency model'(Feb 05 2010) Hachette Book Group USA became the second major U.S. publisher to officially announce its intention to move to an agency model for the sale of e-books....
Full Story
The Historian
RSS feed
