Enter the shadowy world of mesmerism with Catherine Jinks’ Charlatan.
Part mystery, part true crime, part comedy and part historical document, the multiple layers of Catherine Jinks’ Charlatan ensure rich pickings for a hearty book club discussion. Here are some questions to help get the inquest underway.
Discussion points and questions:
- Charlatan could be categorised in a number of ways: true crime, social history, courtroom drama, legal studies. It paints quite a picture of late 19th century life in Australia and New Zealand. How different is this society to the one you imagined?
- What do you think it was about this time that encouraged so many to take up public rhetoric and performance?
- Can you imagine yourself attending a public talk or demonstration of this ilk?
- Some cities immediately denounced Carr and shouted him out of town, others, such as Adelaide embraced him from the highest levels of society down. Why could that be?
- Was Carr the equivalent of a contemporary reality TV or social media celebrity who enjoyed publicity and celebrity, or something more sinister, or authentic?
- What do you believe: did Thomas Guthrie Carr mesmerise and then sexually assault Eliza Gray?
Catherine Jinks hit the jackpot with Charlatan’s antihero Thomas Guthrie Carr.
A feelgood romantic comedy by Australia's bestselling romance writer.
Delve deeper into this story of love, class and belonging, set at the brink of the New Zealand Wars. A great bookclub pick!
A thought-provoking book about family and fortune to read with your book club.
A heart-stopping Jack Hawksworth novel to read with your book club.
A heart-stopping romantic adventure to read with your book club.
Build the Life You Want introduces you to the cutting-edge science that can change your life, in understandable terms and with actionable strategies. Along the way, Arthur and Oprah share hard-earned wisdom from their own lives and careers.
Unravel Carl Nixon's brilliant story of a fractured family told over 40 years with these book club questions
Some great points to discuss with your classroom or book club, from this quirky new take on Shakespeare's Hamlet.
A powerful blazing genre-bending masterpiece to discuss with your book club.
A perfect literary pick for your book club, dive deeper into The Deck with these discussion questions
A top pick for book clubs, Laughing at the Dark is a funny, moving memoir about rebellion, identity and laughter