59 pages • 1-hour read
Where the Lost Wander
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Book Club Questions
General Impressions
Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.
1. How did this book compare to other historical romances you have read?
2. What did you like most about the novel?
3. Compare the relationship between Naomi and John to the one between Deborah Samson and General Paterson in Harmon’s A Girl Called Samson.
Personal Reflection and Connection
Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.
1. Reflect on your favorite scene in the book and why it evoked an emotional response from you.
2. Discuss how the characters’ different concepts of “home” resonate with your personal experience.
3. Have you ever been in a situation where you were suddenly jolted out of your ordinary life, as Naomi was? What resources did you call upon?
Societal and Cultural Context
Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.
1. Are issues of cultural complexity different in today’s society than they were in frontier America? If so, how are they different?
2. The book deals with the inevitable passing of the Indigenous characters’ traditional way of life. How can groups keep their cultural heritage alive under similar circumstances?
Literary Analysis
Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.
1. What effect did the author’s use of a prologue have on your reading experience?
2. Discuss the way in which John and Naomi’s relationship contributed to their development as characters.
3. Explore the significance of the frontier setting and its contribution to the book’s tone.
4. How do elements of mysticism—Winifred and Washakie’s visions, the mysterious footprints—contribute to the book’s themes?
Creative Engagement
Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.
1. If this book were adapted into a miniseries, who would you cast as Naomi and John?
2. Who would you choose for a sequel focused on one of the surviving May boys: Wyatt, Webb, or Will?
3. Which of your household possessions would you choose to bring along on a wagon train journey to California?
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