Sweet Land: New and Selected Stories
by Will Weaver
Discussion Guides and Activity Ideas
ABOUT THE BOOK
In this
paperback original, several new stories complement the author’s hand-picked
favorites from the original collection from 1989, A Gravestone Made of Wheat.
Together, the stories offer a vivid portrait of swirling, intergenerational
changes in the Midwest. New highlights include “Blaze of Glory,” a poignant tale
of an RV road trip and a senior couple. In “Haircut,” a young boy and his
beloved grandfather struggle to communicate across a great cultural divide. In
“The Last Farmer,” a high-tech farmer’s dilemma is with history, tradition, and
an old house on his land. Twelve stories in all portray the yearnings of the
human spirit and the continuing, sometimes wrenching transformation of America’s
Midwest. “Among the best books of the year…” Minneapolis Star Tribune
From the author’s website, www.willweaverbooks.com
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
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What were some of the major themes of the stories? Are they relevant in your life? Did you think the stories were funny, sad, touching, disturbing, moving? Why or why not?
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Talk about the author’s use of language/writing style. Have group members read their favorite passage or two out loud.
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Did you think the characters and their problems / decisions / relationships were believable or realistic? Which character could you relate to best and why?
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Talk about the locations the stories were set in. Were they important to the stories? Were the author’s descriptions of the landscape/ communities good ones?
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How did the various characters in the stories exemplify responsibility (this year’s Prior Lake/Savage Community Value)? What else struck you about the book? Would you recommend it to a friend?
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Have you seen the movie, Sweet Land? Compare the movie to the short story, “A Gravestone Made of Wheat”, that it was based on.
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
Check out our website at
www.scott.lib.mn.us/ OTSP.html
to see times and locations for Sweet Land events and to view links to websites
with interview and more information on the author and his other books.
MEET THE AUTHOR! Will Weaver will be at the Prior Lake Library the evening of
Thursday, January 24 to discuss the book and show clips of the movie. Check the
website for more information as the date approaches…
WEBSITES
www.willweaverbooks.com Will Weaver’s website includes a description of his books, a short biography, and appearance schedule.
www.mnscu.edu/media/performance/2005/spring2005/immigranttale.html Short article from Performance, (newsletter of the MN State Colleges and Universities), about how the short story “A Gravestone Made of Wheat” became the movie Sweet Land.
Suggested Further Reading
Other books by the Author:
Red Earth, White Earth (1986)
A Gravestone Made of Wheat (1989)
Barns of Minnesota (2004)