Fan the Flame: Let's Get This Discussion Started!

This month we will be reading and discussing The Last Ember by Daniel Levin. Below you will find a discussion guide as well as some information about the author. Feel free to chime in and let us know where you are in the book. Since we are all reading at different paces, we ask that you include "SPOILER" if your comment contains any plot spoilers.

Discussion Guide:

1. The narrative of The Last Ember links the historical revisionism in the ancient world with contemporary historical revisionism. What are modern examples of attempts to erase the past? Have they succeeded?

2. The novel’s protagonist, Jonathan Marcus, begins the novel as a lawyer for less than scrupulous antiquity dealers. At what moment, does he realize he can no longer manipulate the past for his clients – or for that matter, himself?

3. At the end of the novel, is the character of Mose Orviei a source of despair or hope?

4. Is preserving history a moral obligation?

5. Why do you think the novel is called The Last Ember?

6. The novel addresses the museum ownership of illegally excavated artifacts. Should these artifacts be returned?

7. This book explores ancient sites and archaeological ruins. Which characters have “ruins” within themselves, and what is their process of “excavation.”

Author Spotlight:

Daniel Levin earned his bachelor’s degree in Roman and Greek civilizations from the University of Michigan. He graduated Harvard Law School with honors and clerked for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Israel. He was a visiting scholar at the American Academy in Rome in 2004 and practiced international law in New York. He currently lives in New York City, where he is working on his next novel.