The Homecoming of Samuel Lake

This debut novel by Jenny Wingfield is one of the best books I've read in quite some time. It's beautifully descriptive and pulls you into the Deep South on the Moses family farm during the 1950s. A sprawling Arkansas homestead is the backdrop of this compelling family saga, where the family gathers for their annual reunion. What happens on this special day is the beginning of a story that will hold you captive. The Moses clan is a hardworking and spiritual group. They have strong family values and traditions that are deeply rooted in the community where they have lived for generations. Winfield brings these unique and endearing characters to life. Their voices are indelible and will linger with you long after you've turned the last page. It's wonderfully rich and loaded with family drama, suspense and heartbreak. At times, it's hard to read about the delicate topics scattered throughout the story, such as child abuse and domestic violence. Stay with it, this is a powerful read and one I highly recommend as a Book Club selection.

Random House Publishing Group, July 10, 2012 - Fiction - 352 pages

Every first Sunday in June, members of the Moses clan gather for an annual reunion at 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. 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 just as the reunion is getting under way, tragedy strikes, jolting the family to their core and setting the stage for a summer of crisis and profound change.

With the clear-eyed wisdom that illuminates the most tragic and triumphant aspects of human nature, Jenny Wingfield has created an enduring work of fiction.

1. What would you sacrifice for your family? Did Toy do the right thing? Did Sam?

2. What purpose did Swan and Uncle Toy have to each other and to the other characters in the story?

3. In what ways does The Homecoming of Samuel Lake remind you of other Southern Gothic style literature? Give examples.

4. How does the character Swan Lake compare to Scout Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird? How does Atticus Finch compare to Samuel Lake?

5. Compare the characters of Willadee and Bernice. How were they different? How were they similar?

6. What role does the church play in the development of the story? Why does Swan wish that her father was anything but a preacher?

7. Explore the difference between the Moses' Truth and the Honest Truth. Both present their own challenges. Discuss how in the end the Honest Truth supports the Moses Truth.

Good books with well-developed characters always provide a multitude of discussion points. There are many complex characters of various ages and moral compasses in this story. It's a heartfelt story with some volatile issues, which should provide a lively discussion group.