Bone River Reading Guide & Discussion Questions

Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, Ethnology and our BookBrowse Review of Bone River.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. On page 142, when confronted with Baird's request that they collect Indian skeletons, Junius says, "It doesn't matter what I want. Science makes its own demands." Do you think that true? Do you think as Junius does, that in the quest for knowledge, the ends justify the means?
   


2. Junius and Leonie collect not only artifacts, but—once Spencer Baird asks them to—bodies for science and for study. What do you feel about bodies being used as scientific specimens? Is this right or wrong? Why?
   


3. Daniel suggests that Leonie send the mummy to a curiosity museum, where people can see it, and it will be kept whole. What do you think of this idea? Do you think it might have been the right choice? Why or why not?
   

Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Amazon Publishing. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.