1. What might a text, written about a "forbidden union between two enslaved young men on a Deep South plantation," mean for us now - particularly published in 2021?

2. As June is known as "LGBTQ+ Pride month," in what ways might we understand this book as part of that commemoration? How do major stories and themes of the work contribute to (or even, complicate) this memorializing?

3. What is the significance of Jones, Jr. naming multiple chapters in this work after books in the Bible? We will revisit this question after each section of our reading. Here, reflect on it as a holistic quandary, before going into the book's detail.

4. How does this title affect you, going into this story? Knowing what you know about the story (from reading the description or reviews before you begin), what do you think it means and how might the title guide your reading, as you embark?

5. This story is told from the perspective of the enslaved and the slaver alike. What do you intend to watch for, as this narrative characterization unfolds?

6. REFLECTION ACTIVITY: BEFORE READING
Sit down and write an intention for this book, in your process of reading it. What guides your reading of this work? What drew you to it? What about it resonates with you, before you begin? What do you expect, as you start your journey with The Prophets, to most engage your interest, your thoughts, or your attention as you read? What questions do you have, as you begin?