The Beekeeper's Ball

THE BEEKEEPER’S BALL By Susan Wiggs – To be discussed on Feb. 4, 2015 at Geneseo Public Library

                         

The unconscionable incident with Calvin Sharp caused Isabel Johansen to leave culinary school and flee to her family’s home, Bella Vista, nestled in the Sonoma wine country. Isabel continues to hone her culinary skills while turning Bella Vista into a destination for food lovers. She even adds a cooking school and is eagerly planning Bella Vista’s first major event, her sister Tess’ wedding. But Isabel’s hard-earned happiness is shattered when Calvin, now a famous TV chef, chooses her town as the venue for his new restaurant. Things get even more hectic and complicated when former war correspondent Cormac O’Neill comes to town, ready to write her grandfather’s biography, including his role in the Danish Resistance during WWII. As much as Isabel denies it, she’s getting more and more attracted to Cormac, something that’s definitely not on her “to do” list. Wiggs’ carefully detailed plotlines, one contemporary and one historical, with their candid look at relationships and their long-term effects, are sure to captivate readers.

Questions:

1. Isabel has always dreamed of traveling the world and seeing new places, yet everything she does seems to tie her closer and closer to Bella Vista. Why do you think that, despite her inner wanderlust, Isabel always seems so fearful of leaving home?

2. Although she never knew her own mother, Isabel seems to have an instinctive urge to nurture and “mother” the people around her --- everyone from the workers at Bella Vista, to her grandfather and sister, to Mac and Jamie. Do you think that Isabel’s history and the lack of a motherly figure in her life is the force that drives her to take care of everyone else, sometimes at the expense of her own happiness?

3. Despite her disappointing experience with culinary school many years ago, Isabel’s love of cooking has never waned. What do you think this says about her inner determination and her quiet desire to pursue her dreams?

4. When Jamie first comes to Bella Vista, she confesses that she plans to give her unborn child up for adoption. Isabel is inwardly horrified by Jamie’s decision --- why do you think she reacts so strongly to the idea of Jamie relinquishing her role as a mother?

5. Delicious food and the inviting warmth of Isabel’s kitchen, are the key focal points to this story. What do these themes say about the story as a whole?

6. How do Mac’s experiences as a foreign correspondent frame his approach to staying put and eventually settling down? Do you see Mac and Isabel staying at Bella Vista? Why or why not?

7. The Bella Vista Cooking School focuses on the farm-to-table movement, in particular beekeeping and honey production. What is it about producing something true --- something from its source --- that is so important to Isabel?

8. Do you think Annelise’s account of her experiences during WWII helped Isabel deal with her own painful past?

9. Magnus had strong feelings for two very different women for most of his life. Do you think it is possible to love more than one person so deeply?

10. One of the themes in this book is about creating your authentic life. What steps did Isabel take to make this happen, and what obstacles did she overcome? What did she sacrifice or almost sacrifice in order to live her best life? Who made the bigger sacrifice, Isabel or Mac?

11. Do you have a fantasy job or career you have never pursued? Do you wish you had? What steps could you take to make it happen? What obstacles are in the way?

12. Where do you suppose Isabel and Mac will be a year from the end of the book? Five years? What will their life look like? What unanswered questions linger at the end of the novel?