1.How does the T. S. Eliot poem used as an epigraph set the tone of the novel? With the knowledge that this is the final book in Evans’s series, what were your hopes and expectations for the conclusion of Alan’s story?
2.In the prologue, Alan says that “every life can be learned from, as either a flame of hope or a cautionary flare. I don’t know yet which one mine is. By the time you read this, I probably will”. Do you agree with this statement? Can you think of any characters in the novel or people you know in real life who either support or disprove this statement?
3.What are some interesting parallels between the journal entries in Alan’s father’s family history and Alan’s own life experiences? How does the journal give him a window into his own personal history in way that nothing else can?
4.Alan’s father tells him that “it’s good to take counsel from the past but not to be ruled by it. Otherwise we end up using today to fight yesterday’s battles and missing tomorrow’s promise”. What does he mean by this? How does this statement relate to the larger themes of the novel and the series?
5.How does Alan’s arrival at the house in Pasadena foreshadow many of the events yet to come in the novel? If he hadn’t taken the detour to Pasadena, how might the outcome of his journey have been different?
6.What prompts Alan’s sudden physical desire for Nicole after his feelings have pointed in the other direction for so long? Is Nicole’s reaction surprising? What combination of events might have led to both of their reactions?
7.When Alan tries to persuade Falene that they should be together, she tells him a humiliating story from her high school days and says, “I’m the same person I’ve always been. I used to think I had changed, but I haven’t. Inside I’m still that same girl behind the bleachers. Even at the modeling agency. Why can’t you see that?” Discuss this passage. Everyone has a past, but why is it sometimes difficult to recognize change in ourselves even when others can see it? Are there people in your life in whom you believe more than they believe in themselves?
8.How did you think the final leg of Alan’s trek, from Jacksonville to Key West, compared to the earlier stretches of his journey in the previous novels? Were the Florida scenery and history he encountered interesting to you, or did you prefer reading about some of the other parts of the country he visited?
9.Discuss the chapter in which Alan visits Lottie’s Eats and encounters a roomful of men with no ambition greater than the lack of ambition. Why is it unusual that Lottie asks Alan where he has come from rather than where he is going? What do the men in the bar represent? What else was meaningful about this scene?
10.Near the end of his trip Alan reflects: “I may be wrong, but it seems that there may be some unraveling of the American tapestry. I see people getting so caught up in celebrating diversity that they are neglecting their commonality. I don’t see this as a good thing”. Discuss what this passage means. Do you believe that this is something currently happening in our culture? If so, do you agree with Alan?
11.As Alan approaches the end of his travels, he has a sudden realization. “I was more troubled than I had been for months. . . . I realized there was something different at the core of my pain. Fear. Fear of completing my journey. . . . What was I going to do when my walk was finally over?” What makes this realization a pivotal moment for Alan?
12.Before Alan reaches the end of his journey, do you think he ever truly knows why he is walking? If Alan had to sum up his journey in fewer than ten words, what do you think he would say?
13.Were you satisfied with the way the series ended? Would you be interested in reading more stories about Alan Christoffersen?
14.Discuss the book’s title and how it ties in to the ending of the book. What is the significance of the phrase “walking on water” as it relates to the series and to the final chapter in Alan’s journey?
15.Discuss other themes, characters, or scenes that you liked or didn’t like in this novel and in the series as a whole. Are there characters you would have liked to see more or less of? What was your favorite thing about the series? Would you recommend these books to others?
Enhance Your Book Club
1.On his walk through Florida, Alan dines on a wide variety of traditional Southern dishes and hearty seafood. Find a good restaurant with similar fare in your neighborhood and have your book club meeting there. Or, search online or in cooking apps for recipes for foods like fried chicken or clam chowder to serve at your next meeting. You may even want to try fatback!
2.Share a story of a journey you took that changed your life. It doesn’t have to be as major as Alan’s. Was there a weekend adventure or class trip when you were young, a visit to see a relative, or a day at the beach that is particularly memorable for you? How can traveling even a short distance change your everyday outlook?
3.Despite all his hardships, Alan consistently demonstrates the power of positivity and kindness to others. Take turns sharing positive statements about each member of your group. You will all go home with smiles on your faces!
4.To keep up with Richard Paul Evans’s newest books, charity work, and other projects, visit www.richardpaulevans.com, www.facebook.com/RPEfans, and www.thechristmasboxhouse.org.
About the Author
© DEBRA MACFARLANE
Richard Paul Evans is the #1 bestselling author of The Christmas Box and Michael Vey. Each of his more than twenty novels has been a New York Times bestseller. There are more than seventeen million copies of his books in print worldwide, translated into more than twenty-four languages. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the American Mothers Book Award, the Romantic Times Best Women’s Novel of the Year Award, the German Audience Gold Award for Romance, three Religion Communicators Council Wilbur Awards, the Washington Times Humanitarian of the Century Award, and the Volunteers of America National Empathy Award. He lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, with his wife, Keri, and their five children.
You can learn more about Richard on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RPEfans, or visit his website, at www.richardpaulevans.com.
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ALSO BY RICHARD PAUL EVANS
The Walk Series:
The Walk
Miles to Go
The Road to Grace
A Step of Faith
A Winter Dream
Lost December
Promise Me
The Christmas List
Grace
The Gift
Finding Noel
The Sunflower
A Perfect Day
The Last Promise
The Christmas Box Miracle
The Carousel
The Looking Glass
The Locket
The Letter
Timepiece
The Christmas Box
For Children and Young Adults
The Dance
The Christmas Candle
The Spyglass
The Tower
The Light of Christmas
Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25
Michael Vey 2: Rise of the Elgen
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This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2014 by Richard Paul Evans
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First Simon & Schuster hardcover edition May 2014
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Interior design by Aline C. Pace
Jacket design by Jackie Seow
Artwork by Donna Geissler
Library of Congress Control Number: 2014933520
ISBN 978-1-4516-2831-9
ISBN 978-1-4516-2835-7 (ebook)
Photograph on page 89 © Archive Holdings, Inc./Archive Photos/Getty Images. Photograph is for representative illustrative purposes only.
Contents
Acknowledgments
Map of Florida
Epigraph
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Epilogue
A Letter from the Author
Reading Group Guide
About Richard Paul Evans