Bookclub-in-a-Box Discusses Three Day Road, novel by Joseph Boyden (Book Club in a Box: The Complete Guide for Readers and Leaders)

World War I was a uniquely horrific event in world history. It was truly the first of many things: first global warfare, first use of poison gas as a weapon, and first time that the Native peoples of Canada volunteered to fight for their country.

Joseph Boyden tells the commanding story of Xavier and Elijah, two young Cree Indians, who travel far from their familiar bush to fight in the unfamiliar fields of Europe. They do not know the land or the enemy, but they do know how to use their skills as hunters and trappers in this foreign environment. Two boys head out, but only one returns. The story is told through two moving narrations.

Niska, Elijah s aunt, has picked up her wounded nephew and is paddling him home to the wild. Along the way, their two voices overlay each other and offer two perspectives: first, a close look at the facts and details of Indian life at a pivotal time of change and second, a powerful glimpse into the tragedy of war.

Bookclub-in-a-Box explores how Boyden juxtaposes facts and details of the loss of Aboriginal bush life with the end of world innocence. Three Day Road is an in-depth look at how and why the Aboriginal community participated voluntarily in large numbers during WWI. The characters are vivid, the war scenes dramatic and the plotline grips the reader as it moves along.

Every Bookclub-in-a-Box discussion guide includes complete coverage of the themes and symbols, writing style and interesting background information on the novel and the author, as well as a complementary RAG (Read-Along-Guide), a quick reference pamphlet offering interesting facts and questions to consider while reading the novel.