Inharmonious

A compelling love story--inspired by the author's own family history--set in the segregated South during and after World War II, perfect for fans of Kristin Hannah's The Women and Brit Bennett's The Vanishing Half.

When three young Black men enlist in the US Army hoping to serve their country with honor, their lives are forever changed.

When Pearl Harbor is attacked in 1941, Cora's brother, Benny, rushes to enlist against the wishes of Cora and their mother. Able to pass as white due to his pale skin and light eyes, Benny reports for duty only to realize he's been mistakenly enlisted as a white man in a racially segregated military.

Lee has been friends with Benny ever since he was a troubled teenager, and he's been sweet on Cora for nearly as long. When Lee enlists without telling Cora, she is heartbroken and feels betrayed by the man she expected to spend the rest of her life with.

Meanwhile, family friend Roscoe, encouraged by Benny, offers to marry Cora in order to ensure that she and her mother--who both remain home--will be provided for should Benny not make it back.

Benny does return, but his new white identity leaves him struggling to find his place in between, in a country that only sees race. As America promises postwar prosperity to white veterans through the GI Bill, Black soldiers are excluded.

While the war may be over, the fight has only just begun for Cora, Lee, Benny, and Roscoe.

These discussion questions were provided by the publisher, Blackstone Publishing.

Book club questions for Inharmonious by Tammye Huf

Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.

At dinner, Cora, Momma, and Jasper lay out arguments against joining the military, while Lee, Benny, and Roscoe explain why they want to enlist. Whose arguments do you agree with the most? Did your opinion change or remain the same as you continued to read their stories?

Why does Patsy’s military nurse posting add insult to injury? Why do you think the US Army preferred to have Black nurses caring for German POWs? (For more on this, check out the true story of Elinor Powell and Frederick Albert.)

In Wales, how does Roscoe’s general treatment create an environment where a relationship with Megan is possible?

When Jasper won’t admit to being gay, how does his refusal to share his truth with his closest friends mirror Benny’s later fear of disclosing his true identity?

Cora encounters several people who say that if it were up to them, they would not uphold various discriminatory practices. Do you believe them? If they are telling the truth, what would that say about institutionalized discrimination vs. individual people’s prejudices?

What does Benny gain by continuing to present himself as white after the war, and what does he lose?

What indications does Benny have that it might be safe to confide in Gloria about his true identity? At what point do you think he should have told her the truth?

How do Benny’s prewar experiences help him understand Gloria’s frustration at being prevented from working at her dad’s accounting company? Even with the benefit of those experiences, why do you think Benny fails to recognize the restaurant waiter’s sexist attitude toward Gloria until she points it out?

Why do you think Roscoe is unable to adjust to life back home the way Lee or even Benny is? What might he have done differently to avoid becoming the man he becomes?

Does Lee hold any blame, as Benny suggests, for the failure of Cora’s marriage or for Roscoe hitting her?

When Cora comes up with the plan to build Liberty Heights, Benny, Uncle Drew, Patsy, and Lee are all for it. Why are Momma and Aunt Teen against it? Are their fears justified?

When Cora and Benny trick the FHA into underwriting a loan, do you feel they’re morally justified in their deception? Is there a more honest way they could have achieved the same result?

Inharmonious Book Club Questions PDF

Click here for a printable PDF of the Inharmonious discussion questions