A note from the Author:

Thank you for choosing My Heart Lies Here for your book group. I hope you enjoyed the novel and its adventure. My wish is that my book has sparked in you an interest in the history of the Ludlow Massacre and the beautiful, legendary Trinidad, Colorado area. There is much more of the story to be discovered!

Blessings and Joy,

Laurie Marr Wasmund

1.      What elements in Christian Scott’s personal history make the union cause particularly important to her? How does her attitude toward the labor movement evolve throughout the novel?

 2.      The novel dwells on the search for a home and a place to belong. In fact, one critic has stated that the book “has the sociological motif of people cut off from everything familiar; becoming orphans both literally and metaphorically.” How does this alienation play out in Christian’s life? In Pearl’s? In Theros’s? In Alex’s?

 3.     The names of the characters take on a special meaning throughout the novel, often changing or metamorphosing. How does the alteration of each character’s name parallel his or her growing self-awareness and sense of identity?

 4.      First person narration (the use of “I”) has advantages and disadvantages for both novelist and reader. What are some of the advantages of having Christian narrate the novel? How does this point of view limit the portrayal of the events?

 5.      The historical incidents depicted in the novel are generally factual. How effectively does the plot carry the weight and significance of the tragedy of the Ludlow Massacre?