Book Club Discussion Questions for Book 1

Palmetto Pioneers: The Emigrants

 

1. Mary Adeline Walker is the oldest child in her family. How does this affect her? What negative consequences does she experience because of it? How is she stronger because of it?

 

2. Had you heard about the extensive massacres in North Florida during the Second Seminole War? What did you find interesting or shocking? Were you surprised to learn about the children's role in this warfare?

 

3. William Andrews comes into the relationship with a pending bankruptcy. What do you think about this? Were you worried about Mary and her future? What were her father’s feelings about it? What if William had moved Mary away, seeking a better life financially?

 

4. At one point, Mary, her sisters, and her mother discuss the difference between how women conducted themselves in her grandmother’s time, versus their mothers, and now their own. Were you surprised by an earlier freedom in women that was not shared in later generations? Has there been a relaxation or intensification of morals in your lifetime--male or female?

 

5. In the story, the county had a message system to alert others to an Indian attack. How does this system compare to our current alert systems? Discuss the different modes of transportation for the messages. Discuss their strengths and weaknesses--the one they used vs. the one we use today.

 

6. David Walker’s wife Sarah dies in childbirth, as does an unnamed woman from Ocala. Mary was later frightened when she was pregnant. What is the primary difference between having a baby two hundred years ago and having one today? What about natural childbirth? Would you or have you experienced it?

 

7. People in that era, especially before they could build jails, meted punishment much differently from what we do today. What is the primary difference? Why did they do it that way? Do you agree with this type of punishment, knowing all the background?

 

8. The children in this story play significant roles in their family and community life. There is little time for unstructured play, let alone structured play. Do you think the children suffer from it? Should the parents pay more attention to them individually? Or can the parents do this?

 

9. Mary never goes to school. Why? What do you think about that? How does she cope with her lack of education? Or how do you think she will cope in later years? And what do you think about all the males being educated, but the females left behind? Why do you think they did it this way?

 

10. Superstitions are mentioned throughout the book. Name some of them. Speculate how they may have come about. Do we still use any of these today?

Book Club Discussion Questions for Book 2

Palmetto Pioneers: From Harmony to Hostility

 

1.  Palmetto Pioneers: From Harmony to Hostilities was told from several points of view. Who was your favorite character? Were there others whose perspectives were not in the book but that you wish had been represented?

 

2.  Mary’s is a blended family. What does Mary do to make sure all her children get along well?

 

3.  Mary lives at a time when her role as a wife is pre-defined for her. Was there ever a time in your life when you felt defined by your role or status than by your individual identity?

 

4.  Frontier living comes with its problems. What did you think about the hanging of Stephen Yoemans?

 

5.  What did the book’s title mean to you after reading the book?

 

6.  What did you learn about this area of Florida that you did not previously know?

 

7.  Mary has ten children in fifteen years. How does this relate to your own life?

 

8.  What was your favorite scene in the book? Why did it stand out to you?

 

9.  If there was one thing about the book that you would improve, what would it be?

 

10.  Did this book challenge or change your perspective on any historical events or figures? Explain.

 

11. How did the author portray the other people in Mary’s life? What was their influence or impact on her life choices or outcomes?

Book Club Questions for Book 3

Yankees in the Courthouse: A Civil War & Reconstruction Biography

  1. The title Yankees in the Courthouse is both literal and symbolic. What do you think the courthouse represents, and why is its occupation so powerful?

  2. Scarcity is a constant presence in the novel. How do shortages of food, security, and information affect relationships within families and among neighbors?

  3. Several characters must decide when to comply, resist, or remain silent. Were there choices you agreed or disagreed with? What would you have done in similar circumstances?

  4. Mary Adeline Walker Andrews is the emotional center of the story. How does her faith shape the way she responds to fear, loss, and uncertainty during the occupation?

  5. The story also presents the Civil War from the home-front perspective. How did this viewpoint change or deepen your understanding of the war compared to its traditional battle-focused narratives?

  6. Community bonds are tested throughout the book. Which relationships grew stronger under pressure, and which ones fractured—and why?

  7. The Union occupation of Monticello disrupts everyday life in subtle and overt ways. Which moments best illustrated how war alters a community beyond the battlefield?

  8. Fear is often as dangerous as physical violence. How does the author show fear shaping decisions, rumors, and behavior in occupied Monticello?

  9. The novel is rooted in real places and historical events. Did knowing this was based on true history change how you read the story? In what ways?

  10. By the end of the book, what does perseverance look like? How has Mary Adeline’s definition of strength evolved from the beginning to the end?