Reading Group Guide: Under the Tulip Tree
You’re invited to join my virtual book club! If you love reading historical fiction, enjoy talking about it with friends, and if you’re on Instagram, then this is the place for you. My pick for March/April is Under the Tulip Tree by Michelle Shocklee.
Note…Amazon affiliate links may be used throughout this post. If you click on a link and buy a book, I receive a small portion of the proceeds at no additional cost to you. Thank you! For full disclosure, click HERE
Here’s how our book club works:
We will use a private message group on Instagram to communicate.
We will read one book per month (at your own pace).
We will have one discussion group per month.
I will provide reading guides/discussion questions for each new book.
There will sometimes be free book-related treats available for download.
I will provide weekly (non-spoiler) historical trivia related to the book, as well as conversation prompts in our IG group.
To join, click HERE, and let me know you’re in. Make sure you let me know your IG name. I will add you to our group!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Under the Tulip Tree is a beautifully told story of forgiveness. Set in the days of the Great Depression, this book follows the character of Rena, an out-of-work reporter who takes a job recording the stories of former slaves. She develops a special connection with a 101-year-old woman named Frankie that is both uplifting and heartbreaking. I loved the message that every person has a story to tell, and that it's important to listen to the stories of the past so that we can make a better future. I highly recommend this book and will seek out other books by this author.
BACK COVER
Sixteen-year-old Lorena Leland’s dreams of a rich and fulfilling life as a writer are dashed when the stock market crashes in 1929. Seven years into the Great Depression, Rena’s banker father has retreated into the bottle, her sister is married to a lazy charlatan and gambler, and Rena is an unemployed newspaper reporter. Eager for any writing job, Rena accepts a position interviewing former slaves for the Federal Writers’ Project. There, she meets Frankie Washington, a 101-year-old woman whose honest yet tragic past captivates Rena.
As Frankie recounts her life as a slave, Rena is horrified to learn of all the older woman has endured―especially because Rena’s ancestors owned slaves. While Frankie’s story challenges Rena’s preconceptions about slavery, it also connects the two women whose lives are otherwise separated by age, race, and circumstances. But will this bond of respect, admiration, and friendship be broken by a revelation neither woman sees coming?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
(from the back of the book)
Rena Leland’s life is turned upside down when the stock market crashes. What changes occur in her family after October 29, 1929? Why do you think Rena believes her father blames her for the financial crisis? Think about a time in your life when your family experienced a devastating loss. How did you cope? What, if anything, gave you hope?
When Rena is presented with an opportunity to become part of the Federal Writers’ Project, she wonders why the government felt it was important to preserve the stories of former slaves. How would you answer that question? What can we learn when we take the time to ask for and listen to each other’s stories? What do we gain when we share our own stories?
Rena’s grandmother encourages Rena, who admits to feeling “stuck,” to step out in faith and take the FWP job. But Rena still wonders, “How could interviewing people who’d lived in bondage decades earlier help me see my future more clearly? What does Rena learn as she begins her new job? How does she change as a result of seeing the world with a different perspective? When have you been able to step into someone elses’s shoes and view things in a new light?
Mood Board
I hope you’ll join us for book club! We’ve got a great group going already, and new members are always welcome. This month’s selection is a book that I’m excited to discuss. You can purchase a paperback or digital download of Under the Tulip Tree HERE
To join, click HERE, and let me know you’re in. Make sure you tell me your IG name. I will add you to our group!
*If you liked this post, you might also be interested in:
