Book Club Questions
REAP THE WIND
- The marketing materials describe Reap the Wind as THE PERFECT STORM meets THE FIRM.
- Is this an apt description?
- How is the book similar to—and different from—these other books?
- REAP THE WIND is an action/adventure novel that follows three lawyers as they embark on a treacherous journey from Houston to Cincinnati during a catastrophic hurricane. Along the way, they’ll face terrifying obstacles like tornadoes, hailstorms, and driving rain. But the real danger may come from within as they struggle to survive each other’s company. How realistic is this scenario?
- A theme of REAP THE WIND is climate change. It is a fictional account of what climate dangers may lurk in our future if we fail to act on climate.
- How do you feel about climate change?
- Did REAP THE WIND influence your position on climate change?
- The title of the book comes from the biblical prophet Hosea (8:7). The prophet says: “For they sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no seeds; it has no grain. Should it yield, strangers would swallow it up.” How does the book relate to this?
- The prologue deals with an Air Force C-130W “Weatherbird” aircraft. How realistic was that chapter to you?
- Josh Goldberg is a lawyer at the prestigious Philly firm of Bartram, Wynne & Darby. He has strong opinions about environmental issues but keeps them to himself. He’s decided he can do more “from the inside” than outside corporate America. Nevertheless, he feels very guilty about what he does. At the same time, he needs the income to pay his tuition loans and support his family. Do you think a person can maintain his values while working at a law firm as described in REAP THE WIND?
- Geoff challenges Josh by asking, “How can you live with yourself doing that? I mean, I do real estate law, and for the most part, that’s morally neutral. Don’t you help companies get around the law?”
Josh responds, “Them’s fightin’ words, pardner. No, I don’t do that. I don’t have to tell you that regulations are really complicated. Most companies just want to have someone, me, us, figure that out for them. I’ve never knowingly helped a company violate the law.”
What do you think? - Josh says, “I keep my values in the closet on the shelf next to my plans to hike the entire Appalachian Trail and backpack cross-country for two months.”
- What did he mean by this?
- Can a person “park” his values and then come back to them?
- Josh’s fiancé, Keisha Jones, is carrying his baby. She is having doubts about their relationship. What do you think about the choice she made?
- Geoff Roberts is Josh’s best friend. He has substance abuse problems. An ABA study said that 20.6% of all lawyers have alcohol abuse issues (much higher than the general population). They did not estimate the drug abuse issue, but said it was substantial.
- Do you think someone can be a high-functioning alcoholic and drug addict and still be able to practice law?
- What do you think should happen if it should come to light that a lawyer is an alcoholic or drug addict?
- Diane Scanlon is Josh’s boss. She admits to Josh that she’d been the victim of sexual predators in the law firm of Bartram, Wynne & Darby on her way to the top. That doesn’t stop her from becoming one herself. Is this realistic?