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Carolyn Jourdan had it all: the Mercedes Benz, the fancy soirees, the best clothes. She moved in the most exclusive circles in Washington, D.C., rubbed elbows with big politicians, and worked on Capitol Hill. As far as she was concerned, she was changing the world.
And then her mother had a heart attack. Carolyn came home to help her father with his rural medical practice in the Tennessee mountains. She'd fill in for a few days as the receptionist until her mother could return to work. Or so she thought. But days turned into weeks.
Her job "now" included following hazmat regulations for cleaning up bodily fluids; maintaining composure when confronted with a splinter the size of a steak knife; distinguishing between a " pain, " a " strain, " and a " sprain" on indecipherable Medicare forms; and tending to the loquacious Miss Hiawatha, whose daily doctor visits were never billed.
Eventually, Jourdan gave up her Mercedes and made do with a twenty-year-old postal jeep. She shed her suits for scrubs. And the funny thing was, she liked her new life. As she watched her father work tirelessly and uncomplainingly, she saw what making a difference really meant: being on call all hours of the day and night, tolerating the local drug addict's frequent phone calls, truly listening to Miss Hiawatha. It meant just showing up, every day, and taking care of every person in Strawberry Plains and beyond, whether he got paid to do it or not. And for his daughter, it meant learning that her real place to change the world was right here-- in her hometown-- by her father's side.

2. Jourdan reflects on the differences between Michael and Harley's lives: "Harley had a death wish. He'd been graced with an extraordinary physique, and he abused his body and sought release from the world. Michael, who'd been born with a bad heart . . . struggled heroically to stay alive day by day". She then concludes, "If there was one thing I'd learned growing up in a doctor's office, it was that people's mood was rarely dependent on their external circumstances. Its origin was almost always internal". Do you find that this distinction holds true based on your own experiences? Are there people you know who reflect Michael and Harley's different approaches to life, and if so, in what ways?

3. Early on, Fletcher says to the author, "Your daddy's smart. He could've done anything, could've been any kind of doctor and got rich, but he came out here instead cause he wanted to help people". What are the trade-offs in being a small-town doctor versus being a doctor in the big city? What is gained and lost on both sides? What would we lose if small-town doctors disappeared?

4. When Jim Garrison comes to the office with a life-threatening emergency, the author thinks, "Somebody's gotta do something about this". She suddenly realizes that her father is the only person who can help. Have you ever been in a situation where you were the only person who could help, and if so, how did you manage it?

5. How would you characterize Carolyn Jourdan's relationship with her father? In what ways is it similar to or different from her relationship with her mother?

6. After Taylor Jackson leaves the office, the author thinks, "Every day in this place was spent viewing the most personal and critical moments of other people's lives. . . . I was inadequate to the experience". Do you believe that's true? How would you respond to the situations Carolyn Jourdan faces in her father's office?

7. During one of her telephone conversations with Jacob, the author says, "You know how we always talk about wanting to be in public service so we can help people. . . . Well, in this place I feel sometimes like I really am helping people. Actual people. It's not just an idea. I can't help them much. I know it's not glamorous, but sometimes I think maybe I'm doing more good swab-bing up body fluids and being a friendly face here than I ever did working in the Senate". Discuss the different ways people help each other. How do you think caring for others informs who you are? Share an experience you had directly assisting someone.

8. Discuss the ways in which Carolyn Jourdan's view of her father and mother shifts over the year. For instance, early on she describes them as "stoic" and "utterly self-contained". How does she see them by the end of the book?

9. When the author catches a glimpse of a human heart during surgery, she says to Henry, "If that's the heart, I gotta say, it don't look like much". Henry smiles and says, "A lot of the most important things in life 'don't look like much.' " Can you think of other examples in the book for which this holds true? Does this statement reflect a situation you have experienced?

10. Near the end of the book, the author realizes the true significance of the story about performing surgery with a pocketknife: "I'd always thought the story was about the astounding surgery. But it wasn't. It was about using the talents you had, whatever they might be, to the most constructive purpose". Who else mirrors this sentiment and why? Historical figures? People in your own life? To what degree is this true for yourself?

This book is on these lists:

Chandler's Wish List by Chandler

All lists >>

• January 2012 Indie Next List
• December 2011 Indie Next List
• November 2011 Indie Next List