Several book clubs have bought my novel and are scheduled to talk about it. These reading guide questions might help stimulate your group’s discussion.
- If Captain Barney hadn’t forced William off the Orion, would he have chosen to stay?
2. William had to adjust to a new society, a mix of cultures, customs, and entertainment. Why did he reject some of the Californio way of life?
3. Mark Twain said, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” How does this sentiment apply to William? Is this idea really true?
4. The novel’s title is a line from an Ohlone song. What significance did it have to the story?
5. General Mariano Vallejo said, “Richardson was the right man in the right place at the right time.” What were William’s qualities that suited him to the time and place? What were María’s? In what way did their personalities help keep them together?
6. María and her mother, Doña Martina, have a great deal of influence and knowledge. How did they influence their husbands? What actions of theirs pleased or bothered you? What roles do women perform today that influence others?
7. How do race, class, age, and religion affect the relationships between William and the Martínez family? Between him and Diego? Between the Indigenous people and the Franciscan priests?
8. William said he wanted to leave his family with more than footprints in sand. What did he mean by that? What footprints might people leave for their families?
9. What might happen next in William and María’s lives?
10. “Visions are worth fighting for,” according to Orson Welles. What was William’s vision, and did he achieve it?
11. Were you surprised by any of William’s or María’s decisions throughout the story? Why or why not?
12. Many historical figures interact with the Richardsons in this novel. How did the scenes with them affect your understanding of this early California period?