Chasing Coral Movie and Into the Deep Book Discussion Guides

Chasing Coral Movie and Into the Deep Book Discussion Questions

Everything on planet Earth is connected to every other living thing. Both the movie and the book present alarming information about the decline of the ocean we need to understand. The ocean is a moderator of temperature and carbon. Without it, temperatures would be rising even more quickly. The film presents visual images to help us comprehend the magnitude of the issues. The book provides detailed, factual, comprehensive, decades-long studies and current research to counter the fact global warming now is a natural phenomenon. Yes, the Earth has warmed before, but it was over many thousands of years. This time it has been happening for about 200 years, more since World War II. Recovery would take thousands of years. It is time to act. Watch the movie. Read the book and see if you agree. 

*Note: The film and book are entirely separate, and I paired them for a more complete understanding of the problems the ocean is facing. 

Free instant download PDF with the discussion questions (click this link to open the PDF)

Chasing Coral Movie

Note: I found the film on Netflix as it is a Netflix original movie. 

Chasing Coral is one of the six films suggest by Al Gore's Climate Reality Leadership Corps, and a movie trailer is available at the link. 

Discussion Questions

1. How did Richard Vevers think of the idea for the Chasing Choral film? What did he do next?

2. How was the fact the movie is "advertising" explained? 

3. Why does the ocean require advertising? What was compared coral with to explain why they needed to make the movie?

4. It was mentioned people usually look up to the stars, but not down to the bottom of the ocean. How does this lead to people being unaware of ocean issues?

5. A surprising person was part of the film crew, Zack Rago. Who was he and why did it seem this project was made especially for him? In the beginning, did it seem like he would be so important in the story? 

6. Tell some things you learned about coral while watching. Are white corals stunning and beautiful? What about fluorescing corals? 

7. Did the movie convince or further convince you that global warming is real? Explain why it did or did not. 

8. Why was it such a problem to have time-lapse cameras under the ocean? Why didn't the producers know for months at a time what was being recorded? 

9. Finally, near the end of the two years, repeated diving and manual films were taken. The divers would dive about 60 times a day for months. Why was this so very difficult emotionally for the divers? 

10. When Zach Rago meets Dr. Charlie Vernon, why is their meeting so bittersweet? 

 Into the Deep: Science, Technology, and the Quest to Protect the Ocean

Book by Christy Peterson

Title: Into the Deep: Science, Technology, and the Quest to Protect the Ocean
Author: Christy Peterson
Publisher: Twenty-First Century Books ™ (Lerner Publishing)
Publisher Address: Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.
241 First Avenue North
Minneapolis, MN 55401
Publisher Website Address: https://lernerbooks.com/Pages/Our-Imprints
Publisher Email Address: custserve@lernerbooks.com
ISBN-13: 978-1541555556

ISBN-10: 1541555554

ASIN: B081H5L6VJ

Price $19.05 Library Binding, $9.99 Kindle
Page Count: 152 pages
Formats: (Library Binding, Kindle)

Discussion Questions

1. We learn no part of the ocean is removed from our lives on land. Yet, we do not know much about much of the ocean. What are some of the difficulties with understanding the ocean? Why is the ocean so difficult to explore?

2. How much of the ocean is unmapped, unobserved, and unexplored?

3. Profiles of oceanographers and scientists are included throughout the book. What advice did they share with aspiring college students of ocean studies?

4. The fact all water comes from and returns to the sea is explained in the text. All water does not travel the same route. How are scientists tracking all the water on Earth and its movement around the planet?

5. What is demonstrated at Shore Acres State Park near Coos Bay, Oregon?

6. What is marine “snow?”

7. What drives surface currents? What causes deep ocean currents?

8. What happens to Earth if the oceans die? What are some things that happen when oceans become warmer?

9. Did you understand Chemosynthesis before reading this book? What is it?

10. What are some ways phytoplankton help the earth? How do jellyfish swarms threaten salmon, coastal power plants, and human stings?

11. Coral reefs absorb wave energy. If the reefs disappear, what could some communities experience?

12. Were you surprised or not by all the detailed and factual information in this book? 

Thank you for reading, Carolyn Wilhelm

More About #TheNewBookReview Blog The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the form at https://www.bit.ly/FinishedReviewSubmissions. Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's "Authors Helping Authors" service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page, too. And know that Carolyn Wilhelm, our IT expert, award-winning author, and veteran educator, makes an award image especially for those who volunteer to write reviews from Lois's review-request list and post them in the spirit of her "Authors Helping Authors" project. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

A Vietnam Memoir Like None Other

Title: Good Afternoon Vietnam

Subtitle: A Civilian in the Vietnam War

By Gary L. Wilhelm

Publisher: Self-Published

Genre: Memoir, Military, Vietnam

Photos: By the Author. 

ISBN: 9780999347232

Available on Amazon: https://amzn.to/32SSrTj

Contact Reviewer: hojoreviews@aol.com

 

                        A Vietnam Memoir with a Twist

            

 

War, Vietnam and Civilians

 

Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, multi-award-winning author of fiction, poetry and the HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers

 

Good Afternoon Vietnam gives us a perspective quite different from other books—indeed other media—about the Vietnam war. The author, Gary L. Wilhelm, is an engineer and was an engineer called to “duty” by his firm, Univac. Readers will find his viewpoint sometimes tinged with satire, more often will a gentle humor marked with disbelief. After all, how can a civilian employee be prepared for the likes of Vietnam when so often even those with military training weren’t. 

 

There is a reality about the prose—a reality that goes unconfirmed—that much of this book is from actual notes or a journal written on-the-spot. The same goes for the structure which, though told as if it unfolds with a real-time projection—also seems to be punctuated by whatever oddity (the one and a half-page description of the Vietnamese laundrywoman who washed the authors’ clothes in metal cans and swept the sand from his sleeping quarters) happens to come to mind. Sort of a Viet-style stream of consciousness.  And the story is all the more believable for it. 

 

 Good Afternoon Vietnam includes a couple suggestions for further reading. One on the copyright page is a free discussion guide for the book that may be handy for the needs of secondary education units at https://www.thewiseowlfactory.com/good-afternoon-vietnam-book-review-and-free-guide/. The other, the last chapter titled “Conclusions” at the end of the book rarely seen in a memoir, is an integral part of the memoir. Indeed the book, though personal and first-person, is often more of a teaching tool than a memoir. I consider it cross-genre. The need to share, the connection with biography, the personal aspect of the book only served to intensify the usefulness of it as a teaching tool in terms of career and life planning as well as the far-reaching and unexpected effects of war. 

 

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG 

The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page and in a tab at the top of this blog's home page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites so it may be used a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

Carolyn Wilhelm Offers Book and Movie Guide on Life on Our Planet

Title: A Life on Our Planet: My Witness Statement and a Vision for the Future

Author: Sir David Attenborough

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (October 6, 2020)

Publisher Website

Publisher Contact

ASIN: B089CKYNT9

ISBN-10: 1538719983

ISBN-13: 978-1538719985

Pages: 272

Price: Kindle $14.99, Audio Book $12.99, Hardcover $23.40, Audio CD $26.00

Format: Kindle, Audiobook, Hardcover, Audio CD

Film: Available on Netflix

 

Sir David Frederick Attenborough is an English broadcaster and natural historian. He is best known for writing and presenting, in conjunction with the BBC.

Discussion Guide Instant Download Link

A Life on Our Planet describes his lifetime and the climate changes he witnessed first-hand. It is an autobiography not of him but planet Earth during the Holocene and Anthropocene. The Holocene, he says, was 10,000 years of our Garden of Eden. The Anthropocene is the next period during which human activity has been the dominant influence on climate and the environment, most likely since the 1950s. And, you have probably guessed, it is the time of global warming and could end in the disappearance of human civilization. He says we need to save ourselves, not the Earth. The Earth has survived five previous mass extinctions and will continue.

Discussion questions based on the book: 

1.     How is humankind different from all other species, and why did this cause the climate difficulties we are now facing? 

2.     Homo Sapiens, people, are no longer changing physically, so what is changing about us now? Provide an example. 

3.     What does Attenborough say about human mistakes and bad planning (at the beginning and end of the book)?

4.     What is the true tragedy of our time? 

5.     What is one dire possible outcome? What consequences could cause mass migration by 2100?

6.     What is a better and still possible outcome? What do we need to do to have this better ending?

7.     Are solutions available now? What are some examples of countries demonstrating progress?

8.     Why is modern life unsustainable? What is the definition of sustainability?

9.     Why is eating meat and dairy such a problem for the climate?

10. What are the leading causes of climate change and global warming? 

 

His latest movie, also his mission statement, A Life on Our Planet, may be his best work ever. Oblivious to climate change as a young man, he realized the importance of saving the planet – wait, not the Earth, but ourselves. The planet will continue. We may not. 

He provides simple answers to correct the course we are on, damaging Earth, animals, biodiversity, and ourselves. We already know what to do to save life on Earth. Will we do so?

Discussion questions based on the book:

1.     Attenborough states Earth is a life support machine. What does he mean? 

2.     He mentions biodiversity many times. What are some examples he provides of how are we dependent on biodiversity? 

3.     Ice at the poles helped during the Holocene Epoch (the past 10,000 plus years and currently). What did they do for our planet? 

4.     Attenborough says there was a stable air temperature in the 1990s. The Earth was actually warming as something was masking the problem. What is his explanation? 

5.     Discuss: 15 billion trees are cut down each year on Earth. Did you know before watching the film?

6.     How do no fish zones increase fish populations? What country’s policies illustrates this truth?

7.     In a single day, he said there is more than enough solar power from the sun to do what? 

8.     How does eating meat impact climate change? What does he say a person is “saying” when he or she eats meat?

9.     The Netherlands was held up as a country using innovative farming techniques as they do not have more land. They used fewer chemicals to grow more food. What else did you notice in this segment? 

10. Attenborough says we need to work with nature, not against it and mentions several methods of doing so. Have you noticed efforts in this direction? Why are they important?

Thank you for reading, Carolyn Wilhelm

More About Carolyn Wilhelm:

Carolyn Wilhelm, a veteran educator, owns Wise Owl Factory LLC  and reviews for Midwest Book Review  and The New Book Review where she occasionally writes study guides for film and books like this one.  She is the author of  Change Captives 2035 and Project SAVE . Learn more about her:

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About #TheNewBookReview Blog The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the form at https://www.bit.ly/FinishedReviewSubmissions. Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's "Authors Helping Authors" service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page, too. And know that Carolyn Wilhelm, our IT expert, award-winning author, and veteran educator, makes an award image especially for those who volunteer to write reviews from Lois's review-request list and post them in the spirit of her "Authors Helping Authors" project. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

You Are Your Child's First Teacher by Rahima Baldwin Dancy Book Review

Title: You Are Your Child's First Teacher: Encouraging Your Child's Natural Development from Birth to Age Six

Author: Rahima Baldwin Dancy

Formats: Kindle, Paperback, and Audio Book

Pages: 336 Pages

• ISBN-10 : 1607743027
• ISBN-13 : 978-1607743026
• ASIN : B008WOUEMK

Publisher : Ten Speed Press; 3rd Edition

The first book in America to popularize the insights of Rudolf Steiner, founder of the Waldorf schools, regarding the developmental needs of young children.

You Are Your Child's First Teacher: Encouraging Your Child's Natural Development from Birth to Age Six was written by Rahima Baldwin Dancy. The book essentially presents the Waldorf philosophy of education and includes quotes from famous people in the Waldorf movement. However, much of the information is quite practical and helpful and can be applied in general to early childhood education.

"We have lost touch with natural processes in child development, convinced that we have to 'do something' rather than allowing the child’s own inner processes to unfold." 

She does not advocate for pacifiers, walkers, jumping toys, and other aids that supposedly help children achieve milestones before they are actually ready. She does advocate for an unrestrained, baby-proofed environment that the child can freely access and roam without problems. She feels the children will develop best this way. She also does not advocate for the early swim or gymnastics lessons as the learning cannot be sustained. She says toddlers do their own very appropriate gymnastics.

I spent much time reading the parts about babies and thinking about the book. As a grandmother, I got stuck on her ideas about the child becoming incarnate in the first year. She says the spirit at birth is larger than the body. Ponder that a minute and remember when this seemed true about newborns you have known. 

"Perhaps you have had the experience of walking into a room where a newborn is sleeping and wondering how the room can feel so filled by such a tiny creature sleeping over in the corner."

Growing Down

Dancy's description of how children "grow down" is so true. She described this as first the baby becomes able to move his or her eyes and head, then gain control of the torso to roll, later the hands begin to work, and finally the legs when the child can walk at about one year of age. Children grow up as they grow down. So interesting!

The author (and Waldorf education) is not for having children younger than age 7 sit still for long. "The tremendous growth of the first seven years is accompanied by the nearly constant movement as muscles and bones grow and coordination is gradually achieved." We know if we ask a child to sit for long, how they wiggle and fidget! Although children can learn certain things at young ages, she says if that is done it takes from the energy that is otherwise needed for growth and development.  Emphasis on intellectual growth too soon can have negative effects later, according to the book.

The book has a chapter on how to choose a preschool. Criteria are listed and can be consulted for parents who are trying to make such a decision. I notice that often in the Montessori on a Budget Facebook group these kinds of decisions are discussed. Parents want to know what to consider and this book can help with whatever type of preschool is being considered.

What about children watching television? What about video games? What does she think about immunizations? How should you care for a sick child? What about emphasizing religion in daily life? The author emphasizes that gratitude and reverence for life are essential to the whole development of the child. If you have questions in this area, the book offers pros and cons to consider, that I'm sure parents will find very helpful.

Conscious Parenting

"Conscious parenting requires keeping perspective and not letting ourselves become so bogged down in the day-to-day task of raising our children that we neglect to focus on the larger picture." 

Conscious parenting is: being present in the moment and attending to the present needs of the child. She says we should see the light in the child, as we parent.

The appendix has a discussion about Rudolf Steiner and Waldorf education. I did not realize that Waldorf has become the largest private school movement in the world. I didn't know that such schools were closed in World War II. Steiner is the founder of Waldorf Schools and is a pioneer in the area of developmentally based, age-appropriate learning. Early childhood educators are all in favor of such learning, and this book offers an understanding of such practice.

Thank you for reading! Carolyn

More About #TheNewBookReview Blog 

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the form at https://www.bit.ly/FinishedReviewSubmissions. Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's "Authors Helping Authors" service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page, too. And know that Carolyn Wilhelm, our IT expert, award-winning author, and veteran educator, makes an award image especially for those who volunteer to write reviews from Lois's review-request list and post them in the spirit of her "Authors Helping Authors" project. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

White Fragility: Why it is so Hard for White People to Talk About Racism Book Review

We live in interesting times. We are living through history, of course. A pandemic, politicization of germs, and protest marches, to name a few. Some movies and books are being released for free rental by Apple TV, Amazon Prime, and others. I just watched Just Mercy and The Hate U Give. Excellent movies! The local library has released more copies of books about racism. It was easy to get the Kindle version of White Fragility. Because they won't accept any book returns, I hesitate to participate in a curbside pick-up at the library. Supposedly they won't be charging fines but I've never had a book out for several months before now.

White Fragility: Why it is so Hard for White People to Talk About Racism is a highly-rated and popular book at this time. The author, Robin DiAngelo, has years of experience as a diversity trainer. She asserts the society of the United States is based on white supremacy. She says all humans have prejudice. She states American life is shaped by segregation, and racism-free upbringing is not possible. Whites benefit while people of color suffer. Whites could not be “superior” unless there were others. 

DiAngelo thinks whites are “fragile” as they have not had to deal with issues of race. When told of their racist statements or actions, white people take it to mean they aren’t being nice or good. Most whites will say they are not racist. They get upset or defensive, instead of listening to the reasons their statements or actions were hurtful and learning from the situations. Yes, whites face barriers, but not racism barriers, and benefit from unearned advantages.

The author argues she thinks white progressives cause most of the daily damage to people of color. She argues reverse discrimination is not possible in our social system. She feels white people think they have nothing to ever learn about race. She says there is no color-blindness. American individualism, romanticism about the good old days, and the desire to be comfortable with the way things are helped form systemic discrimination. 

This book would be helpful for diversity training leaders, people unfamiliar with white privilege, those wanting more insight about racial relations, and for people who would like to work on recognizing their own microaggressions. There are checklists to consult for discussion, thinking, and learning. Clear analogies are made to further explain the points she makes. 

“The failure to acknowledge white supremacy protects it from examination and holds it in place,” according to DiAngelo.

Review by Carolyn Wilhelm

Carolyn Wilhelm is the author of The Wise Owl Factory site and blog. She has an MS in Gifted Education, an MA in Curriculum and Instruction K-12, and has completed the KHT Montessori 12 month program. She makes mostly free resources for teachers and parents. Her children's books are available on Amazon. 

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page and in a tab at the top of this blog's home page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites so it may be used a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

Our "Getting-Reviews" Gal Lois W. Stern Offers #FrugalBookPromoTips

Want #More Book Reviews . . .  Dynamite Hint #14 to the Rescue

https://thenewbookreview.blogspot.com/2020/04/want-more-book-reviews.html

Some Important Tips from Lois W. Stern,

TheNewBookReview

Trusted Review Acquisition Coordinator           

Carolyn and I have been working hard to catch the eye of potential reviewers and get them to review your books. We note that those of you who offer real paper editions, (unless of course it’s only available as an e-book), are at an advantage. 

SOME SAGE ADVICE I TOOK FROM CAROLYN'S BOOK: HOW TO GET GREAT BOOK REVIEWS FRUGALLY AND ETHICALLY - PAGE 156:

Did you know that even if you don’t have a supply of books on hand, you can order individual copies of your book on Amazon AT YOUR AUTHOR PRICE and have them shipped directly to the reviewer’s address? Think of it this way, a few dollars to ship a copy of your book gives someone a big incentive to accept your gift and write that review. It's frugal and ethical.  And it nudges your Amazon logarithm stats. 

If you are looking for more reviews and are onboard for shipping some of your actual books to a potential reviewers, complete the form below and e-mail me (or copy and paste: tales2inspire@gmail.com into your browser), with the words LOOKING FOR REVIEW POSTING in the subject line, so I can highlight your review request next to your book listing.

Another nifty idea is to e-mail potential reviewers a few BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION QUESTIONS to help guide them while drafting their review- a great way to spark the reviewer’s own creativity.

Once you ship a book to a reviewer, send them a follow-up e-mail, thanking them and asking them to let you know when their Amazon review is posted. 

Steps to ordering a review copy of your book directly from Amazon:

• Go to your Amazon KDP page.
• On the right side of your book display, look for the words PAPERBACK ACTIONS and click on “Order author copies”.
• On the next screen, click on quantity 1, select the marketplace from the drop down menu, and check the box This is a gift
• Proceed to the checkout, where you will be asked to fill in additional info as name and shipping address of person receiving your gift, and method of payment.

When people pass your book around, lots of good things start to happen. it increases your exposure, your Fanbase and buzz about you. And isn’t that what each author is hoping to achieve?  

We’re off to a great start. Let’s keep the momentum going. And in my future blog postings, I’ll reach out to readers with this incentive that every reviewer gets the gift of a book they have hand picked.

Working together, we can make this project a huge success! Can we count on you to help it succeed by also selecting a book of interest to you, contacting that author for a gift copy and posting an Amazon review?

Lois W. Stern

Creator of Tales2Inspire® 

              ____________________________________________________________________

More About our Getting Reviews Gal, Lois W. Stern

Tales2Inspire® was a kernel of an idea I started in 2012 that has grown to proportions even I didn’t dare to envision. My innate curiosity about potentially fascinating human interest stories was the spark that ignited this idea, with the confused state of traditional publishing propelling me forward. Tales2Inspire® delivers exactly what it promises as both an ‘Authors Helping Authors’ project and a contest. Winners get their stories published in print, e-book and some even in video formats, with their names, headshot photos and mini-autobiographies included. Then I spread the word about the winners and their stories on my blog, social media and monthly newsletter. FREE to enter, this is a great competition for talented newbies and seasoned authors alike. If you would like to read some of these published stories, click here (or copy and paste: www.tales2inspire.com/gifts into your browser) for a FREE Sampler.

Learn more here:

Tales2Inspire website: http://www.tales2inspire.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/tales2inspire2

Facebook page: www.facebook.com/tales2inspire

LinkedIn profile: http://tinyurl.com/odtw2wt

Blog: http:://www.tales2inspire/blog

____________________________________________________________________

        More About #TheNewBookReview Blog

The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning #HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers . Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission form . 

Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's "Authors Helping Authors" service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page. And know that Carolyn Wilhelm, our IT expert, award-winning author, and veteran educator, makes an award image especially for those who volunteer to write reviews from Lois's review-request list and post them in the spirit of her "Authors Helping Authors"  project.

Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find Carolyn's also blogs at SharingwithWriters and The Frugal smart and Tuned-in Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing #amwriting

Revenant Movie and Book Review and Discussion Questions

After watching The Revenant movie with my husband, we both read a shorter nonfiction account of Hugh Glass. Both of us wanted more information. The book is only 17 pages, available on Kindle Unlimited. The eBook and paperback are available on Amazon. 

If there were ever a true story ripe for big-screen treatment, it’s that of Hugh Glass, a 19th-century trapper who traveled 1,500 miles through the wilderness.  Time.com

Some True Adventures in the Life of Hugh Glass, a Hunter and Trapper on the Missouri River (1857) is a short, sweet nonfiction book with helpful background information that reads like a story. The author of the book is Philip St. George Cooke. When I looked up the author, I learned he had died in 1895. So I can't find other information and wonder if someone typed up his military notes for his several books on Amazon. 

Another book to consider is Lord Grizzly (by Frederick Manfred, Buckskin Man Tales), which is a more complete and longer account. It was written in 1954 by Frederick Manfred. It is recommended on the South Dakota travel site. This book has a higher price tag and is 310 pages in length. It is a grueling experience just to read about Hugh Glass. And, frankly, the book is racist and contains swearing. It was written about seven decades ago, though. 

My husband grew up in South Dakota and remembers learning about Hugh Glass in school. Glass was left for dead by other trappers (Fitzgerald and Bridger) after being mauled by a bear, and wanted revenge on those men. In the movie, he has a Native American son who is killed by Fitzgerald. We had to look up the information as we aren't thinking about it very often, which led us to the book on Amazon. We also checked Wikipedia:

He had festering wounds, a broken leg, and deep cuts on his back that exposed his bare ribs. Glass lay mutilated and alone, more than 200 miles (320 km) from the nearest American settlement at Fort Kiowa, on the Missouri River.

You can follow the actual route he took today if you travel that way. It is approximately from Lemon, SD, to Chamberlain, SD, if you are itching to remember. The towns were built after the events took place. Probably driving by car is the best way to cover the miles today. The annual Hugh Glass Rendezvous at Shadehill Recreation Area in late August celebrates the legend.

So, some questions to consider regarding these books, online information, and the movie include the following:

1. The author of Lord Grizzly, Frederick Manfred, was obsessed with the story of Hugh Glass to the point he would crawl through his backyard in Minnesota with one leg tied up. He would eat grubs and ants as part of his character study for writing the book. He also walked part of the path through South Dakota. He continued his study for ten years. He collected gravel, grasses, sand, and other natural items to further his understanding. Discuss: How far would you go for a character study in order to write a book? How much would you put up with as a spouse of someone going through such an obsession? 


2. The movie and the books all differ in their retellings of Hugh Glass. In one book, he has a wife and two children back in Lancaster, PA. He also spends years with Bending Reed, his Native American wife. In the film, he only has his Native American wife and teen son. In another book, no female companion or children are mentioned. They are all historical fiction to some degree. Discuss: Is his family impact the main story? Why would the retellings be so vastly different in this regard? Why do you think none of his family members are included in the story?


3. Initially, Hugh Glass was first confused and then driven to get revenge on the men who left him to die. Crawling for 40 days (according to one source) with major injuries would require motivation. The trip took so long he began healing along the dangerous way. Supposedly, other bears, wolves, and turkey buzzards approached him along the way. He had to eat grubs and ants. All this with no plumbing, no change of clothing, and winter approaching. Discuss: How do you think Glass survived his ordeal? What were his motivations? How did his "travel" compare to travel today? Is the story worthy of a museum and an annual 4-day rendezvous in Lemmon, South Dakota? Would you like to attend? 

4. Glass wanted to be a mountain man and not live in the city. His wife (Mabel) in Lancaster, PA (according to Lord Grizzly) and mother of his two sons would not move west. They would fight and he left. Discuss: Could Glass have ever settled for city life? He didn't continually stay with his Native American wife and would go on long expeditions for beaver pelt. Do you think some people are just born to a certain path and unable to change? 

5. The Revenant opens with a scene where the mountain men were surprised and many killed. In Lord Grizzly, we learn there was a reason for the attack. The mountain men would "visit" Native American women which caused anger. Would the movie seem different if we had known that right away? Did we ever find that out in the film? Discuss: Why does the film focus mostly on Glass, and his crawling travel? Why doesn't it take a larger view of the time? *Note: Everything we know is historical fiction as Glass was born in 1783. 

6. In the historical fiction book, Lord Grizzly, Glass alternates between vulgar language and reciting scripture. He finds an old Native American woman who is dying, gives her her last meal, and digs a grave for her with his bare hands (with all his wounds). He gives as best a funeral as he can, complete with prayers. Discuss: Why didn't the film include that scene? Does it change your mind about Glass? Does that fit with the non-denominational service at the end of the four-day rendezvous event?

7. The big theme about the book at the end is forgiveness. Glass forgives Bridger, being able to see his point of view. Fitzgerald has joined the army in two of the retellings, and Glass has to promise not to injure him. He gets $300 and his prized rifle back. In Lord Grizzly, he does forgive Fitzerald. In the book, Lord Grizzly, Glass forgives both men. Discuss: Forgiveness as in the story and in general. The thought of revenge kept Glass crawling and making progress, yet he arrives and can find it in himself to forgive. He does not forgive Fitzgerald right away, but he does. How difficult would it be to forgive Fitzgerald as in the film, where his son is killed? How does Glass get even with Fitzgerald in the film?

After either the movie or one of the books, I appreciated civilization more. Either snack during the book or plan a dinner afterward as it makes you feel like you are starving! You might be hungry enough to eat a bear! But probably not. 

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