People of the Book

1. General Impressions 

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• Brooks is known for her historical fiction. How does People of the Book parallel or differ from Brooks’s approach to historical fact in her other books (e.g., The Secret Chord, March, or Caleb’s Crossing)? How does it compare to other historical fiction you’ve read?
• The book spans several time periods and locations. Which of these settings and eras was the most compelling to you, and why?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection 

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• Hanna ends her relationship with her mother, Sarah, by the end of the novel. What motivates this decision? Do you agree with Hanna’s choice? If you were in a similar situation, what might you learn from Sarah’s impact on Hanna?
• Did the book challenge any notions you had about particular cultures or societies? How so?
• Hanna’s professional life and personal life impact and influence one another in key ways throughout the book. Consider your own profession or calling: What is it about your personality, traits, skills, or character that draws you to this work?
• Hanna’s mother withholds the identity of her father from her. Have you ever kept a secret—or had one kept from you? How did this impact you and your relationship with the other person involved?
• The central characters throughout the book are complex in that they contain admirable traits but are flawed. Which character’s flaws, mistakes, or wrong actions do you find justifiable? Which ones are not?
• The book presents both positive and negative aspects of organized religion. What seems to be its aim in doing so? How did you feel about this depiction of religion?

3. Societal and Cultural Context 

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

• What argument does the novel make for the value of historical records and knowledge of the past? How does knowing about past events benefit present-day people?
• The novel addresses the book burning conducted by the Nazi party in the first half of the 20th century. Why is art often considered threatening to regimes or groups in power? What dangers exist in allowing the censorship of art? Where do you see those dangers unfolding today?
• Antisemitism is present in several forms in the novel. How does Brooks’s novel contribute to an effort to dispel negative stereotypes? 

4. Literary Analysis 

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

• Self-preservation in the struggle to obtain freedom is an important theme in the book. What does “freedom” mean to various characters? How do specific characters set out to preserve their individual selves, and what do they risk or sacrifice in doing so?
• In what way are gender and gender norms important factors in the novel’s conflict?
• The locale of the book shifts as the narrative unfolds. Choose one of these locales and discuss how does this setting functions as a character in the novel.  
• Consider the novel’s depiction of books and libraries. What is the social function of such things, according to Brooks? How does this inform your understanding of the novel’s title?

5. Creative Engagement 

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

• Brooks is known for novels that build upon historical events or facts (sometimes little-known ones) but take fictional liberties in order to develop a story. If Brooks came to you in search of historical topics for her next novel, what might you suggest, and why?
• Imagine you work as a historical preservationist. Which famous artifact would you like to examine, and why?

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