"The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell" by Robert Dugoni

The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell by Robert Dugoni
Call Number: FICTION Dugoni
Sam Hill always saw the world through different eyes. Born with red pupils, he was called "Devil Boy" or Sam "Hell" by his classmates; "God's will" is what his mother called his ocular albinism. Her words were of little comfort, but Sam persevered, buoyed by his mother's devout faith, his father's practical wisdom, and his two other misfit friends. Sam believed it was God who sent Ernie Cantwell, the only African American kid in his class, to be the friend he so desperately needed. And that it was God's idea for Mickie Kennedy to storm into Our Lady of Mercy like a tornado, uprooting every rule Sam had been taught about boys and girls. Forty years later, Sam, a small-town eye doctor, is no longer certain anything was by design--especially not the tragedy that caused him to turn his back on his friends, his hometown, and the life he'd always known. Running from the pain, eyes closed, served little purpose. Now, as he looks back on his life, Sam embarks on a journey that will take him halfway around the world. This time, his eyes are wide open--bringing into clear view what changed him, defined him, and made him so afraid, until he can finally see what truly matters.

Character Analysis:
- Analyze the character of Sam Hill (Sam Hell). What are his defining traits, and how do they shape his experiences and interactions with others throughout the novel?
- Discuss the development of Sam's character from childhood to adulthood. How does he navigate challenges such as bullying, discrimination, and personal loss, and how does he grow and change as a result?
Themes of Identity and Acceptance:
- Explore the theme of identity in the novel, particularly Sam's struggle with being born with ocular albinism and the discrimination he faces because of his appearance. How does Sam come to accept and embrace his uniqueness?
- Discuss the importance of self-acceptance and self-love in Sam's journey toward embracing his identity and finding his place in the world.
Family Dynamics:
- Reflect on the dynamics of Sam's family, including his parents and his childhood friend, Mickie Kennedy. How do Sam's relationships with his family members shape his sense of identity and belonging?
- Discuss the role of family in providing support, love, and understanding during challenging times, and how Sam's family dynamics evolve over the course of the novel.
Friendship and Loyalty:
- Analyze Sam's friendship with Ernie Cantwell and Mickie Kennedy. How do these friendships impact Sam's life and help him navigate the challenges he faces?
- Discuss the theme of loyalty in the novel, particularly the loyalty between Sam and his friends and the ways in which they support each other through adversity.
Bullying and Discrimination:
- Reflect on the themes of bullying and discrimination in the novel, particularly Sam's experiences of being bullied as a child because of his appearance. How does Sam cope with bullying, and how does it shape his worldview?
- Discuss the broader societal implications of bullying and discrimination, and how the novel sheds light on the importance of empathy, understanding, and acceptance.
Faith and Spirituality:
- Explore the role of faith and spirituality in the novel, particularly Sam's upbringing in a Catholic family and his struggles with questions of faith and belief. How does Sam reconcile his religious beliefs with the challenges he faces?
- Discuss the theme of hope and resilience in the novel, and how faith and spirituality play a role in Sam's journey toward finding strength and purpose.
Parent-Child Relationships:
- Analyze the parent-child relationships portrayed in the novel, including Sam's relationship with his parents and Mickie's relationship with his father. How do these relationships influence the characters' identities and experiences?
- Discuss the challenges and complexities of parent-child relationships, and how the novel portrays the importance of love, communication, and acceptance within families.
Personal Growth and Redemption:
- Reflect on Sam's journey of personal growth and redemption throughout the novel. How does he confront and overcome his past traumas and insecurities, and how does he find healing and redemption?
- Discuss the ways in which Sam's experiences and relationships contribute to his growth as a person, and how he ultimately finds meaning and fulfillment in his life.
Legacy and Impact:
- Reflect on the novel's exploration of legacy and the impact of one's actions on others. How do Sam's choices and interactions with others leave a lasting impact on those around him, and what lessons can be learned from his extraordinary life?
- Discuss the importance of kindness, empathy, and understanding in shaping the legacy we leave behind, as exemplified by Sam's character.
Personal Reflections and Takeaways:
- Reflect on your own reactions and emotional responses to "The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell." How did the novel resonate with you personally, and what insights or takeaways did you gain from Sam's journey?
- Discuss the novel's themes and messages, and how they relate to your own experiences and perspectives on identity, acceptance, and the power of resilience.

Robert Dugoni is an American author known for his gripping and suspenseful crime fiction novels. He was born on February 17, 1961, in Pocatello, Idaho, USA. Dugoni spent his early years in Idaho before moving to Northern California with his family.

Dugoni graduated from Stanford University with a degree in journalism and later received his law degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He practiced law for more than 13 years in San Francisco before transitioning to a full-time writing career.

Dugoni's literary career began with the publication of his debut novel, "The Jury Master," in 2006. The legal thriller, featuring attorney David Sloane, marked the beginning of Dugoni's successful writing journey. Since then, he has written multiple bestselling series and standalone novels that have garnered critical acclaim and a dedicated readership.

One of Dugoni's most popular series features Seattle homicide detective Tracy Crosswhite, starting with the novel "My Sister's Grave" (2014). The series follows Crosswhite as she investigates complex murder cases while grappling with personal challenges and moral dilemmas. The Tracy Crosswhite series has received praise for its compelling characters, intricate plots, and realistic portrayal of police procedural work.

In addition to the Tracy Crosswhite series, Dugoni has written other bestselling series, including the David Sloane legal thriller series and the Charles Jenkins espionage thriller series. He is also known for his standalone novels, such as "The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell" (2018), a poignant and uplifting story about identity, acceptance, and resilience.

Throughout his career, Dugoni has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to crime fiction, including the Nancy Pearl Award for Fiction and the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction. His books have been translated into multiple languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide.

In addition to his writing, Dugoni is an active member of the literary community and frequently participates in writing workshops, conferences, and author events. He is known for his engaging and insightful presentations on the craft of writing and the publishing industry.

Robert Dugoni continues to write and captivate readers with his thrilling and suspenseful novels. He remains a prominent figure in the crime fiction genre, known for his skillful storytelling, memorable characters, and gripping plot twists.

The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg
Call Number: FICTION Berg
For the past six months, Arthur Moses's days have looked the same: He tends to his rose garden and to Gordon, his cat, then rides the bus to the cemetery to visit his beloved late wife for lunch. The last thing Arthur would imagine is for one unlikely encounter to utterly transform his life. Eighteen-year-old Maddy Harris is an introspective girl who visits the cemetery to escape the other kids at school. One afternoon she joins Arthur--a gesture that begins a surprising friendship between two lonely souls. Moved by Arthur's kindness and devotion, Maddy gives him the nickname "Truluv." As Arthur's neighbor Lucille moves into their orbit, the unlikely trio band together and, through heartache and hardships, help one another rediscover their own potential to start anew. Wonderfully written and full of profound observations about life, The Story of Arthur Truluv is a beautiful and moving novel of compassion in the face of loss, of the small acts that turn friends into family, and of the possibilities to achieve happiness at any age.
The Flood Girls by Richard Fifield
Call Number: FICTION Fifield
Welcome to Quinn, Montana, population: 956. A town where nearly all of the volunteer firemen are named Jim, where The Dirty Shame--the only bar in town--refuses to serve mixed drinks (too much work), where the locals hate the newcomers (then again, they hate the locals, too), and where the town softball team has never even come close to having a winning season. Until now. Rachel Flood has snuck back into town after leaving behind a trail of chaos nine years prior. She's here to make amends, but nobody wants to hear it, especially her mother, Laverna. But with the help of a local boy named Jake and a little soul-searching, she just might make things right.
Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane
Call Number: FICTION Keane
A family saga about two Irish American families in a New York suburb, the love between two of their children, and the tragedies that threaten to tear them apart and destroy their futures"-- Provided by publisher.
Francis Gleeson and Brian Stanhope are two NYPD rookies assigned to the same Bronx precinct in 1973. They aren't close friends on the job, but end up living next door to each other outside the city. What goes on behind closed doors in both houses--the loneliness of Francis's wife, Lena, and the instability of Brian's wife, Anne, sets the stage for the stunning events to come. Ask Again, Yes by award-winning author Mary Beth Keane, is a beautifully moving exploration of the friendship and love that blossoms between Francis's youngest daughter, Kate, and Brian's son, Peter, who are born six months apart. In the spring of Kate and Peter's eighth grade year a violent event divides the neighbors, the Stanhopes are forced to move away, and the children are forbidden to have any further contact. But Kate and Peter find a way back to each other, and their relationship is tested by the echoes from their past. Ask Again, Yes reveals how the events of childhood look different when reexamined from the distance of adulthood--villains lose their menace, and those who appeared innocent seem less so. Kate and Peter's love story is marked by tenderness, generosity, and grace.
Holding on to Nothing by Elizabeth Chiles Shelburne
Call Number: FICTION Shelburne
Lucy Kilgore has her bags packed for her escape from her rural Tennessee upbringing, but a drunken mistake forever tethers her to the town and one of its least-admired residents, Jeptha Taylor, who becomes the father of her child. Together, these two young people work to form a family, though neither has any idea how to accomplish that, and the odds are against them in a place with little to offer other than bluegrass music, tobacco fields, and a Walmart full of beer and firearms for the hunting season. Their path is harrowing, but Lucy and Jeptha are characters to love, and readers will root for their success in a novel so riveting that no one will want to turn out the light until they know whether this family will survive. In luminous prose, debut novelist Elizabeth Chiles Shelburne brings us a present-day Appalachian story in the tradition of Lee Smith, Silas House, and Ron Rash, cast without sentiment or cliché, but with a genuine and profound understanding of the place and its people.
Now Is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson
Call Number: FICTION Wilson
Sixteen-year-old Frankie Budge--aspiring writer, indifferent student, offbeat loner--is determined to make it through yet another summer in Coalfield, Tennessee, when she meets Zeke, a talented artist who has just moved into his grandmother's house and who is as awkward as Frankie is. Romantic and creative sparks begin to fly, and when the two jointly make an unsigned poster, shot through with an enigmatic phrase, it becomes unforgettable to anyone who sees it. The edge is a shantytown filled with gold seekers. We are fugitives, and the law is skinny with hunger for us. The posters begin appearing everywhere, and people wonder who is behind them and start to panic. Satanists, kidnappers--the rumors won't stop, and soon the mystery has dangerous repercussions that spread far beyond the town. Twenty years later, Frances Eleanor Budge gets a call that threatens to upend her carefully built life: a journalist named Mazzy Brower is writing a story about the Coalfield Panic of 1996. Might Frances know something about that?

Islington Branch Book Club - Past Titles: "The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell" by Robert Dugoni

"The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell" by Robert Dugoni

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