What Garrison Keillor did for Lake Wobegon, Gail Fraser has done for Lumby in this delightfully touching new novel which centers on outsiders Pam and Mark Walker, who set about converting the community's fire-ravaged monastery into a historic inn. In the process they face the suspicions of the townsfolk, the open hostility of the cranky newspaper publisher, and the sometimes helpful, often humorously hapless assistance of the local tradespeople. An engaging cast of characters is led through an entertaining tale of foibles and romance, intrigue and benign mayhem, and are portrayed in the narratives and snippets from the local paper, The Lumby Lines.

The Lumby Lines Reading Group Guide



About this Guide

The proposed topics for discussion, presented most often in question format, are designed to support and enhance your individual thoughts about, or group's discussion of Gail Fraser's novel, The Lumby Lines. Comments and suggestions are invited by the author at www.lumbybooks.com.

For Discussion

  1. After reading The Lumby Lines, many often want to reserve a room at Montis Inn and escape to Lumby because the town appears to represent a better time when life was easier, people were more honest and communities were closer. What are the endearing qualities about Lumby that you're attracted to? And, how can we all find a quality of life that Lumby embodies?
  2. How does the cover painting enhance your vision of Lumby?
  3. What does Montis represent to the various characters in the book; the Walkers, William Beezer, the monks of St. Cross Abbey, Joshua, Charlotte, and the residents of Lumby? How do their perceptions change as the story progresses?
  4. How do the newspaper clippings from The Lumby Lines enhance your perception of the town and its residents? And, based upon your personal experience, how do smaller town newspapers reflect the quirkiness of the communities that they cover?
  5. The townspeople voice diverse reactions to the "East Coasters" after the Walkers purchase Montis. Were there reactions expected and justified? Is there a majority opinion? Who stands against the majority and comes to their support and why?
  6. Hank is a beloved character in The Lumby Lines. How does he support the main plot and, more importantly, who's managing his wardrobe?
  7. The Green Chile is a prominent setting in the novel. What role does it play in the story, and what function does that type of locale fill in a town such as a Lumby?
  8. The theme of transition, both life and career, is prominent throughout the novel; Pam leaves her corporate surrounds, the Walkers embark on a new life at Montis, and Brooke closes her architectural firm to join her friends in Lumby. How does each of the characters deal with change and what do each take away from the transition(s) they go through?
  9. Which characters captured your heart as the novel progressed?
  10. Although the reader never directly hears William Beezer's voice, he significantly influences the story and the other characters in Lumby, especially his son. What are your feelings about William? Do you think Dennis Beezer ever finds peace about his father after the accident? And Brooke deeply regretted never meeting William Beezer although all indications were that he was a nasty fellow - what would she have said to him?
  11. The monks of Saint Cross Abbey overcome dire financial challenges with the help of a close friend and advisor (Pam Walker) and profitably launch a new business. What choices and compromises did they make along the way to ensure the rum sauce success? In retrospect, might they have had any regrets about their business venture?
  12. Mark's unbridled enthusiasm occasionally runs amuck, but how has his enthusiasm helped in the different aspects of his life?
  13. Pam and Mark Walker have very different philosophies in life: "Pam…knew how fragile the balance was between happiness and tragedy, and how there are very few times in life when all of the levers were up: when the bills were paid, the dogs were fed, her husband and friends were healthy, and the tomatoes were ripe. But she also knew that in a split second one of those levers could trip, and adversity would rush in and flood their lives. That was one of the reasons she married Mark; he always unconditionally believed that the levers would stay up indefinitely, permanently. She so envied the freedom that that optimism gave him." How do two very different people complement each other as well as strengthen their marriage?
  14. When do Brooke and Joshua each come to the realization that they need each other and want to be together?
  15. Joshua said, "I don't think we're limited to one purpose in life, or if we are, we need to walk different paths to realize it. We could be given an endless number of slates on which to write our own fate." What is your belief in destiny?