July and August

1. Nancy Clark has been compared to Jane Austen byThe New York TimesandThe Christian Science Monitor. Do you think that this is an apt comparison? In what ways does Nancy Clark's writing echo Jane Austen's? Are there any marked differences?2. The book and its postscript are each preceded by epigraphs that are taken from Emily Dickinson poems. Why do you think that Nancy Clark has included these epigraphs? How do they relate to the story?3. Aunt Lily's farm stand seems to be a character of its own inJuly and August. Discuss its inner workings. What role does it play within Towne and within Lily's family? What do you make of the little girls' rhyme signs and evident enjoyment of their work there? Would you like to shop at the Farm Stand? Do you think that Aunt Lily would approve of you and your manners?4. What clues does the author provide to indicate that Ginger's health is failing? How does she convey that it's getting worse? The author remains vague about the details of Ginger's illness, never using the word "cancer." Why do you think she does so?5. Although Betsy knows that her mother is sick, she decides to travel with Sally to Towne by car, thereby extending her journey. Do you think there's a reason she's delaying her arrival? Why?6. Ginger apologizes to Cam for Sally's rudeness (p. 71) when the two girls meet. Why does Ginger feel that Sally is being rude? What's Cam's reaction? Were you surprised by it? Discuss the relationship between Sally and Cam. In what ways do they find each other's presence a challenge to their status within the family circle? Are there moments when the girls seem more like rivals than friends? Describe some of them. Do you think that Sally and Cam are fully realized characters within their own right, with thoughts, emotions, and desires that are nuanced and believable?7. Betsy's parenting style seems drastically different from Mrs. Samrin's. In what ways? Did you think that Sally and Cam were allowed to wander too freely without supervision? Why? Does this kind of permissiveness feel old-fashioned to you, or do you feel Mrs. Samrin and Sally's great aunts were justified in treating the children in this way? What do you think Nancy Clark is suggesting about childhood? What types of things were both the adults and children able to learn when the children were allowed to explore freely?8. What was your first impression of Petal and Tarara? Why do you think Tarara storms out of Towne? And why does Petal elect to stay? Did your impression of her change as the novel progressed? If so, how?9. Alden seems to have withdrawn from many aspects of daily life. What accounts for his withdrawal? Do you think that his reasons are justified? Why? What do you make of Lily's attempts to create a romance between Alden and Hannah? Based on the author's use of cold-fish imagery both at the picnic and later, in Hannah's kitchen, how do you think she views this non-romance? What do you make of Hannah's belief that she might mistakenly reanimate a poached fish some day? What is the author saying about the future of Alden and Hannah?10. Lily doesn't contradict a blind southern lady who refers to Cam as "a real fine little Yankee girl you're raising up." Indeed, Lily expresses how reliant the family is upon Cam. What are some of the "Yankee" characteristics that the Southern woman is praising? Do you think that it is significant that Cam is the child of a recent immigrant family? Why? What do you think the author is suggesting when recent immigrant characters (Mrs. Samrin and Calliope Kariotis) offeClark, Nancy is the author of 'July and August' with ISBN 9780375423291 and ISBN 037542329X.