Beyond All Dreams (38 page)
Authors: Elizabeth Camden
T
he Spanish-American War was fought from April to December of 1898. Cuba had been agitating for independence from Spain for decades, and the US government quietly supported their cause throughout most of that time. Tensions boiled over in February 1898 when the USS
Maine
exploded in Havana Harbor, a tragedy that has yet to be fully explained. American casualties from combat during the war were low, while deaths from disease were shockingly high on both sides. An estimated 5,000 Americans and 60,000 Spanish soldiers died during the brief war.
Although the
Culpeper
is a fictional ship, it was loosely based on the
Virginius
, an American ship caught smuggling guns to Cuban rebels in 1873. Cuba was in the midst of a decade-long revolt against Spanish rule, and the American government had been covertly supplying arms to the rebels. The crew of the
Virginius
was put on trial, found guilty, and ordered to be executed. When the British government in Jamaica heard of the incident, a team of diplomats raced to the island to stop the killings, but by the time they arrived, fifty-three crew members had already
been executed. President Grant had no desire to plunge into another war and downplayed the incident by accepting huge reparations from Spain to quietly settle the matter. In the weeks leading up to the vote to declare war against Spain, the scandal of the
Virginius
was resurrected to stoke anti-Spanish sentiment among a population still divided on the war.
Theodore Roosevelt made his reputation during the Spanish-American War. After resigning his position as assistant secretary of the navy, he formed the first US Volunteer Cavalry regiment, better known as the Rough Riders. His leadership during the Battle of San Juan Hill was widely celebrated, leading to his election as governor of New York later that year. His popularity was so great that he was selected to be President McKinley's running mate in 1900. Only a few months after the election, McKinley was assassinated, and at the age of forty-two, Theodore Roosevelt became the youngest man ever to serve as president of the United States.
- Is love at first sight possible? Luke's experience with the opera singer taught him about infatuation, so he was already suspicious of the feeling when he met Anna. How can one determine if one is in love or merely infatuated?
- Anna and Neville had such a long and enduring friendship that most people assumed they would eventually get married. Do you believe such an entirely platonic friendship between a man and a woman is possible? What are some of the advantages of being friends before becoming romantically involved?
- Luke grew up with an abusive father and feared becoming an abuser himself. Why does this pattern of destructive behavior often get handed down from parents to their children? What patterns of behavior, both positive and negative, have you inherited from your own parents?
- Throughout the novel, Anna is able to forgive those who have sinned against her, while Luke is not. What power has Luke surrendered to his enemies by continuing to hold grudges? Are there some sins that can't be forgiven?
- Both Luke and Julia loved their father, even though they feared him. What accounts for this?
- Is war always wrong?
- Both Anna and Neville carry scars from their painful years in school, but so does their sometimes-tormentor Eliza Sharpe. Why do so many people look back on their school years as a difficult time in their lives?
- Why was Neville reluctant to tell Anna of his relationship with Mrs. Norquist? Have you ever been in a platonic relationship and felt “left behind” when your friend became romantically involved with someone?
- At one point, Luke tells his nephew that the boy's passion for art is a gift from God, “even though we don't know yet what form it will take. If you don't make it as a painter, perhaps you'll be a great teacher. Or a museum curator. Maybe you'll become a rich industrialist and fund a museum. Just don't limit yourself by thinking you already know God's purpose for you.” Did you have any childhood dreams that later didn't come true but were funneled toward another worthy goal?
- Anna and Luke are a case of “opposites attract.” What are the advantages and challenges of such a relationship? Would Anna have been better off married to Neville?
- Political rivalries are nothing new in Washington, D.C. Luke and the Speaker of the House genuinely loathe each other for years before they unite to work toward a common cause. Is it possible to have serious disagreements about policy or social matters without demonizing one another? How might this be accomplished?
Elizabeth Camden
is the award-winning author of six novels, including the highly acclaimed
With Every Breath
and
Against the Tide
, winner of a RITA Award, Christy Award, and Daphne du Maurier Award. With master's degrees in both history and library science, she is a research librarian by day while scribbling away on her next novel by night. Elizabeth lives with her husband in Florida. Learn more at
ElizabethCamden.com
.
The Lady of Bolton Hill
The Rose of Winslow Street
Against the Tide
Into the Whirlwind
With Every Breath
Beyond All Dreams
