Mosley's realistic portrayals of both characters and milieus, offered in smooth language, convey an immediacy which can provide a springboard to discussion. Readers might consider whether they feel transported to Los Angeles of 1953, or whether they recognize many current social problems in the novel, be they of African Americans, other minority groups, or certain groups of white people. Members of different political affiliations will have different opinions, but these should provoke lively debates.

Discussion groups interested in history may enjoy researching 1953. The research may or may not be confined to California, for the search for suspected communists, and blacklisting, spread coast to coast. A line of discussion to pursue is "big brother" government, whether it boosts or erodes democratic freedoms, or neither. Readers might consider whether Easy's views are identical to Mosley's, or whether in the novel there is some playing of the devil's advocate.

1. Why...