Ask the Author: Eoin Dempsey
Answered Questions (15)
Eoin Dempsey
Hi LeAnne,
Thanks for considering my novel for your book club. Yeah, I've loads of questions. Here they are!
Book Club Questions for THE LONGEST ECHO
1. What did you think of the title of the book? Did you find that it aroused your curiosity? What did you think of the title after having read the novel?
2. Why do you think Liliana wants to get away from Monte Sole?
3. What do you think of her relationship with her mother?
4. Why do you think the Nicoletti’s were so eager to help James?
5. What are your first impressions of James? Lupo? Werner Brack?
6. Should Lupo have halted operations after hearing the rumors of the massacres in Tuscany?
7. Is Lupo a good man/leader?
8. What would you have done if you were a citizen on Monte Sole? Joined or supported the partisans, or kept to yourself?
9. What do you think of the stories of the partisans taking from the local shopkeepers and leaving IOU’s?
10. Have you looked into the true story of the Monte Sole massacre after reading the book? Had you heard of it before reading the novel?
11. Why did the SS plan to kill so many non-combatants?
12. How were the individual SS soldiers able to do what they did? Was it dehumanization? Years of propaganda? Trying to do as their peers did? Or was it that they were inherently evil? Was it something else?
13. Do you think finding the boys, Luca and Luciano, saved Liliana?
14. Did you know about the escape routes the Nazis took through Europe, the rat-lines?
15. What do you think of the clergy that helped the war criminals? How widespread ddo you think the problem was?
16. What do you think of the questions Brack’s mother asks him when he visits her in Austria?
17. What would James have become without Sheriff Brody’s influence?
18. Why do you think James got divorced?
19. Did Liliana invite James to the party in Manhattan to talk about the article or was it something more?
20. Describe Liliana’s mental state when she meets James.
21. Why did the Allied governments give up on their promise to prosecute every Nazi war criminal? Why did Germany pardon so many in the 1950’s?
22. Did you know about the massive German influence in Argentina?
23. Why did the Argentinean government under Peron allow so many Nazis to enter the country?
24. Why does Liliana react the way she does when she wakes up beside James?
25. What were your first impressions of Richard Klement?
26. What did you think of his confession?
27. Would you have done what Liliana did?
28. Did this book give you a greater understanding of the politics/intricacies in chasing war criminals in the 1950’s?
29. Do you think this book would make a good movie? Who would you cast in the title roles?
30. What did you think of the ending? Is there any more to the story from there?
Thanks for considering my novel for your book club. Yeah, I've loads of questions. Here they are!
Book Club Questions for THE LONGEST ECHO
1. What did you think of the title of the book? Did you find that it aroused your curiosity? What did you think of the title after having read the novel?
2. Why do you think Liliana wants to get away from Monte Sole?
3. What do you think of her relationship with her mother?
4. Why do you think the Nicoletti’s were so eager to help James?
5. What are your first impressions of James? Lupo? Werner Brack?
6. Should Lupo have halted operations after hearing the rumors of the massacres in Tuscany?
7. Is Lupo a good man/leader?
8. What would you have done if you were a citizen on Monte Sole? Joined or supported the partisans, or kept to yourself?
9. What do you think of the stories of the partisans taking from the local shopkeepers and leaving IOU’s?
10. Have you looked into the true story of the Monte Sole massacre after reading the book? Had you heard of it before reading the novel?
11. Why did the SS plan to kill so many non-combatants?
12. How were the individual SS soldiers able to do what they did? Was it dehumanization? Years of propaganda? Trying to do as their peers did? Or was it that they were inherently evil? Was it something else?
13. Do you think finding the boys, Luca and Luciano, saved Liliana?
14. Did you know about the escape routes the Nazis took through Europe, the rat-lines?
15. What do you think of the clergy that helped the war criminals? How widespread ddo you think the problem was?
16. What do you think of the questions Brack’s mother asks him when he visits her in Austria?
17. What would James have become without Sheriff Brody’s influence?
18. Why do you think James got divorced?
19. Did Liliana invite James to the party in Manhattan to talk about the article or was it something more?
20. Describe Liliana’s mental state when she meets James.
21. Why did the Allied governments give up on their promise to prosecute every Nazi war criminal? Why did Germany pardon so many in the 1950’s?
22. Did you know about the massive German influence in Argentina?
23. Why did the Argentinean government under Peron allow so many Nazis to enter the country?
24. Why does Liliana react the way she does when she wakes up beside James?
25. What were your first impressions of Richard Klement?
26. What did you think of his confession?
27. Would you have done what Liliana did?
28. Did this book give you a greater understanding of the politics/intricacies in chasing war criminals in the 1950’s?
29. Do you think this book would make a good movie? Who would you cast in the title roles?
30. What did you think of the ending? Is there any more to the story from there?
Eoin Dempsey
Hi Sabrina. I'll send you an email to answer this.
Eoin Dempsey
Hi Barbara,
My inspiration all came from the initial act of finding someone in the snow, someone mysterious, who could literally fall out of the sky and change your life. Everything else stemmed from there. When my research turned up the story of the White Rose, I knew I had to tell their story.
My new novel is about the Klondike Gold Rush! I'm doing final edits on it now. It should be out on November!
My inspiration all came from the initial act of finding someone in the snow, someone mysterious, who could literally fall out of the sky and change your life. Everything else stemmed from there. When my research turned up the story of the White Rose, I knew I had to tell their story.
My new novel is about the Klondike Gold Rush! I'm doing final edits on it now. It should be out on November!
Eoin Dempsey
Hi Loretta,
Thanks so much for reading. I've been asked about a sequel a few times. I just have absolutely no idea how I would do that!
Thanks again,
Eoin
Thanks so much for reading. I've been asked about a sequel a few times. I just have absolutely no idea how I would do that!
Thanks again,
Eoin
Eoin Dempsey
I'm in Dublin right now! It's been a wonderful summer here so far! I did massive amounts of research, mainly focusing on eyewitness accounts. It wasn't a pleasant thing to research but the more I researched the more I felt I was paying full respect to those who survived as well as those who didn't.
Eoin Dempsey
Thanks, Shirley!
Eoin Dempsey
Here on the site! Sorry it took me so long to answer! Here are some questions for your club.
Book Club Questions for White Rose Black Forest
1. What did you think of the title of the book? Did you find that it aroused your curiosity? What did you think of the title after having read the novel?
2. Would you have done what Franka did upon finding the man in the snow?
3. Why do you think Franka did what she did upon finding the man in the snow?
4. How well do you think the novel depicts the paranoid atmosphere of living in Nazi Germany?
5. How far do you think Franka would have gone to protect the man in the snow? Do you think she would have shot the old man who almost came across them on the trail?
6. What do you think John’s plan was when he first discovered himself in the cabin, alone with Franka?
7. Do you think that Berkel and other Nazis like him were inherently bad people, picked out to do the bidding of the party because of their nature, or were they turned bad by the conditioning they underwent in the Hitler Youth and the constant propaganda they were subject to?
8. What do you think of the role of women in Nazi Germany? Were you aware of the subjugation of women under Hitler’s regime?
9. When do you think John begins to truly trust Franka?
10. What did you think of the true story of the White Rose movement? Who did you admire the most?
11. Did Hans go too far with the movement? Should he have stepped back at the end as the Gestapo was closing in?
12. What did you think of Fredi’s story? How would you react if this was done to one of your family members?
13. Would you have joined the Hitler Youth/League of German Girls if you grew up in Germany in the 1930’s? How do you think you would have reacted to the peer pressure of being a teenager in Nazi Germany?
14. Why do you think so many people were seduced by the Nazis? Why were some able to resist?
15. Do you think the Nazis ever truly cared about the German people?
16. Who is your favorite character in the book, why?
17. Why did John join the Marine Corps? Why didn’t he join the Army as an officer as was his station in life?
18. Do you think John and his wife ever truly loved each other?
19. What is your favorite scene in the book? What scene do you think could have been handled more skillfully?
20. What do you think of the Allied bombing of Germany? Do you think it was just? Should they have stuck to purely military targets or was the policy of breaking the German people’s will to fight a factor in winning the war?
21. Did you know about the German atomic bomb research during the war?
22. Do you think the book conveyed a realistic picture of the Gestapo and their ways?
23. Did this book give you a greater understanding of what the German people faced during the war?
24. Do you think this book would make a good movie? Who would you cast in the main roles?
25. What did you think of the ending to the book? What do you think happens next?
Book Club Questions for White Rose Black Forest
1. What did you think of the title of the book? Did you find that it aroused your curiosity? What did you think of the title after having read the novel?
2. Would you have done what Franka did upon finding the man in the snow?
3. Why do you think Franka did what she did upon finding the man in the snow?
4. How well do you think the novel depicts the paranoid atmosphere of living in Nazi Germany?
5. How far do you think Franka would have gone to protect the man in the snow? Do you think she would have shot the old man who almost came across them on the trail?
6. What do you think John’s plan was when he first discovered himself in the cabin, alone with Franka?
7. Do you think that Berkel and other Nazis like him were inherently bad people, picked out to do the bidding of the party because of their nature, or were they turned bad by the conditioning they underwent in the Hitler Youth and the constant propaganda they were subject to?
8. What do you think of the role of women in Nazi Germany? Were you aware of the subjugation of women under Hitler’s regime?
9. When do you think John begins to truly trust Franka?
10. What did you think of the true story of the White Rose movement? Who did you admire the most?
11. Did Hans go too far with the movement? Should he have stepped back at the end as the Gestapo was closing in?
12. What did you think of Fredi’s story? How would you react if this was done to one of your family members?
13. Would you have joined the Hitler Youth/League of German Girls if you grew up in Germany in the 1930’s? How do you think you would have reacted to the peer pressure of being a teenager in Nazi Germany?
14. Why do you think so many people were seduced by the Nazis? Why were some able to resist?
15. Do you think the Nazis ever truly cared about the German people?
16. Who is your favorite character in the book, why?
17. Why did John join the Marine Corps? Why didn’t he join the Army as an officer as was his station in life?
18. Do you think John and his wife ever truly loved each other?
19. What is your favorite scene in the book? What scene do you think could have been handled more skillfully?
20. What do you think of the Allied bombing of Germany? Do you think it was just? Should they have stuck to purely military targets or was the policy of breaking the German people’s will to fight a factor in winning the war?
21. Did you know about the German atomic bomb research during the war?
22. Do you think the book conveyed a realistic picture of the Gestapo and their ways?
23. Did this book give you a greater understanding of what the German people faced during the war?
24. Do you think this book would make a good movie? Who would you cast in the main roles?
25. What did you think of the ending to the book? What do you think happens next?
Eoin Dempsey
Ha ha! I'm quite a different person to the novels I write! I already have the next one done. Heartwarming?? It's by no means depressing, but heartwarming might be going a bit far. I need a few tragic events to get my characters moving! It's what I do....
Eoin Dempsey
I've literally never thought to do that, and I'm two books ahead of White Rose, but yeah! That's a good idea!
Eoin Dempsey
This answer contains spoilers�
(view spoiler)
Eoin Dempsey
Thanks, and thanks for reading!
Eoin Dempsey
I've already got another one written and just about ready to go to the publisher! Thanks for reading!
Eoin Dempsey
Thanks so much, Susan. I'm delighted you enjoyed it!
Eoin Dempsey
Thanks so much, William. I'm delighted you enjoyed it!
About Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
