Surviving Savannah

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of death, mental illness, and racism.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The novel weaves together the stories of three women across different time periods. What did you find most compelling about the way Callahan connected Everly’s modern-day story with the historical accounts of Lilly and Augusta? How effectively did the dual timeline structure enhance your understanding of the themes?

2. What other novels featuring historical disasters have you read, such as Callahan’s Becoming Mrs. Lewis or Kristen Hannah’s The Four Winds? How does Callahan’s approach to historical tragedy compare to these other works?

3. The title Surviving Savannah works on multiple levels throughout the novel. Which meaning resonated most strongly with you?

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

1. Throughout the novel, Everly struggles with survivor’s guilt after Mora’s death. Have you ever experienced a situation where you questioned why you were spared a hardship that affected others? How did Everly’s journey help you reflect on your own experiences with grief?

2. Lilly faces a critical moment when she chooses not to alert rescuers to Adam’s cries for help, effectively leaving him to die. What do you make of her decision? When have you been faced with a difficult choice that would fundamentally alter your life’s path?

3. Each protagonist has a different perspective on fate versus choice. Which character’s view most closely aligns with your own worldview and why?

4. The artifacts recovered from the Pulaski wreck serve as physical connections to the past. What objects from your family history carry significant stories or meaning for you? How do these objects connect you to your personal history?

5. When diving to the Pulaski wreckage, Everly must choose between life and death. She realizes that despite Mora not being there, everything still matters. How has loss in your own life challenged or changed your perception of what matters most?

6. Papa wisely distinguishes that “[s]ome people didn’t die and some people lived” (322), highlighting the difference between merely surviving and truly living. When in your life have you recognized this distinction?

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

1. The novel portrays the complex relationship between Lilly and her nursemaid Priscilla/Chike. How does Callahan handle the portrayal of enslaved people and the institution of enslavement in the novel? What responsibilities do authors have when depicting historical injustices in fiction?

2. Women’s roles and expectations differ dramatically between Lilly and Augusta’s 1838 world and Everly’s modern reality. What aspects of female independence and societal expectations change the most significantly between these two periods, and which constraints do you think persist in different forms in contemporary society?

3. Everly believes that acknowledging both the good and bad parts of history is essential for healing. She asks, “The story we’re telling is about what survived… How do we possibly explain that except by telling the truth of it?” (361). How do you feel about the way we memorialize tragedies in our society?

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

1. Water functions as a powerful symbol throughout the novel, representing both life and death, beginning and ending. How does Callahan use water imagery to highlight the characters’ emotional journeys? In what ways does water serve as both a barrier and a connector between characters and timelines?

2. The pocket watch recovered from the wreck becomes a crucial symbol connecting the timelines. What significance does the broken watch face, forever frozen at 11:04, hold within the story?

3. Charles Longstreet’s transformation from the “Noble Boy” to the “Red Devil” offers a stark contrast to Augusta’s path. What factors contribute to their divergent responses to the same traumatic event?

4. In what ways does Everly’s professional focus on storytelling and historical preservation reflect the novel’s larger themes about keeping memories alive?

5. Savannah is portrayed as a character itself, with a complex history and presence. What role does the setting play in shaping the characters’ identities and choices? How does Callahan use the city to mirror the themes of survival and duality?

6. Each protagonist faces watershed moments that fundamentally alter their paths. In these pivotal scenes, what techniques does Callahan use to convey the internal transformations occurring within each woman?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Design your version of the interactive museum exhibit about the Pulaski that Everly creates. What elements would you include to help visitors understand both the historical facts and the emotional impact of the disaster?

2. Choose one character to follow beyond the conclusion of the novel. Whose life would you want to explore? What do you imagine their future holds after the events of the book?

3. The novel suggests that Lilly Forsyth found a new life in Michigan, eventually becoming involved in the women’s suffrage movement. Write a short journal entry from Lilly’s perspective 20 years after the Pulaski disaster, reflecting on how her life changed when she chose freedom over returning to Adam.

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