Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Tobias believes that “the land is a gift from the Lord for everybody’s use and it’s not right for anybody to lay claim to it” (219). What personal philosophy do you hold regarding land ownership and environmental stewardship?

2. When Zech witnesses animals sharing water at the drought pond, he observes a natural harmony that humans seem incapable of achieving. What situations have you observed where animals display more wisdom than humans?

3. What experiences have shaped your definition of family, considering how the MacIveys expanded to include non-blood relatives like Skillit and Frog?

4. Sol’s approach to land development contrasts sharply with his grandfather’s reverence for the wilderness. Describe a time when you felt caught between honoring tradition and embracing progress.

5. What conversations do you wish you had prioritized with someone important in your life, reflecting on the regrets expressed by Tobias after Emma’s death or Zech after Glenda’s?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. A Land Remembered portrays the racial dynamics of post-Civil War Florida, including the treatment of Seminoles and former slaves. What connections do you see between these historical depictions and contemporary conversations about racial justice?

2. The novel tracks Florida’s transformation from wilderness to developed land. What parallels exist between the environmental changes depicted in the book and current debates about development versus conservation?

3. What aspects of the MacIveys’ evolving approach to wealth—from Tobias’s focus on survival to Sol’s aggressive capitalism—reflect broader shifts in American values?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Smith uses natural disasters as pivotal plot points throughout the novel. What purpose do these environmental catastrophes serve in advancing both the plot and the development of key characters?

2. The drought pond scene, where predators and prey drink peacefully together, contrasts sharply with human behavior in the novel. What statement might Smith be making about human nature through this comparison?

3. Examine the three MacIvey men’s relationships with nature: Tobias surviving, Zech taming, and Sol conquering. What does this evolution suggest about changing American attitudes toward the natural world?

4. How do the female characters (Emma, Glenda, Tawanda, Bonnie) either challenge or reinforce the gender roles of their time periods?

5. What symbolic seeds does Smith plant throughout the novel to foreshadow characters’ future development? How does this approach mirror Sol’s kookaben scheme, which foreshadows his career as a developer?

6. How do the ghosts recurring throughout the novel play into its themes?