Printable Book Club Questions for Memphis by Tara M. Stringfellow

The city of Memphis is a character in itself, even in the small scenes that take place elsewhere—Memphis is always present. Let’s talk about what Memphis means to each of the characters.
The story follows four Black women of the same family throughout 70 years. Why do you think the author decided to feature such a long time span? Whose journey were you most engaged with?
In what key ways do the four main characters—Joan, Miriam, August and Hazel—differ from each other? Did you see any similarities among the women?
Which character do you relate to the most?
Miriam leaves behind abusive Jax and takes Joan and her sister Mya to her childhood home in Memphis where her sister August and nephew Derek lives. But we learn that Joan suffered a violent assault by Derek when they were children. Why did Miriam still go back to Memphis despite the horrors that Joan endured there?
In an effort to get revenge on Derek, Joan, with the help of Miss Dawn, puts a curse on him. And eventually, he’s sentenced to prison for life. Was the curse real?
Why was art the right venue for Joan to express herself?
Let’s talk about the love story between Hazel and Myron.
Myron becomes the first Black detective in the city but is violently killed by the very same white police officers he worked with. What were your thoughts when you read this section?
Miriam falls for Jax right away despite not really knowing him. His friend tried to blame the war for Jax’s explosive temperament. What is your impression of this? Do you think Jax always had this violence stewing in him?
August has to turn her back on her dreams to care for Derek. But despite her best efforts, Derek commits multiple acts of violence. What are your thoughts about August’s storyline?
How did the prison visit with Derek give Joan the eventual closure she needed?
Let’s talk about the ending! What will await Joan in London?
A big theme of the novel is resiliency. How did Hazel, Miriam, August and Joan remain resilient despite dealing with personal traumas? What are other key themes did you pick up on?