Deborah Calling – Discussion Points for Book Clubs

Posted on Jul 26, 2017 in Book Club | Comments Off on Deborah Calling – Discussion Points for Book Clubs coming soon
read more

Deborah Rising – Discussion Points for Book Clubs

Posted on Sep 20, 2016 in Book Club | Comments Off on Deborah Rising – Discussion Points for Book Clubs Deborah Rising – A Novel by Avraham Azrieli – Discussion Points for Book Clubs: Has the experience of reading Deborah Rising been memorable and engaging? What were the emotions the story raised (sadness, shock, amusement, confusion, pity, anger)? How did the story leave you feeling? Who would you recommend it to? What did you feel about Deborah (beyond the initial sympathy for her experience of seeing her sister being executed)? Have your feelings changed along the way? What about the other characters—their personalities, motives, strengths, weaknesses, virtues, wickedness? While Deborah was understandably devastated by what happened to her sister, what do you think of her choices and actions later? Was she motivated by pain, anger, revenge, or hope? Was she trying to save herself from further suffering, or to achieve a new kind of ‘fairness’ in her life and condition? Is her quest to become a man an ‘overreaction’ to her...
read more

Christmas for Joshua — Discussion Points for Book Clubs

Posted on Jun 21, 2016 in Book Club | Comments Off on Christmas for Joshua — Discussion Points for Book Clubs Christmas for Joshua – A Novel by Avraham Azrieli – Discussion Points for Book Clubs: Has the experience of reading Christmas for Joshua been memorable and engaging? What were the emotions it raised (amusement, sadness, upset, confusion, anger)? How did it leave you feeling? Who would you recommend it to? What did you feel about the leading and secondary characters—their personality, motives, strengths and weaknesses? While Rusty was understandably devastated by what happened at his daughter’s wedding, what do you think of his actions later—in New York and in Arizona? Was he motivated by pain, regret, or revenge? Was he trying to reconnect with his past, or achieve a new type of ‘fairness’ in his family and community life? What about Rebecca’s feelings and actions? Is she a good wife? Is she another victim in this situation? Does she really understand the depth of Rusty’s crisis? Can she understand it,...
read more

The Bootstrap Ultimatum – Discussion Points for Book Clubs

Posted on Oct 16, 2015 in Book Club | Comments Off on The Bootstrap Ultimatum – Discussion Points for Book Clubs The Bootstrap Ultimatum – a novel by Avraham Azrieli* www.AzrieliBooks.com The Bootstrap Ultimatum – Discussion Points for Book Clubs What does Ben feel towards his late dad? Why does he feel this way? Is it justified? How deep and/or committed is the relationship between Ben and his girlfriend? Is he keeping parts of himself away from her? Is she open with him? Is her work more important to her than he is? Or is it the other way around? Ben and his mother: A strong bond or not? Open or not? Are there unresolved issues? How did the hacker know to post an article disgracing Ben’s dad? How did the hacker know that this is a weak spot for Ben without ever having met him? Why did the hacker choose to use the word “Bootstrap”? Is J. Andrew’s imposter (Daphne Vigil) truly evil? Are her motives, and maybe actions, actually...
read more

The Jerusalem Assassin – Discussion Points for Book Clubs

Posted on Oct 16, 2015 in Book Club | Comments Off on The Jerusalem Assassin – Discussion Points for Book Clubs The Jerusalem Assassin – a novel by Avraham Azrieli* www.AzrieliBooks.com The Jerusalem Assassin – Discussion Points for Book Clubs Why would is be so terrible if Rabin lost the elections? Elie and Rabin have two different plans for Rabin’s upcoming election. How do their plans represent their characters? Why is Abraham Gerster so interested in the young extremist group? What does Lemmy feel his true purpose is, that allows him to drop his old life and take on a new one so convincingly? Does he see himself as Elie’s spy and nothing else? Why does Elie not reveal to Batsheba and Gideon that he has another spy (Lemmy) working with them? Why did Elie not allow Lemmy to know that Christopher was backing him up (i.e. watching over him)? Is the safety of Israel and the Jewish people really Elie’s main motivator? Or are his own achievements and power the...
read more

The Jerusalem Inception – Discussion Points for Book Clubs

Posted on Jun 11, 2015 in Book Club | Comments Off on The Jerusalem Inception – Discussion Points for Book Clubs The Jerusalem Inception – a novel by Avraham Azrieli* www.AzrieliBooks.com The Jerusalem Inception – Discussion Points for Book Clubs: Why is Tanya so vital to the plot? Discuss her significance. Why is she so conflicted about her relationship with Jerusalem? Does she see Jerusalem and Abraham as distinct people? Does she really care for Jerusalem? Would Jerusalem have left Neturay Karta without Tanya’s influence? Did she turn him from gentle, obedient son to the rebellious teenager who reads forbidden books? What snapped inside of him? If Rabbi Abraham Gerster doesn’t even believe in God, how can he be such a convincing Rabbi to thousands? What does he actually believe in? Does he believe in any aspect of what he preaches? Does Abraham truly care for his family, even as he longs for Tanya? Discuss Elie’s character. Is he good or evil? Or both? Why? How would Abraham answer this?...
read more

Book Club: The Mormon Candidate

Posted on May 25, 2015 in Book Club | Comments Off on Book Club: The Mormon Candidate The Mormon Candidate – A Novel by Avraham Azrieli: Book Club Discussion Points: 1. Discuss Ben Teller’s personality: A. What are the roots of Ben’s doggedness? B. Is he just another paparazzi, or is he driven by moral reasons? C. Is he transformed by what happened to him though this story? 2. Compare Ben’s respective relationships with his mother and with his girlfriend and discuss the reluctance he exhibits about committing to Keera. (Does the death and absence of his father impacts this reluctance?) 3. We know Zachariah only through his diary and past actions, but he triggered Ben’s curiosity and relentless pursuit. About Zachariah: A. Why was he so upset by Morgan’s posthumous baptism of Captain Teller? B. How did he balance his Mormon faith with this new realization that the ritual is somehow wrong? C. Was this objection rooted in his faith, or in newfound unfaithfulness? Did...
read more