About the Author
Lorenzo Carcaterra is the author of the novels Sleepers, Apaches, Gangster, and Street Boys, and a memoir, A Safe Place. He lives in New York.
Reading Group Guide
1.
The Star Rover was less successful commercially and critically than most of Jack Londons other books. Would you attribute this to the books difficult subject matter or something else? Why?
2. Discuss the propaganda in the book. What do you make of the books denunciation of capital punishment and arguments for prison reform? Does Londons clear agenda in any way diminish the books impact, or does it add to it, in your opinion?
3. How does Londons impassioned socialist viewpoint inform the book? How does capitalist society precipitate the prison system, if at all? Does London really think the system can change? Why or why not? What do you make of Londons portrayal of Cecil Winwood?
4. How does the Death Row experience color Darrell Standings perspective? Does knowing when and how ones death will come make prison life more or less tolerable? How did you as a reader react to Standing, knowing of his impending doom?
5. One of Londons primary preoccupations was the idea of corporeal courage, proficiency. In what sense, if any, does physical courage triumph over physical adversity in The Star Rover?
6. Discuss Standings character, which is atypical by London standards. How significant is it that Darrell Standing is a university professor? a self-described paciWst? How does this inform the plots dynamic? Does it complicate the fact that he is in prison? How so?
7. Discuss Londons talent for realism. Does this preclude a happy ending in The Star Rover? What do we ultimately come away with? Is there any hope in Londons worldview? Do Standings survival tactics ultimately succeed?
8. Discuss Londons accounts of Standings out-of-body experiences. Did you Wnd these metaphysical accounts believable? How are Standings visions signiWcant with regard to the books larger themes?
9. What does the books title mean to you? Discuss.