Saturday, September 5, 2009

Geraldine Brooks

The Pulitzer-Prize winning novel by Geraldine Brooks, March was recently highly recommended to me as a possible book club read. Here's some background information about the book and author. Check out a few discussion questions I found on the web specifically for clubs. Enjoy!

March was awarded the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for literature. It is truly deserving. The novel is engaging as a story, on an historical level, and as a continuation of a well-loved favorite. That Ms. Brooks spent a considerable amount of time researching the period and life in the south during the Civil War is apparent. Rarely is an important work so entertaining. I highly recommend March.

About Geraldine Brooks: Geraldine Brooks is the Australian-American author of four novels. Born and raised in Sydney, she graduated from Columbia University and worked as a reporter for the Wall Street Journal. She lives in Virginia with her husband, Pulitzer Prize winner Tony Horowitz, and their son.

Discussion Questions for March

  1. The causes of the Civil War are many. How are these issues illustrated in the novel?
  2. Mr. March's relationships with Grace and Marmee are pivotal in his life. Discuss the difference in the two relationships and what Mr. March learned from each.
  3. Communication seems to have been a problem between Mr. and Mrs. March. Cite examples of this difference in expectation and reality.
  4. Mr. March left for the war with an idealist's point of view. How did his view of the war change during the year he was away.