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Reading Guide Materials:

Guest House

—a novelBarbara K. RichardsonBay Tree Publishing218 pagesISBN: 9780981957715$14.00

About the Book:

Sometimes you have to step out o your protective shell to be your greatest sel. For Melba Burns, a mid-lie go-getter, it’s theuncanny pull o a shy, ingenious ten-year-old boy that cracksopen her solo world.Melba witnesses a terrible accident, which stops her in herhigh-achieving tracks. She quits her job and retreats intoher beloved old armhouse to live in simple peace. But peaceand Melba’s new roommate JoLee Garry have never met. The buxom JoLee brings boyriends, booze and layos intoMelba’s household, not to mention an alcoholic husband whohas kidnapped their son Matt. The desperate, hal-brokenGarry amily trails a series o unexpected guests into Melba’ssemi-retirement. Melba sees in Matt, almost too late, someonegenuinely worth protecting.

Guest House

explores the grace that ows rom daring tointervene in a stranger’s suering. It is a ast-paced tale set inPortland, Oregon and Atomic City, Idaho, the absolute centero nowhere. Readers who may have orgotten the power o

living simply, and anyone in their middle years whose lie hasbeen hijacked by love, will all under the spell o these all-too-human characters and the relationships they destroy and orge.“This being human is a Guest House,” the poet Rumi says,“Every morning a new arrival…”click here to watch the video trailer “The Inspiration or

GuestHouse

” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12xh5MeDA7Q

One Sentence About the Book:

Melba Burns sees her solo lie get deeper, darker and richer when she dares to intervene in a young boy’s suering.

Discussion Questions:

1. You meet the our main characters o

Guest House

inchapter one. Which is your avorite character. Why?2. Melba Burns jumps o the ast track, sidelines her car,hauls groceries home in a wheelbarrow. Do you relate toMelba’s retreat rom motorized society? Would you everconsider giving up your car?3. The Garry amily is a amily on wheels. How have vehiclesimpacted their lives?4. Matt is so private. How does Melba draw Matt out?

5. Matt enthusiastically takes apart Melba’s Volvo. What elsedo the two riends have in common? Why does their bondgo so deep?6. Will JoLee ever fnd her perect mate? How many womendo you know who work ull time at securing a lie partner?7. Gene Garry is a likable drunk. What redeems him romutter uselessness?8. Matt creates internal worlds to get him through hardtimes. Is imagination a real tool or coping with difcultcircumstances? Does it help or harm?9. What avenues o support does our society give to childrenin troubled households?10. Melba has no legal right to step into this amily. Can you justiy her intererence on behal o Matt Garry?11. Why Atomic City? How does this derelict town contributeto the richness o the

Guest House

story?

Critical Praise:

“The people living in

Guest House

are as particular andreal—and awed—as our neighbors, our riends, ourselves. Inthis remarkably generous novel Barbara Richardson chroniclesnot only the betrayals and sorrows o the human heart, but thelove and hope and caring that heals it.”— Molly Gloss, author o

The Hearts of Horses

of 00

04 / 02 / 2010

This document has been featured!

David Cole

Barbara K. Richardson has created a wonderful and provocative reader's guide to her novel Guest House. You can read a selection of the novel online on scribd, download a PDF, or order a copy from Amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com and other online booksellers. Or, ask your local bookstore to carry it.

reply03 / 23 / 2010