What was Mimi's motivation to take Terry to the Bird Refuge?

Do you believe that the nuclear testing caused the Tempest family's bouts with cancer?

Of all the birds mentioned, which is the most interesting to you?

How does the author compare her mother's cancer to the Great Salt Lake?

How was the author able to find comfort during her mother's illness and after her death?

What explanation could there be—other than exposure to radiation—for all of the incidents of cancer in the Tempest family?

What is the importance of the author noting the lake levels in relation to the various birds?