Marching Through Culpeper Reader's Guide

Discussion Questions

1. Compare the personalities of Constance and her sister, Amanda. Before reading Marching Through Culpeper which personality, in your opinion, best exemplified the Southern women of that era? Did your opinion change after reading this novel? If so, how and why?

2. The Armstrongs were not slave holders and Constance hoped to see the institution ended. Yet she became a strong advocate of the Confederate cause. Did you condone her attitude and sympathize with her position?

3. While Aaron is recovering, he and Constance engage in an animated discussion of slavery, secession, the war and their own personal convictions. Through this dialogue, the author captured and conveyed to the reader the different beliefs and viewpoints that split the nation. Did this scene change any preconceived ideas or viewpoints that you held on these issues and the war? Explain.

4. Lincoln imprisoned dissenters, nullified writ of habeas corpus, closed hundreds of newspapers, declared war without the consent of Congress, and established military rule in the border states. Was he a military dictator or savior of the Republic?

5. Were you especially attracted to or interested in any one particular character more than the others? Which one and why?

6. When you finished the book which character affected you the most and/or impressed or disappointed you the most? Explain.

7. Did the author successfully weave the real personalities and her fictional characters together in a believable format? Did the personal interaction between the real and fictional personalities flow smoothly and authentically? To the best of your knowledge, did the historical personalities, such as Lee, Stuart, and Pelham, remain true to their real life personalities? Did this humanizing of the icons allow you to know them more intimately?

8. Did the use of footnotes and endnotes confuse you or add to the authenticity of the book? Did you use the bibliography to search out more information on any historic personality or fact? What did you learn?

9. Which scene generated the strongest emotional response from you? What type of emotion did you feel and why?

10. What do you feel was the primary message or moral value of this novel?

11. Did the attitudes of the African American characters surprise you and do you feel their attitudes were accurate?

12. In your opinion, is this novel destined to become a classic? Why or why not?

Questions for the author:

13. What prompted you to write this first book?

14. Explain your research and the method you used to gather so many facts into a work of fiction.

15. Are you a native Virginian and if so, do you think that heritage influenced your perspective?

16. Are you planning a sequel or other books?

17. Are you involved in other Civil War activities and organizations?