Wow this book was nothing like I expected it to be. This is the first Richard Paul Evan's book I've read and I want to read more. I really enjoyed it. The story was beautiful. It was a quick read (which is great when you have four kids in the background.) It was inspiring and interesting and gave me all kinds of wild and crazy ideas to look forward to someday fulfilling... So, on to the questions...
1. Sunflowers appear throughout the story, from the name of the orphanage (El Girasol)to Christine's wedding decorations to symbols found in the ancient Temple of the Sun in Machu Picchu. What does the image of the sunflower represent? What does it mean to Christine in particular?
2.Describe Christine's transformation from the beginning of the story to the end. In what significant ways does she change? When Christine and Paul leave Makisapa Lodge
after she recovers from her illness, the walk through the jungle no longer frightens
her. "She knew she was not the same woman who had marched into the jungle the
week before" (283). Why is Christine not afraid this time?
3.Paul successfully weathered the simultaneous lawsuits brought against him by the
families of two patients who died in the ER under his care. Why then did he give up his career as a doctor and leave the United States to travel around South America? What draws him to El Girasol and then compels him to stay on as director of the orphanage?
4.Why does Paul share the story of his mother, who is dying from ALS, with Christine?
When Christine returns to the orphanage at the end of the story, why does she repeat
to Paul the phrase ("Love is stronger than pain") that he used when telling her about
his parents? How does this sentiment apply to their situation?
5.In the Epilogue, the narrator who began the story reveals that Paul and Christine have married and settled in a Dayton suburb with Pablo and Roxana. What was your
reaction to finding out that Paul chose not to continue running the orphanage? What
purpose does the narrator serve?
6.When Paul learns that he is to see Christine again as a result of Jim's accident, he writes in his diary, "Fate has a way of cutting corners" (195). Do you believe in fate?
7.If you were the New York Post what would you write as a comment to your readers about this book?
8.How would you compare this book and it's message with that of Three Cups of Tea?
Spinach & Sunflower Salad w/ Orange Vinaigrette
The perfect salad for entertaining -- a kaleidoscope of colors with textures ranging from sweet to salty and silky to crunchy. Dressing can be made 2-3 days ahead and refrigerated.
5 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 cups spinach, washed, dried, and trimmed
½ cup beets, drained, sliced or julianned
½ cup mandarin oranges, drained
¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled
¼ cup caramelized sunflower kernels
Combine vinegar, orange juice concentrate, oil, oregano, and salt in a small bowl and whisk briskly.
Pour dressing over spinach and toss until spinach is coated. Equally divide spinach onto 4 salad plates. Arrange beets, oranges, cheese, and sunflower kernels evenly on each salad.
4 servings
Per serving -- Calories: 207; Total Fat: 14 g; Carbohydrate: 13 g; Sat. Fat: 3.5 g; Dietary Fiber: 5 g; Cholesterol: 14 mg; Protein: 9 g; Sodium: 355 mg; Calcium: 210 mg
