REMEDIES

Kate Ledger grew up in Philadelphia, PA, and graduated from Akiba Hebrew Academy and the University of Pennsylvania. She received a Master of Fine Arts degree in fiction from the University of Arizona. For several years, she worked as the senior writer at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions. As a freelance writer, she has published articles in Self, Health, and other national magazines. She lives in St. Paul, MN, with her husband and children.

“An immediately gripping, expertly woven tale of pain and healing. Ledger is a brilliant writer; the book is dazzling, but more importantly, it is moving.”—Elin Hilderbrand, New York Times bestselling author of Barefoot

“This is a taut and elegant book, and an impressive literary debut.”—Roxana Robinson

“Kate Ledger explores the margins of science and marriage with a surgeon’s precision and a magician’s sleight of hand, in prose that is clear, seductive, and sure. A wonderful surprise from an exciting new writer.”—J. Robert Lennon, author of Castle

“Beautiful, funny, and heartbreaking. My copy is fat with all of the corners that I folded down on pages that I will want to read again.”—Elizabeth Evans

“An immediately gripping, expertly woven tale of pain and healing. Ledger is a brilliant writer; the book is dazzling, but more importantly, it is moving.”—Elin Hilderbrand, New York Times bestselling author of Barefoot

Simon appears to be both altruistic and arrogant at the same time. What role does his profession play in his sense of himself? In what ways is he true to his vision of himself, and, at the same time, in what ways is he shortsighted?

Simon listens to his patients, makes himself accessible to them, and thinks up ways to make their health care more productive. He’s also will­ing to think “outside the box” when it comes to determining a treatment. Is Simon a good doctor?

Emily has grown up with an expectation that the world one lives in can be controlled. In what ways is she able to exert control? At what points does she experience the limits of her influence? How does she react when she’s confronted by her inability to control people and events?

Simon’s professional world is physically connected to his home. How does the architecture of the house relate to some of Simon’s internal con­flicts? How does the architecture of the hospital in Florida relate to medi­cine and to Simon’s situation?

Emily’s professional sphere is in another city. What does work mean to the Bears? How have they established and maintained their professional personas? How have they helped each other professionally over the years? How does their work affect their family life?

Simon and Emily have strained relationships with Jamie, but those two difficult relationships differ from each other. In what ways are those two relationships different?

What will it take for each of those relationships to improve?

Emily, Simon and Jamie are each grappling with the effects of a shared past tragedy. What are the remedies each seeks to handle the lingering, and sometimes unacknowledged, feelings of heartache? What works? What doesn’t?

How does each of them act when they can’t handle those feelings of heartache? In what ways do they act out? In what ways do they keep their feelings constrained?

Simon doesn’t mean to overstep his bounds with the nurse, Julie McKinley, and yet he does. What kinds of different feelings does Julie McKinley inspire in him? Why are those feelings at odds with each other? Why are those feelings out of step with the real world? What emotions and yearnings are connected to his sexuality?

When Simon decides to make wine, he has visions of a family project that will impress his wife and involve his daughter. Why does he choose wine? Why is this project doomed from the start? What does it say about Simon that he believes this project will be an antidote for the strife at home?