Space Between the Stars (40 page)

1. In the first chapter, Deborah Santana discovers that her family is different from other families. Why is this such a shock to her?

2. Discuss how Deborah's and Kitsaun's parents provided love and security when the world offered them uncertainty and nonacceptance. Many people who read
Space Between the Stars
feel that they know Kitsaun well. How do you feel?

3. What do you think drew Deborah to Sly? How did this relationship lead her astray from her goals?

4. Deborah had life-shattering experiences while in Los Angeles—discuss what she learned from them.

5. Do you know anyone who has been physically abused? Do you feel compassion for these women or anger at them? Why?

6. Deborah met Carlos Santana three months after she leaves Los Angeles. Were you nervous about her becoming involved with another musician? Did you trust her spiritual awareness to be true to herself?

7. How do you feel about Deborah's journey with Sri Chin-moy? What did she learn about herself? What did she learn about God's presence?

8. Through managing the Dipti Nivas vegetarian restaurant, Deborah regained confidence in her intelligence and business skills. What significance did this hold for her when she faced the challenge of Carlos's touring and infidelity? How would you react when faced with a similar challenge?

9. Have you ever pushed yourself beyond what you thought you could do? How did Deborah feel after she completed the New York City Marathon? Did this strengthen her to leave the meditation path?

10. Saunders King, Deborah's father, was a pillar of strength in her life. What did his life teach her?

11.
Space Between the Stars: My Journey to an Open Heart
—what do you think is the significance of the title and the subtitle?

D
EBORAH
S
ANTANA
is vice president and chief operations officer of the Santana Band, and has been managing the band full-time with Carlos Santana since 1994. She is also vice president of the Milagro Foundation, which was started by the Santana family and which has given almost $2 million to charities and nonprofit agencies that support children and youth in the areas of health, education, and the arts. She has been married since 1973 to Grammy-winning musician Carlos Santana. In 2000 she received the UCLA César E. Chávez Spirit Award, which honors individuals who have continued to pursue Chávez's vision of social justice. In 2004 she received a “Women of Distinction” Award from the Founder Region Soroptimist International Organization for her work with the Milagro Foundation, and in September she and Carlos received the Youth AIDS award for their commitment to fighting the AIDS pandemic in South Africa. For more information about the Milagro Foundation, please visit
www.milagrofoundation.org

This book was set in Perpetua, a typeface designed by the English artist Eric Gill, and cut by The Monotype Corporation between 1928 and 1930. Perpetua is a contemporary face of original design, without any direct historical antecedents. The shapes of the roman letters are derived from the techniques of stonecutting. The larger display sizes are extremely elegant and form a most distinguished series of inscriptional letters.

Copyright © 2005 by Cadestansa, LLC

Reading group guide copyright © 2006 by Random House, Inc.

All rights reserved. Published in the United States by One World Books, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.

O
NE
W
ORLD
is a registered trademark and the One World colophon is a trademark of Random House, Inc.

R
EADER'S
C
IRCLE
and colophon are trademarks of Random House, Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Santana, Deborah, 1951–

Space between the stars : a memoir / by Deborah Santana.—

p. cm.

eISBN: 978-0-307-54715-6

1. Santana, Deborah, 1951– 2. Santana, Carlos. 3. Rock musicians—United States—Biography. 4. Musicians' spouses—Biography. I. Title.

ML420.S226A3 2005

787.87′164′092—dc22     2004050146

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