Our book club was thoroughly enchanted by this book and by the powerful women who stuck to their ideals and beliefs. I decided to come up with a generic list of book club questions to compel us to dig deeper than did you like the book. Surely wed be held up as grotesques, my beloveds and i, real moral circus freaks. Emma edmonds disguised herself as a man to enlist as a union private, witnessing the bloodiest battles of the war and infiltrating enemy lines. A group for anyone interested in reading and discussing memoirs, autobiographies and biographies. An emotional and compelling read highlighting the extreme poverty and monstrous conditions of the coal mining country of kentucky. Maureen corrigan, npr from awardwinning new yorker staff writer patrick radden keefe, a stunning, intricate narrative about a notorious killing in northern ireland and its devastating repercussions. The book was exceptionally well written and held our interest throughout.
The book also deals with discrimination of the blueskinned people that lived in appalachia. Liar, temptress, soldier, spy karen abbott hardcover. If not, you can visit the publisher or authors website and find online reading guides. Liar, temptress, soldier, spy by karen abbott smart bitches. Want to see these questions in action, and join a fun monthly online book club no awkward silences, promise. The liars club is a memoir by american author mary karr.
Karen abbott, new york times bestselling author of liar temptress soldier spy book club talking points. Abbotts ability to present her subject in an entertaining yet informative manner makes this one a winner. Included are 848 pages of activities in 22 titles plus 18 jeopardytype games. Book club liar, temptress, soldier, spy by karen abbott belle boyd became a spy for the confederate army, using her considerable charms to seduce men on both sides. Book discussion questions books fiction historical fiction book discussion questions. Liar, temptress, soldier, spy is a riveting nonfiction book about four women who conducted espionage and, in one case, fought undercover as a soldier in the civil war. As such, the book is accessible both to readers with prior knowledge of the civil war and new readers looking for a detailed introduction to the period. This asset provides discussion questions for students who are reading this novel. With a cast of reallife characters including walt whitman, nathaniel hawthorne, general stonewall jackson, detective allan pinkerton, abraham and mary todd lincoln, and emperor napoleon iii, liar, temptress, soldier, spy draws you into the war as these daring women lived it. Sarah on the reading zone recommended liar and spy as a terrific. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. As in the most ingenious crime stories, keefe unveils a revelation lying, so to speak, in plain sight.
I may be biased, but moms book nook is the best online moms book club youll find. Dec 14, 2017 my current book club group is much more casual, but perhaps too much so. Two women worked for the north and two for the south. Real lives book club des moines des moines, ia meetup. Liar and spy written by rebecca stead is an interesting book that keeps the reader guessing at every page. The four talented feminine operatives of liar, temptress, soldier, spy all displayed a willingness to put their livesand often their bodieson the line to aid their side in the war between the statesit will surprise no reader of this book that erik larson hailed its author as the john le carre of civil war espionagewith the. We can change meetup locations and book selections for each month based on group preferences. Sep 05, 2016 when you choose a popular book club book, you can often find a wealth of book discussion questions already written for you.
With liar, temptress, soldier, spy, karen abbott has taken history and written it with the eloquence of good fiction. As a member or leader of a book club, you are likely to be reading books on a wide variety of topics, both fiction and nonfiction. At the novels beginning, georges is wary of friendships, having inexplicably. Ive been in a lot of book clubs, and i know its not always easy to get a conversation going on a book. Georges our hero is named after the pointillist georges seurat finds his word turned upsidedown. Liar, temptress, soldier, spy summary supersummary. It is her examination of character motivation and the ways in which we deal with lifes challenges, however, that will resonate long after the surprises are revealed. So when he is recruited into a secret spy club by safer. I came up with the discussion questions for this club meeting with the help of the great website sweet on books. The liars club by mary karr book club discussion questions. The instant new york times bestseller from the author of the newbery medal book when you reach me. The book has a fast beginning that i personally enjoy. Twelveyearold georges the s is silent is named after his moms favorite artist, georges seurat.
Like steads newbery medalwinning when you reach me, it will keep readers guessing until the end when seventh grader georges the s is silent moves into a brooklyn apartment building, he meets safer, a twelveyearold coffeedrinking loner and self. Liar, temptress, soldier, spy is a best book club book for discussion, a novel that shines dramatic new light on the daring and, until now, unsung heroines of women in war. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors. Four women undercover in the civil war by rose1 see profile 062918. The book also describes middleclass urban life in brooklyn and explores alternative methods of parenting and educating kids one of georges friends is homeschooled. Liar, temptress, soldier, spy audiobook listen instantly.
Different in feel and content from when you reach me, it nevertheless pays homage to the intelligence and subtleties possible for middle grade literature. New york times bestseller a masterful history of the troubles. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. The activities are designed to be used mainly as part of an english program, although given the books focus on science, there is a strong science component. When i set out on a book tour to promote the memoir about my less than perfect texas clan, i did so with soulsucking dread. The womens stories weave together to create a detailed picture of the civil war from new perspectives. With so much anticipation, the author can keep you reading for hours. Whether you are discussing characters and their actions, setting, theme, or images, having a guide to questions. Book discussion on liar temptress soldier spy cspan february 22, 2015 2. The book is interesting and exciting and paints incredible pictures of very different women who, love them or hate them, lived unusual lives of great. If your book club decides to read the ghosts of eden park, liar, temptress, soldier, spy, american rose, or sin in the second city, id be happy to join you via phone or skyfacetime. The chapters are short, 5 pages or less, so it is seemingly appropriate for younger readers. Book club questions for an officer and a spy by robert harris may 7, 2014 books an officer and a spy books fiction historical fiction yet again robert harris takes a truelife historical sensation and twists it into a gripping novel.
Aug 21, 2017 ive been in a lot of book clubs, and i know its not always easy to get a conversation going on a book. The book also describes middleclass urban life in brooklyn and explores alternative methods of parenting and educating kids one of georges friends is. Here is the list of everything weve read to date as of march 21, 2020. Halfway through her book, i decided ian fleming could not have invented better spiesnor have written about them with any more suspense.
Yet another thematic layer in liar and spy in the spinning of tales by unreliable storytellers. We meet in a private facebook group and chat about a new book every month. I really loved the book though at one point i was furious with safer. What do you think was the most difficult aspect of being a woman during this time. Author bio birthjanuary 16, 1968 wherenew york city, new york, usa educationb. Many books have reading guides at the end of the book that are perfect to use for your book club. Examine the five different tastes six, if you count bittersweet discussed in liar and spy. Kids wings literature guide and activities for liar and. Safer isnt the only one concocting stories about peoples lives. Consequently, these notes are aimed at upper primary and lower secondary classrooms middle school. Ive found that the best book club discussion questions are ones that are openended and that get people to share their personal opinions. The activities are designed to be used mainly as part of an english program, although given the book s focus on science, there is a strong science component. If youre in the nyc vicinity, or if im passing through your part of the country, id love to join you in person especially if you have cocktails on hand.
General book club questions for study and discussion. No matter the genre, age, notoriety, or length of the book of the moment, book club questions can kickstart or enhance your group discussion. Do you think most women considered their increased responsibilities a hardship or a freedom. Karen abbott illuminates one of the most fascinating yet little known aspects of the civil war. The book woman of troublesome creek discussion questions. Liar, temptress, soldier, spy is quite simply a fun excursion into an obscure aspect of the civil war that deserves a wide audience. If youre ready to start a book club, heres 40 of the best book club questions, for fiction. Published in 1995, it tells the story of karrs childhood in the 1960s in a small industrial town in southeast texas. Liar, temptress, soldier, spy harper perennial by karen abbott isbn. Engage your students in a discussion about why he does this at different points in the novel.
The book will also lead to discussions about bullying. Nov 12, 2012 in liar and spy, newbery winning author rebecca stead offers readers a satisfying novel full of suspense, plot twists, and complex main characters. Liar, temptress, soldier, spy by karen abbott smart. Liar, temptress, soldier, spy reading group choices. She won the 2010 newbery medal for the most distinguished contribution to childrens literature for her second novel. Seventhgrader georges moves into a brooklyn apartment building and meets safer, a twelveyearold selfappointed spy. Recommending new books each month to spark lively conversation.
Book club questions for an officer and a spy by robert. We announce the book selection on the first monday of the month and discuss on the. Plot summary georges the s is silent is a seventhgrader, named after his parents favorite painter, french postimpressionist georges seurat. Safer and they form a spy club to keep tabs on suspicious people in the building.
Its sure to delight history buffs and readers interested in womens studies alike, as well as those who simply enjoy delving into a great, fast. Our 23 hour meetings are primarily a social gathering with a mere 10 minute discussion about the book snuck somewhere in the middle. Seventh grader georges moves into a brooklyn apartment building and meets safer, a twelveyearold selfappointed spy. Liar, temptress, soldier, spy is largely told chronologically. Join in the discussion at the january meeting of our monthly library book club, reading liar, temptress, soldier, spy by karen abbott.
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