Jakes's novel will serve as a catalyst for further research. In the first place, he mentions enough famous people and events to pique the curiosity of any reader. Then, Jakes shows that power without checks and balances limit individual freedom. Most of the conflicts prevalent at the turn of the Century have not been resolved today, for instance, the immigrant experience, economic conflicts between capitalism and socialism, social issues that concern the rights of women, children, and employees, family relationships, the role of government in business, aggression of foreign powers, and regulation of developing technology. Discussion of the issues in Homeland will certainly be relevant to issues today.

1. Is Jakes's habit of dropping the names of real persons, places, and events without developing much explanation a distraction or an asset to a reader? Give positive or negative examples.

2. Socialism began with Eugene V. Debs and the...