The Taste of Salt discussion

The Taste of Salt, by Martha Southgate shines a light on the various roles we place ourselves and others into; woman, man, black, white, minority, majority, educated, not educated, addict, support system for an addict, among many others. Most of the time we function in these roles without really being aware of them. However, there are moments in our lives when we become acutely aware of how these roles define our lives either through our own assumptions or what we perceive others expect of us.

We are excited for this opportunity to discuss these roles and the assumptions that follow them. Please respond to one, some, or all of the discussion questions listed below. In your post, label each response with the question number to which you are responding. Engage in the discussion and connect with your peers. Take the opportunity to pose your own questions or comments, especially if there are other topics related to the book that you would like to discuss.

1. Josie struggles with both the family she came from and her conflicting feelings about being one of the only black scientists in her field. Why might people try to leave their past (and their families) behind? Do you think it's ever possible to do that?

2. Josie's father, Ray, and her brother, Tick, both struggle with alcoholism and other addictions. Does Josie harbor any addictions of her own? Do you think she is aware of her inner conflict? Have you ever had an addiction or inner struggle that you realized that you needed to work on? What was that experience like?

3. The topic of this book is so heavy and so personal. Reading a book like this can often bring up uncomfortable emotions and memories, including defensiveness, shame, sadness, anger, and disappointment. What kinds of reactions did you encounter when you read this book? What kinds of assumptions did you find yourself making about the author?

4. While there is alcoholism in the African American community, as in any other community in the United States, relatively few memoirs or novels have been published about it. Why do you think that might be the case?