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Stella's intelligence and eagerness to please win Baker over. What did you think of their relationship? Do you think it was helpful to Stella, or do you wish her outcome were different?
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5
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12
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March 26, 2026
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Some of the same laws are still in effect today. Can you think of a recent time period when the law/s allowed the government control over individuals?
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8
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24
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March 26, 2026
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The novel is about the mass incarceration of women suspected of promiscuous, immoral, or lewd behavior. Were you aware of this history? Are there other similar instances mass incarcerations in the US that you know of?
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24
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87
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March 26, 2026
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Why do you think Baker is so hostile toward Ruth, who she acknowledges is “attractive without knowing it, strong-willed, intelligent, and knows her own mind”?
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11
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37
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March 26, 2026
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Victoria believes that her loss isn't traumatic enough for her to be in the group; in fact, she doesn't think she's grieving at all. What do you think about her reactions? How does a complicated family history impact the ways we process grief
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5
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17
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March 26, 2026
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Many women were scared or intimidated into submitting themselves to these facilities. Women didn't receive due process through a court system. Why do you think women were the primary focus of immoral behaviors and not men?
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16
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48
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March 26, 2026
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Men, whether in the service or not, if found carrying an infection, underwent treatments while going on with their lives. Considering the era, do you find this disparity "normal"? Why?
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12
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36
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March 26, 2026
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Overall, what did you think of Women of a Promiscuous Nature? (No spoilers in this thread, please!)
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12
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69
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March 26, 2026
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For what audience would you recommend Women of a Promiscusious Nature? Are there other novels or authors you’ve read that are similar in style or content?
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9
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35
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March 26, 2026
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Now that you've finished the book, what are your reflections on the grieving process each character goes through?
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13
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57
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March 25, 2026
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With the exception of Stella and Ruth, Baker disparages the girls in her care, thinking of them as “low-class degenerates” and “promiscuous, diseased, and immoral.” Why do you feel she is unable to find value in more of her charges?
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3
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14
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March 25, 2026
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Ruth Foster lives independently and doesn't understand why this is a problem. Why do you believe it was?
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7
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30
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March 25, 2026
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Of Lidy, Elsie says, "Right or wrong, but never indifferent. She was a Strong through and through." Did you agree with the steely matriarch's decisions to do what she thought best—whether keeping a painful secret or ending a life prematurely?'
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0
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2
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March 25, 2026
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John Flanagan is an idealist whose experiences reflect the arc of Prohibition. How does this "rule follower" fare with a rogue partner, mountain moonshiners and criminals? What finally jolts him out of his passivity to pursue what he really wants?
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0
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1
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March 25, 2026
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Shine is bent on revenge but is continually thwarted. But when she finally has a chance to exact some justice she balks. Later, she muses that mercy & forgiveness are more complicated. How does this shift allow her to move forward?
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0
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1
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March 25, 2026
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Elsie craves a "happily ever after." How does this impact her choices about motherhood and marriage? Eventually she comes to understand that she is stronger than she knew. Do you agree that sometimes we just need to "rescue [our] own damn self"?
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0
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1
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March 25, 2026
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The "cow shoes" that Shine wore to cover her tracks were just one creative way that moonshiners and bootleggers kept their operations clandestine during Prohibition. Have you heard of others that you found particularly clever?
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0
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1
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March 25, 2026
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Hiram calls Shine his "daughter of the spirit." What does he mean? How does Hiram's love and acceptance play a part in Shine's later decision to form and embrace her own unconventional family bonds? In the end, who do you think is the "strongest Strong?"?
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0
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1
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March 25, 2026
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Hiram worships the memory of his dead wife Alta and grieves her; a put-upon Lidy resents her. Rebecca and Elsie crave her softness and stories, while Shine has no memories of her at all. How do you feel about this complicated voiceless character?
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0
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1
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March 25, 2026
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Both Hiram and his abusive father were alcoholics; Jed's drinking dramatically changes his personality for the worse. Yet it becomes their livelihood. How do they deal with this contradiction? What do you suppose none of the Strong daughters drink?
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0
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1
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March 25, 2026
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Lidy Strong knows what people in the Ozark hills call "granny cures." Which one did you find the most interesting or surprising? Can you share one from your own culture or upbringing?
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0
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2
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March 25, 2026
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Several times Carol seems tempted to bump off one of her fellow residents, but then decides she is no longer really interested in her former “hobby.” What do you suppose changed for her, and why?
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15
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61
|
March 25, 2026
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Margaret was a politician who became Home Secretary, but her career ended because of a hot-mic moment on a morning show. What’s your opinion about programs like This Morning? Do you watch any of them? What role do they fill?
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10
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36
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March 25, 2026
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Geoffrey mourns the loss of his identity, feeling “irrelevant.” “Old ladies, at least they were still in charge of the grandchildren’s birthday cards,” he thinks. Is it true that women have more of a place in society as they age than men do?
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18
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53
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March 25, 2026
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The administrators at Sheldon Oaks were aware of Carol’s history. Were you surprised they weren’t more cautious about allowing her to move in? Do you think they should have said anything to the current residents?
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19
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53
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March 25, 2026
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Carol sometimes thinks that “all she’d really done was swap one institution for another.” Do you agree with her? What’s your experience been like with senior living facilities?
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11
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52
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March 25, 2026
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Do you think Carol was naïve to believe she could keep her identity secret?
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21
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82
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March 25, 2026
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1000 Books: April read mix-up
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5
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38
|
March 25, 2026
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The author based this novel on the real-life Kingdom of the Happy Land. Prior to reading this novel, what did you know about the Kingdom of the Happy Land? Were you aware that such a kingdom existed?
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25
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62
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March 25, 2026
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Luella thinks, “Papa had taught me that choosing a husband was as much about survival as it was love.” (p. 60) What did you think of this statement? Do you think it’s equally true today as it was in the 19th century?
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10
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33
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March 25, 2026
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