1. Why do you think this book is titled THE MEMORY HOUSE? What role do memories, both past and present, play in the novel? Discuss the memories that define Eli and Julia and cause them to be who they are at the beginning of the story.

2. Julia and Eli find antique marbles in the antebellum mansion. To whom did they originally belong? How do the marbles come to be in the present-day inn? How do the characters feel whenever they find one? What role do the marbles play in connecting the past with the present?

3. In the opening chapter, both Julia and Eli are wounded souls. Describe their characters and personalities. Do they change during the course of the story? If so, how? And what causes the changes?

4. In the opening line, Eli thinks that freedom is its own kind of prison. What does he mean? Do you agree with this statement? How can freedom be a prison?

5. Grief and loss are major themes of THE MEMORY HOUSE. Describe the grief or loss that each of these characters --- Julia, Eli, Charlotte, Lizzie and Ben --- had to bear. What coping mechanism did each use to deal with the pain? Were these negative or positive mechanisms, and how did the choice affect each character’s life?

6. Discuss the parallels between the two story lines. How does the past affect the present? What do the characters in the present learn from the past? How does this affect their relationships and help them heal?

7. Mother-and-son relationships are integral to The Memory House. Discuss Julia, Charlotte, Mindy and Gloria and their relationships with their sons. How are the mothers alike? How are they different?

8. “The child is father of the man” is quoted in the opening. What does this mean? How does this apply to Eli? What past incident began his downward spiral and brought him to the opening chapter? What part does Alex play in his father’s journey to healing? Would Eli have ever healed if he had refused to be Alex’s father?

9. Charlotte was restricted and defined by the expectations of women during the 19th century. Cite examples where she bows to those expectations. Discuss the times when she did not.

10. Charlotte and Will cared deeply for each other. Why could they not express their feelings? Why was Charlotte determined to remain faithful to her husband even though he had not been faithful to her? How did she succeed? How did she fail? What incident occurred that allowed her to speak her true feelings within the context of her letters?

11. Discuss the significance of Michael’s garden. What does it symbolize to Julia? What part does Eli play? Why does Alex place his beloved marbles in the fountain?