Book #9: What’s Left Unsaid, Emily Bleeker

We were lucky enough as a book club to get advance copies of this book. We were able to read, meet with the author and discuss just how wonderful this book really was. It was an honor that Emily picked us as a first time book club to do something like this with. 

About the book: 

After a series of devastating losses, Chicago journalist Hannah Williamson has landed in Senatobia, Mississippi, to care for her bedridden grandmother and endure grunt work at a small newspaper. But in cleaning out its archives, Hannah discovers a compelling distraction from her life: a series of rejected articles from the 1930s that illuminate a long-hidden mystery.

The articles, penned by a young woman named Evelyn, are haunting accounts of first love, trauma, and surviving a mysterious shooting that left Evelyn paralyzed at the age of fourteen. The articles stir up more questions than answers, and Hannah becomes consumed by what’s left unsaid. Encouraged by Guy Franklin, a local middle school teacher, Hannah’s investigation into Evelyn’s past becomes more personal with each new reveal. For Hannah, as both a journalist and a woman bearing her own emotional wounds, this is a chance to move forward and bring closure to the story of the girl whose secrets are buried in Senatobia.

What Hannah’s about to discover next is that, even after nearly a century, the truth she’s been looking for still has the power to change lives. Especially her own.

Discussion Questions:

1.             Hannah moves to Senatobia with the express mission of helping her Mamaw recover from an injury, but her true motivation is to have a change of scenery to recover from the losses in her life. In what ways did this choice improve her life? In what ways did it hinder her progress? Have you ever made a choice to put physical distance between yourself and a problem in your life? What was the result?

2.             Mamaw was raised in a time and culture that encouraged a whitewashing of reality to cover up any family struggles or difficulties with niceties. This profoundly ingrained habit makes it difficult for Mamaw to be vulnerable and share her true thoughts, feelings, and experiences without fear of judgment. Hannah is the opposite. She is almost too free to speak without thinking or without a filter. Which point of view do you relate to better? As both women found a middle ground, how did their lives change for the better?

 

 

3.             Hannah’s relationship with Alex ended suddenly when she uncovered his infidelity. Still, nine months after the end of their relationship, she is heartbroken. Why do you think she found it so hard to let go? Why, when she is a reasonably tough woman in many ways, was she willing to let him back into her life? How did her experience with Evelyn’s story help her grow into the woman who could walk away from Alex and move on with her life?

 

4.             Evelyn’s story is mainly based on a true story from the author’s great aunt Evelyn, shared in a letter passed down through generations. Knowing that her story is based largely on facts, what are the most surprising elements? What parts of Evelyn’s story would be different if it had happened in 2021? What elements would be the same?

 

5.             Jack Dawson and Hannah had an instant kinship that took them both by surprise. Why did a busy guy like Jack Dawson want to be involved in Hannah’s investigation? After discovering Jack and Hannah’s connection, do you think that had anything to do with their dynamic?

 

6.             Hannah’s hyper-focus on Evelyn and Alex leads to Guy’s devastating arrest. What do you think of Guy’s reaction to the situation? Do you think he over/under/appropriately reacted? How do you think you’d have responded if you’d been in his place?

 

7.             Hannah’s outrage at social injustice is well-intended but became frustrating to Guy, who, as a Black man, had to live with the realities of race and prejudice in America. He often challenged Hannah’s somewhat self-righteous outlook with his life experiences and point of view. In what ways do you relate to Hannah? How about Mamaw, who was raised in a different time and culture? How about Guy? What do you think each point of view provides when it comes to empathy and understanding?

 

8.             Guy and Hannah’s relationship developed out of a reluctant friendship that ended up working as they came to appreciate each other, even on the other side of a complicated conflict. What do you think worked about their opposites-attract kind of romance? What do you think Guy found interesting about the hard-nosed Hannah? Why did Hannah find it so hard to let herself fall for Guy? Do you think they will be happy in a year? Ten?

 

9.             Mamaw learned some surprising things about her own family as a result of Hannah’s investigation. At first, she was reluctant to allow Hannah to share the revelation with the world. Have you ever had a family secret come to light? What changed as a result? Was it a positive experience, or are some things truly better left unsaid?