Power's Garden Book Club Discussion Questions: Do you think the conflict between the Mormon settlers and Texas ranchers in Arizona's Gila Valley was primarily about religious differences, or was it more about economic disparity? What role did the area's persistent drought play in the conflict? Why didn't the Mormon settlers appear to have a similar cultural conflict with the Mexicans who lived in the area? Mellie and Duett are both resilient women who face considerable life challenges. Discuss the development of their characters and why you think they were able to maintain a strong friendship despite having such different backgrounds. The narration of Power's Garden switches between Mellie's perspective and Duett's. How are their voices different? What commonalities do they share? Do you think Mellie would have married Ephraim had he returned from the war? Did Mellie have the opportunity to self-govern her life, or were her choices limited? Edna is a strong, level-headed and compassionate woman. How did she emerge from her childhood so seemingly unscathed emotionally? Is the fact that Power's Garden takes place during WWI an integral part of the story? What thematic elements does the war bring into the plot? How might the story have ended if Edna had never given Shadi Lace her mother's wooden toy horse? Is Noah Beecham an inherently evil man, an abusive man, or is he simply blinded by religion or 'set in his ways'? Do you think he adheres to the doctrine of his Mormon faith, or do you think he has developed overzealous views that are contrary to the tenets of his church? How do his interactions with the members of his family impact the development of their own religious views? How much do you think Lela's failing health was impacted by the emotional dynamics within her family? Do you think consistently withholding information from her was justified? Nephi confided in Mellie more than once about having heard voices or seen visions. Do you think he was receiving some personal revelation, or do you think these occurrences were manifestations of an emotional imbalance? How does Noah maintain such power over Nephi? The others? Why wasn't Ira able to stand up to his father? Do you think he agreed with Noah's views, or was he simply too weak to make his own voice heard? Why was Duett able to stand up to Father Beecham when no one else could? How would you describe Granny Bee? How about Orin Harland? How important are their roles in Power's Garden? What can we learn from them? How do you feel the Beecham family dynamics will change with Noah's loss of influence and control? Do you think Ira could emerge as the patriarch of his family? Will Lela's emotional distress be alleviated? What kind of future do you envision for Angelina? In 1969, the Governor of Arizona signed a full pardon for Tom Sisson, Tom Power and John Power. Why did it take so long for the judicial system to exonerate these men after they were falsely accused and wrongly imprisoned for their roles in the Kielberg Canyon shootout? How does keeping secrets impact families? What kind of secrets should be kept, and which should be exposed? Talk about some other examples in history that involve deeply rooted clashes in culture. How do these circumstances evolve, and what can we learn from them to improve our own relationships with others? Published by Five Star Publications, Inc. Price: $15.95 / Paperback / Historical Fiction ISBN: 978-1-58985-124-5 Website: www.PowersGarden.com