"Ordinary Grace" by William Kent Krueger

Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger
Call Number: MYSTERY Krueger
Minnesota, 1961. The Twins were playing their debut season, ice-cold root beers were selling out at the soda counter of Halderson's Drugstore, and Hot Stuff comic books were a mainstay on every barbershop magazine rack. It was a time of innocence and hope for a country with a new, young president. But for thirteen-year-old Frank Drum it was a grim summer in which death visited frequently and assumed many forms. Accident. Nature. Suicide. Murder. Frank begins the season preoccupied with the concerns of any teenage boy, but when tragedy unexpectedly strikes his family--which includes his Methodist minister father; his passionate, artistic mother; Juilliard-bound older sister; and wise-beyond-his-years kid brother--he finds himself thrust into an adult world full of secrets, lies, adultery, and betrayal, suddenly called upon to demonstrate a maturity and gumption beyond his years. Told from Frank's perspective forty years after that fateful summer, Ordinary Grace is a brilliantly moving account of a boy standing at the door of his young manhood, trying to understand a world that seems to be falling apart around him. It is an unforgettable novel about discovering the terrible price of wisdom and the enduring grace of God.

Character Analysis:
- Analyze the main characters of the novel, including Frank Drum, Jake Drum, Nathan Drum, and Ariel Drum. How do their individual personalities and experiences shape the narrative and themes of the story?
- Discuss the character development of Frank Drum as he navigates the challenges of adolescence and grapples with loss and faith.
Themes of Loss and Grief:
- Explore the theme of loss in the novel. How do the characters cope with the various losses they experience throughout the story, including deaths in the community and personal tragedies?
- Discuss the different ways in which grief is portrayed and expressed by the characters. How does the community come together to support one another in times of loss?
Exploration of Faith:
- Reflect on the role of faith and spirituality in the novel, particularly in the context of Frank Drum's coming-of-age journey. How do his perceptions of faith evolve throughout the story, and what role does religion play in his understanding of the world?
- Discuss the characters' diverse beliefs and the ways in which they grapple with questions of faith and meaning in the face of adversity.
Family Dynamics:
- Examine the dynamics of the Drum family, including the relationships between Frank, his father Nathan, his mother Ruth, and his siblings. How do family dynamics evolve over the course of the novel, and how do they influence the characters' actions and decisions?
- Discuss the impact of family secrets and revelations on the Drum family's relationships and dynamics.
Small-Town Setting:
- Reflect on the significance of the small-town setting of New Bremen, Minnesota, in the novel. How does the close-knit community shape the characters' lives and interactions, and how does it contribute to the atmosphere of the story?
- Discuss the portrayal of 1960s small-town America and its cultural, social, and political context.
Justice and Morality:
- Explore the theme of justice and morality in the novel, particularly in the context of the central mystery and the characters' quest for truth. How do the characters navigate questions of right and wrong, and how do their moral choices shape the outcome of the story?
- Discuss the role of forgiveness and redemption in the characters' journey toward understanding and acceptance.
Narrative Structure:
- Analyze the narrative structure of the novel, which is framed as a reflection by the adult Frank Drum looking back on the events of the summer of 1961. How does this narrative device shape the reader's experience of the story and its themes?
- Discuss the significance of hindsight and memory in the storytelling process, and how it influences the reader's understanding of the characters and their motivations.
Symbolism and Imagery:
- Examine the use of symbolism and imagery in the novel, including recurring motifs such as trains, rivers, and music. What do these symbols represent, and how do they contribute to the thematic depth of the story?
- Discuss the significance of the novel's title, "Ordinary Grace," and its relevance to the themes of loss, faith, and redemption explored in the story.
Coming-of-Age Themes:
- Reflect on the coming-of-age themes present in the novel, particularly in Frank Drum's journey from adolescence to adulthood. How does he grapple with questions of identity, morality, and responsibility throughout the story?
- Discuss moments of growth and self-discovery for Frank, and how they contribute to his understanding of himself and the world around him.
Impact of Trauma:
- Explore the impact of trauma on the characters' lives and relationships. How do traumatic events shape their perspectives and influence their actions and decisions?
- Discuss the characters' resilience and capacity for healing in the face of adversity, and how they find hope and redemption amidst tragedy.

William Kent Krueger is an American author best known for his mystery novels, particularly the Cork O'Connor series set in the Northwoods of Minnesota. He was born on November 16, 1950, in Torrington, Wyoming, but spent most of his childhood in Oregon and later in the Cascade Mountains of Washington State.

Krueger developed a love for reading and writing at a young age, inspired by the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. He attended Stanford University, where he studied literature and creative writing, before transferring to Reed College in Portland, Oregon, where he earned his bachelor's degree.

After completing his education, Krueger held various jobs, including logging timber, construction work, freelance journalism, and teaching. His diverse experiences provided him with a wealth of material and inspiration for his writing.

Krueger's literary career began with the publication of his first novel, "Iron Lake," in 1998, which introduced readers to the character of Cork O'Connor, a former sheriff of Tamarack County, Minnesota. The novel received critical acclaim and marked the beginning of the Cork O'Connor mystery series, which has since become a beloved and bestselling series.

The Cork O'Connor series features gripping mysteries set against the backdrop of the Northwoods landscape, exploring themes of family, identity, and the complexities of human relationships. Krueger's vivid descriptions of the Minnesota wilderness and his skillful character development have earned him a dedicated following of readers.

In addition to the Cork O'Connor series, Krueger has written standalone novels and short stories, showcasing his versatility as a writer. His standalone novel "Ordinary Grace" (2013) received widespread acclaim and won the Edgar Award for Best Novel, further solidifying his reputation as a master storyteller.

Throughout his career, Krueger has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to the mystery genre, including multiple Anthony Awards and Barry Awards. He is also a New York Times bestselling author, with his novels translated into over twenty languages.

William Kent Krueger continues to write and captivate readers with his compelling mysteries and evocative storytelling. He resides in Minnesota with his wife, where he draws inspiration from the natural beauty of the Northwoods for his novels.

Nothing More Dangerous by Allen Eskens
Call Number: FICTION Eskens
After fifteen years of growing up in the Ozark hills with his widowed mother, high-school freshman Boady Sanden is beyond ready to move on. He dreams of glass towers and cityscapes, driven by his desire to be anywhere other than Jessup, Missouri. The new kid at St. Ignatius High School, if he isn't being pushed around, he is being completely ignored. Even his beloved woods, his playground as a child and his sanctuary as he grew older, seem to be closing in on him, suffocating him. Then Thomas Elgin moves in across the road, and Boady's life begins to twist and turn. Coming to know the Elgins-a black family settling into a community where notions of "us" and "them" carry the weight of history-forces Boady to rethink his understanding of the world he's taken for granted. Secrets hidden in plain sight begin to unfold: the mother who wraps herself in the loss of her husband, the neighbor who carries the wounds of a mysterious past that he holds close, the quiet boss who is fighting his own hidden battle. But the biggest secret of all is the disappearance of Lida Poe, the African-American woman who keeps the books at the local plastics factory. Word has it that Ms. Poe left town, along with a hundred thousand dollars of company money. Although Boady has never met the missing woman, he discovers that the threads of her life are woven into the deepest fabric of his world. As the mystery of her fate plays out, Boady begins to see the stark lines of race and class that both bind and divide this small town, and he is forced to choose sides.
A Painted House by John Grisham
Call Number: FICTION Grisham
Until that September of 1952, Luke Chandler had never kept a secret or told a single lie. But in the long, hot summer of his seventh year, two groups of migrant workers -- and two very dangerous men -- came through the Arkansas Delta to work the Chandler cotton farm. And suddenly mysteries are flooding Luke's world. A brutal murder leaves the town seething in gossip and suspicion. A beautiful young woman ignites forbidden passions. A fatherless baby is born ... and someone has begun furtively painting the bare clapboards of the Chandler farmhouse, slowly, painstakingly, bathing the run-down structure in gleaming white. And as young Luke watches the world around him, he unravels secrets that could shatter lives -- and change his family and his town forever.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Lee Harper
Call Number: FICTION Lee
Harper Lee's classic novel of a lawyer in the Deep South defending a black man charged with the rape of a white girl. One of the best-loved stories of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird has earned many distinctions since its original publication in 1960. It won the Pulitzer Prize, has been translated into more than forty languages, sold more than thirty million copies worldwide, and been made into an enormously popular movie. Most recently, librarians across the country gave the book the highest of honors by voting it the best novel of the twentieth century.
Montana 1948 by Larry Watson
Call Number: FICTION Watson
"From the summer of my twelfth year I carry a series of images more vivid and lasting than any others of my boyhood and indelible beyond all attempts the years make to erase or fade them...". So begins David Hayden's story of what happened in Montana in 1948. The events of that cataclysmic summer permanently alter twelve-year-old David's understanding of his family: his father, a small-town sheriff; his remarkably strong mother; the Hayden's Sioux housekeeper, Marie Little Soldier, whose revelations are at the heart of the story; David's uncle, a war hero and respected doctor. As their story unravels around David, he learns that truth is not what you believe it to be, that power is abused, and that sometimes you have to choose between family loyalty and justice. In a voice as brilliantly clear as the eastern Montana sky, Larry Watson has created a completely new American classic. With nearly perfect pitch, Watson evokes a time, a place, and more: a story whose pages will not stop, turning, because its characters will not let them.
The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield
Call Number: FICTION Wingfield
Every first Sunday in June, members of the Moses clan gather for an annual reunion at "the old home place," a sprawling hundred-acre farm in Arkansas. And every year, Samuel Lake, a vibrant and committed young preacher, brings his beloved wife, Willadee Moses, and their three children back for the festivities. The children embrace the reunion as a welcome escape from the prying eyes of their father's congregation; for Willadee it's a precious opportunity to spend time with her mother and father, Calla and John. But just as the reunion is getting under way, tragedy strikes, jolting the family to their core: John's untimely death and, soon after, the loss of Samuel's parish, which set the stage for a summer of crisis and profound change. In the midst of it all, Samuel and Willadee's outspoken eleven-year-old daughter, Swan, is a bright light. Her high spirits and fearlessness have alternately seduced and bedeviled three generations of the family. But it is Blade Ballenger, a traumatized eight-year-old neighbor, who soon captures Swan's undivided attention. Full of righteous anger, and innocent of the peril facing her and those she loves, Swan makes it her mission to keep the boy safe from his terrifying father.

Islington Branch Book Club - Past Titles: "Ordinary Grace" by William Kent Krueger

"Ordinary Grace" by William Kent Krueger

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