1. Investigate Bowditch's life and contrast the factual details with what Latham has written.

2. What other events were occurring in America during Bowditch's lifetime (1773-1838) that might be pertinent to the events described in the biography? What transpired in his later years, after the book concludes?

3. Examine Latham's approach to writing about the young Nat. What elements from your own life would you choose to document? Why?

4. Events in Nat's early life significantly influence his adulthood. Can you identify incidents from his formative years that hint at the person he becomes by the book's end? For example, consider how he later applies what he learned at Ropes and Hodges.

5. Minor details help bring a historical figure to life for modern readers. What are some such details about Nathaniel Bowditch, and what do they reveal about his personality?