I run a book club. From time to time, I find it almost impossible to find good study guides/discussion questions for the books we are reading. So I thought I would share the study guides that I created myself and offer them for your use with your own book club. I do not mind if you use these, but would greatly appreciate feedback if you found them useful.
Discussion Questions for Drums of Autumn (Outlander #4) by: Diana Gabaldon
1.Of the 4 book in Outlander Series so far, which is your favorite? Why?
2.Young Ian often seems wise beyond his years. Do you agree? Why is this do you think? Cite some examples.
3.Jamie appears to show more mercy to Stephen Bonnet at the beginning of the book than he shows Roger. Why is this? Is Jamie acting out of character?
4.Do you find Bree likable? Think of all the misunderstandings that results as a direct consequence of her actions: not telling Jamie that Roger also is a distant relative by the name of MacKenzie, not discussing Roger with Lizzie, not disclosing that Roger and she were handfast, not telling Roger she was leaving, getting mad at Roger for keeping the death notice about her parents from her (even though she keeps plenty from Roger), going after Bonnet the way she did. All her decisions lead to catastrophe for everyone involved. Heck, her decisions very nearly get Roger killed and this man went through TIME for her! Bree is an interesting character. Diana Gabaldon herself describes Brianna as a “tough nut to crack.” As one commenter on a message board put it, she is a “gaelic speaking, gun toting, MIT grad, horseback expert rider, etc., girl. It’s hysterical…. when the Scottish immigrants tell Claire that Bree means a whirlwind or something in gaelic, it so fits her character. Always stirring up trouble.” Would you agree with this assessment? Why or why not?http://outlanderbookc…
5. Why did Jenny see Claire’s fetch (ghost) at her brother’s wedding to the Mz Leghair? Why did Jamie not see it?
6. When Claire goes back through the stones (and time) she takes penicillin and a PBJ sandwich. What does Bree or Roger take? What would you take?
7.Bree remarks in chapter 48 that her parents (Jamie and Claire) “She could see how much her parents so wildly different in temperament and manner, were alike in this one respect. That odd ability to mingle compassion with sheer ruthlessness….” (pg 820) Are Jamie and Claire ruthless? How does their ruthlessness differ?
8. Claire finds a skull with silver filling in the head. What do we make of this!? What happened to this person?
9. In Chapter 13, read what Jamie tells Claire on page 241, “I dinna own the clothes I stand up in!”… Jamie is frustrated that he “has nothing” and Claire replies that “you have me” and Jamie seems more aggravated. He replies, “Aye I have. That’s the hell of it, aye?” What does he mean by this comment?
10. Does Jamie think he is a good man? Does Claire think he is a good man? Bree? Roger?
11. Now for a controversial topic: Bree first realizes Lord John is gay when she sees him leaving the slaves quarters, presumably to “satisfy his pleasure with a slave boy.” Of all we know about Lord John, does this strike you as against character for Lord John? We do not know what goes on between Lord John and the male slave. How is what he is doing in the slave quarters ay different than what Black Jack Randall did to Jamie in Wentworth prison?
