Time Quintet (L'Engle) book discussion questions

QUESTION BY THEME IN THE TIME QUINTET

Good vs. Evil
In A Wrinkle in Time, Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which take Meg, Calvin, and Charles Wallace to the planet Uriel. There, as they see The Dark Thing, a shadow that is creeping over the cosmos, the children begin to understand the age-old struggle between the forces of good and evil. Have students make two columns on a large sheet of paper; one column should be labeled "good," and the other "evil." Beginning with Love and Hate, one in each column, ask students to list other characteristics of these forces.

In each of the novels, members of the Murry family learn important lessons when they encounter evil forces. Ask students to identify the conflict in each novel and discuss the overall theme of good vs. evil. How are these conflicts resolved? What does each Murry child learn about the power of love?

In A Wind in the Door, Charles Wallace is tormented by his classmates. Meg says, "It's not right in the United States of America that a little kid shouldn't be safe in school" (p. 47). Engage the class in a discussion about the safety issues facing public schools today, for example bullying, weapons, gangs, etc. How are these issues considered "evil" forces? 

Courage and Honor
In A Wrinkle in Time, Meg experiences various types of love throughout her adventure. When she returns to Camazotz for Charles Wallace, she learns that love can enable her to be brave in the face of danger. It provides her with the strength that she needs to overcome evil. Ask students to trace the development of Meg's understanding of the power of love and discuss or write about it in an essay format.

In some ways, Charles Wallace might be considered the most courageous Murry. Encourage students to compare and contrast his courageous journey in A Wind in the Door to his adventures in A Swiftly Tilting Planet.

The Murry twins, Sandy and Dennys, take their first time-travel adventure in Many Waters. As the "practical" members of the family, they are very frightened throughout most of their trip. Ask students to discuss whether it takes courage to be "practical" and "ordinary" in a family like the Murrys. How might being "practical" and "ordinary" cause anyone to be frightened upon entering a new experience? Do the twins become more courageous by the end of the novel?

Dealing with Giftedness
Charles Wallace realizes that he is different. While he is intellectually gifted, he lacks the physical ability to do things like the other boys in his class. Ask students to brainstorm characteristics of an intellectually gifted child. Make a chart for each of the Murry children and Calvin O'Keefe and cite evidence from the novels that indicates that each child might be considered gifted.

Family and Relationships
Have students study the Murry-O'Keefe family tree which can be found in the back of any of the 35th anniversary commemorative editions. Ask each student to select one person from the tree and design a page about that person's life and adventures to be included in a Murry-O'Keefe family scrapbook. Compile the pages and bind it. 

(From http://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/teachers-guide/96847/a-swiftly-tilting-planet/)

A WRINKLE IN TIME

1. A Wrinkle In Time is very much a novel about good vs. evil. Who in the book represents good? Who represents evil?
2. How does Meg feel about her father and his work?
3. Imagine living in a community that mistrusts and resents you. What is it like for the Murrys to live in a community that doesn't understand them?
4. How is Charles Wallace like Meg? How is he different?
5. How would you describe tesseracting? Would you want to do it?
6. What are Meg's faults? How do they help her in the end?
7. Meg experiences various types of love throughout her adventure. How does her understanding of love develop over the course of the novel?
8. Who is the most courageous character?
9. Would you define this story as fantasy or science fiction? What are the differences between these two genres?
10. If you had the opportunity to time travel, would you? If you could chose the time, what time period would you travel to? The past? The future?
11. Would you recommend this book to others?

A WIND IN THE DOOR

1. In Chapter 11, Senex says, "'It is only when we are fully rooted that we are really able to move."' (pg. 190) What does the author mean by this, and how might it apply to your life?
2. What clue does the author give at the end of the book to indicate that Proginoskes is really all right despite having Xed himself?
3. Why is it better to X oneself than to be Xed by the Echthroi? What is the difference?
4. Despite the fact that grown-ups have a harder time kything and may be slower at it than children, Calvin believes adults are able to go deeper than a child can once they get the hang of it. What does he mean by this? Can you give two examples from the story in which Mr. Jenkins proves that Calvin is right about this?

Orphan Train book discussion questions

1. On the surface, Vivian’s and Molly’s lives couldn’t be more different. In what ways are their stories similar?
2. In the prologue Vivian mentions that her “true love” died when she was 23, but she doesn’t mention the other big secret in the book. Why not?
3. Why hasn’t Vivian ever shared her story with anyone? Why does she tell it now?
4. What role does Vivian’s grandmother play in her life? How does the reader’s perception of her shift as the story unfolds?
5. Why does Vivian seem unable to get rid of the boxes in her attic?
6. In Women of the Dawn, a nonfiction book about the lives of four Wabanaki Indians excerpted in the epigraph, Bunny McBride writes: “In portaging from one river to another, Wabanakis had to carry their canoes and all other possessions. Everyone knew the value of traveling light and understood that it required leaving some things behind. Nothing encumbered movement more than fear, which was often the most difficult burden to surrender.” How does the concept of portaging reverberate throughout this novel? What fears hamper Vivian’s progress? Molly’s?
7. Vivian’s name changes several times over the course of the novel: from Niamh Power to Dorothy Nielsen to Vivian Daly. How are these changes significant for her? How does each name represent a different phase of her life?
8. What significance, if any, does Molly Ayer’s name have?
9. How did Vivian’s first-person account of her youth and the present-day story from Molly’s third-person-limited perspective work together? Did you prefer one story to the other? Did the juxtaposition reveal things that might not have emerged in a traditional narrative?
10. In what ways, large and small, does Molly have an impact on Vivian’s life? How does Vivian have an impact on Molly’s?
11. What does Vivian mean when she says, “I believe in ghosts”?
12. When Vivian finally shares the truth about the birth of her daughter and her decision to put May up for adoption she tells Molly that she was “selfish” and “afraid.” Molly defends her and affirms Vivian’s choice. How did you perceive Vivian’s decision? Were you surprised she sent her child to be adopted after her own experiences with the Children’s Aid Society?
13. When the children are presented to audiences of potential caretakers, the Children’s Aid Society explains adoptive families are responsible for the child’s religious upbringing. What role does religion play in this novel? How do Molly and Vivian each view God?
14. When Vivian and Dutchy are reunited she remarks, “However hard I try, I will always feel alien and strange. And now I’ve stumbled on a fellow outsider, one who speaks my language without saying a word.” How is this also true for her friendship with Molly?
15. When Vivian goes to live with the Byrnes Fanny offers her food and advises, “You got to learn to take what people are willing to give.” In what ways is this good advice for Vivian and Molly? What are some instances when their independence helped them?
16. Molly is enthusiastic about Vivian’s reunion with her daughter, but makes no further efforts to see her own mother. Why is she unwilling or unable to effect a reunion in her own family? Do you think she will someday?
17. Vivian’s Claddagh cross is mentioned often throughout the story. What is its significance? How does its meaning change or deepen over the course of Vivian’s life?

From
http://christinabakerkline.com/novels/orphan-train/reading-group-guide/

Ready Player One book discussion questions

From LitLovers.com

Discussion Questions
1. The OASIS becomes a part of daily life for users around the globe. What virtual realms (Google, Facebook, iCloud) do you depend on? What is at stake in the war against IOI, the internet service provider that wants to overturn Halliday’s affordable, open-source approach? Is it dangerous to mix profit and dependence on technology?

2. Explore the question of identity raised in the novel. What do the characters’ avatars tell us about their desires and their insecurities? In reality, does our physical appearance give false clues about who we really are? How does Parzival, transformed into a celebrity gunter, become Wade’s true self?

3. With a narrator who vividly captures the human experience, Ready Player One delivers a world that is easy for us to imagine. In the novel, what was at the root of the grim downturn for Earth’s inhabitants? Could your community start looking like the stacks by the year 2044?

4. How does love affect Wade’s rational mind? Would you have given Art3mis the tip about playing on the left side to defeat the lich (page 99, chapter ten)? Did you predict that she would turn out to be a friend or a foe?

5. How does public school in the OASIS compare to your experience in school? Has author Ernest Cline created a solution to classroom overcrowding, student apathy, and school violence?

6. In his Columbus bunker, Wade puts on so many pounds that he can no longer fit comfortably in his haptic chair. How would you fare in his weight-loss program, described in chapter nineteen, featuring a simulation gym, coaching from Max, and a lockout system that restricts his diet and forces him to exercise?

7. Wade’s OASIS pass phrase is revealed on page 199, at the end of chapter nineteen: “No one in the world ever gets what they want and that is beautiful.” What does this philosophy mean to him at that point in his life?

8. How is the novel shaped by the 1980s backdrop, featuring John Hughes films, suburban shows like Family Ties, a techno-beat soundtrack, and of course, a slew of early video games? Did Halliday grow up in a utopia?

9. Discuss Bryce Lynch’s financial situation, rigged so that Wade could infiltrate IOI. When does Wade become willing to “die trying”? How did you react to the image of debtors being forced into indentured servitude?

10. Wade doesn’t depend on religion to make moral decisions or overcome life-threatening challenges. What does the novel say about humanity’s relationship to religion? What sort of god is Halliday, creator of the OASIS universe?

11. Despite their introverted nature, the book’s characters thrive on friendship. Discuss the level of trust enjoyed by Halliday and Og, and among Wade, Aech, Art3mis, Daito, and Shoto. How is true power achieved in Ready Player One?

12. In the closing scenes, Halliday’s reward proves to be greater than mere wealth. What is Halliday’s ultimate prize? How did the rules of Halliday’s game help him determine the type of player who would likely win?

13. In his quest for the three keys, Wade is required to inhabit many imaginary worlds, including movies, video games, and a simulation of Halliday’s childhood home. Which of these virtual realities appealed to you the most? What sort of virtual reality is provided by a novel?
(Questions issued by publisher.)

Discussion questions for 'A Monster Calls'

Discussion questions for our May 2017 book.

1.  “You’re a good boy,” Conor’s mother tells him. “I
wish you didn’t have to be quite so good” (page 17). What does she mean by that? Why does Conor have to be so good?

2.  How does the monster describe itself to Conor?
Where does the monster come from? What does
it want? Do you think that the monster is real, or
is it a product of Conor’s imagination? What does
Conor think?

3.  Lily was once Conor’s closest friend, but now he
can’t forgive her. Why? Is he right to feel betrayed?
How do most people behave around Conor once
they learn about his mother’s illness? What would
you have done in Lily’s situation?

4.  “Stories are wild creatures,” the monster says.
“When you let them loose, who knows what havoc
they might wreak?” (page 51). What does the
monster mean by this? In what ways does the rest of
novel prove the monster’s point?

5.  Discuss the role that humor plays in this novel. 
Where are the best comic moments? Describe the
monster’s sense of humor. Would you enjoy the
monster’s company?

6.  “Sometimes people need to lie to themselves most
of all,” the monster tells Conor (page 62). Is Conor
lying to himself about his mother’s illness? Is his
mother lying to herself? What does each of them
need to believe? Why?

7.  Look closely at the illustrations. How do they
capture the tone of the novel? How do they
express the range of Conor’s emotions?

8.  Who is the hero of the monster’s first tale? Who
is the villain? How does the story keep surprising
Conor? What does Conor hope to learn from the
story? What does he actually learn?

9.  Discuss Conor’s relationship with his father.
What have they shared over the years? Why does
Conor want to live with his father now? Why
does his father say no?

10.  In the monster’s second tale, whose home is
destroyed? Why? What does the story inspire
Conor to do? Why does he enjoy doing it? How
does Conor’s grandmother respond to his actions?
Why?

11.  Conor’s monster appears to him in the form of
a giant yew tree. What is the medicinal value of
the tree? How effective is it as a treatment for his
mother’s illness? Why does she want to believe it
will help?

12.  Harry, the school bully, looks straight into
Conor’s eyes and says, “I no longer see you” (page
145). Why is this such a cruel thing to say? How
does Conor make himself impossible to miss?

13.  Describe Conor’s recurring nightmare. How does
it usually end? What changes when the monster
demands the truth? What is more painful to
Conor than the death of his mother? Why does
he need to be honest?

14.  At the very end of the novel, what does Conor say
to his mother? Why must he say it? Why must
she hear it?

15.  The authors’ note explains that Patrick Ness
wrote this novel based on an idea from Siobhan
Dowd. Why was Patrick Ness initially reluctant
to take on the project? What persuaded him to
change his mind? Even though it’s impossible
to know for sure, do you believe Siobhan Dowd
would have liked the finished book? Why or why
not?

From http://www.candlewick.com/book_files/0763655597.bdg.1.pdf

Book discussion questions for April's 'A Man Called Ove'

Discussion Questions
1. How does the opening scene, in which Ove attempts to purchase a computer, succinctly express the main points of Ove’s ongoing battle with the stupidities of the modern world? 

2. Ove loves things that have a purpose, that are useful. How does this worldview fail him when he believes himself to be useless? How is he convinced that he can still be useful? 

3. As readers, we get to know Ove slowly, with his past only being revealed piece by piece. What surprised you about Ove’s past? Why do you think the author revealed Ove’s past the way that he did? 

4. We all know our own grumpy old men. How do Ove’s core values lead him to appear as such a cranky old coot, when he is in fact nothing of the sort? Which of these values do you agree or disagree with? 

5. Although Ove has some major "disagreements" with the way the world turned out, there are some undeniable advantages to the modernization he finds so hollow. How do these advantages improve Ove’s life, even if he can’t admit it? 

6. Parveneh’s perspective on life, as radically different from Ove’s as it is, eventually succeeds in breaking Ove out of his shell, even if she can’t change his feelings about Saabs. How does her brash, extroverted attitude manage to somehow be both rude and helpful? 

7. Ove strives to be “as little unlike his father as possible.” Although this emulation provides much of the strength that helps Ove persevere through a difficult life, it also has some disadvantages. What are some of the ways that Ove grows into a new way of thinking over the course of the book? 

8. Ove is a believer in the value of routine—how can following a routine be both comforting and stultifying? How can we balance routine and spontaneity? Should we? Or is there sense in eating sausage and potatoes your whole life? 

9. The truism “it takes a village to raise a child” has some resonance with A Man Called Ove. How does the eclectic cast of posers, suits, deadbeats, and teens each help Ove in their own way? 

10. Although we all identify with Ove to some extent, especially by the end of the story, we certainly also have our differences with him. Which of the supporting cast (Parveneh, Jimmy, the Lanky One, Anita) did you find yourself identifying with most? 

11. What did you make of Ove’s ongoing battle with the bureaucracies that persist in getting in his way? Is Ove’s true fight with the various ruling bodies, or are they stand-ins, scapegoats, for something else? 

12. On page 113, after a younger Ove punches Tom, the author reflects: "A time like that comes for all men, when they choose what sort of men they want to be." Do you agree with this sentiment, especially in this context? How does the book deal with varying ideas of masculinity? 

13. On page 246, the author muses that when people don’t share sorrow, it can drive them apart. Do you agree with this? Why or why not? 

14. What do you think of Ove’s relationship with the mangy cat he adopts? What does the cat allow him to express that he couldn’t otherwise say? 

15. On Ove and Sonja’s trip to Spain, Ove spends his time helping the locals and fixing things. How does Ove the “hero” compare and contrast to his behavior in the rest of the book? Is that Ove’s true personality? 

16. Ove and Sonja’s love story is one of the most affecting, tender parts of the book. What is the key to their romance? Why do they fit so well together? 

17. Saab? Volvo? BMW? Scania?
(Questions issued by the publisher.)

Fates and Furies book discussion questions

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Fates and Furies is told in halves. Why do you think the author chose to narrate the story this way? How did the split storytelling affect your reading of the book? Might it be symbolic of the characters’ inner lives? 

2. Consider Mathilde’s final decision—to keep her past a secret for so many years. Do you think she should have told Lotto the truth? Think about whether this lie was truly for the best; could they have been happy if Mathilde had told him everything? Why do you think she kept this information to herself? 

3. How did the inclusion of Lotto’s writing affect your reading experience? Did Lotto’s plays help you to understand his character? 

4. Discuss the way the author presents Lotto’s writing talent. Mathilde has a significant hand in his success, but she is never recognized for it. Should she have taken the credit? Discuss the effect of stardom on Lotto’s understanding of himself and his marriage. 

5. Fates and Furies questions male vs. female perceptions of reality. Think about how the author approaches the notion of feminine anger. Mathilde is an incredibly angry character; do the men in her life allow for this anger? Why or why not? Do you think Lotto is a misogynist? And how does your vision of Lotto’s world change after hearing Mathilde’s side of the story? 

6. Mathilde’s relationship with Ariel is abusive. What does Ariel’s presence in the story say about Mathilde’s natural impulse toward revenge? Where is her reaction to her experience with Ariel directed at other characters? 

7. Think about setting. As the characters grow, they find themselves in ever-changing spaces. How does each setting compel their actions and, eventually, their relationships? Specifically, discuss Mathilde’s life in France, Lotto’s childhood in Florida, and how these geographical differences affect their union in New York. 

8. Fates and Furies spans a long period of time. Chronologically, the plot is very complex, though there is a central focus on Lotto and Mathilde. . How do Lotto and Mathilde change over the years, together and apart? Do you think they had a happy marriage?

From http://www.bookmovement.com/bookDetailView/43679/Fates-And-Furies-Lauren-Groff

Discussion questions: Ice Twins

1) There is a terrible dilemma at the heart of this novel that leads to the question – what would you do?

2) There is a suggestion of a supernatural element to this story – do you believe in ghosts?

3) The novel is packed with twists and turns – examine how the author creates suspense.

4) Discuss the ending of the novel? What do you think has happened and what do you think that life holds for the characters in the future?

FROM GOODREADS

1. What is the effect of hearing the story from both Angus and Sarah’s point of view?

2. How are the settings of both London and the island of Eileen Torran used in the story?

3. What role does the weather play in the narrative?

4. How important is the dog, Beanie, in the story?

5. Discuss the significance of reflections throughout the novel.

6. Do your feelings about Angus and Sarah shift throughout the novel? If so, why did they change?

7. Did you question which twin had died?

8. What do you think happened to Sarah at the end of the novel?

9. Aside from the setting, what makes this thriller a chilling read?

10. What did you enjoy most or least about The Ice Twins?

The Girl on the Train book discussion questions

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. We all do it—actively watch life around us. In this way, with her own voyeuristic curiosity, Rachel Watson is not so unusual. What do you think accounts for this nosey, all-too-human impulse? Is it more extreme in Rachel than in the average person? What is so different about her?


2. How would you have reacted if you’d seen what Rachel did from her train window—a pile of clothes—just before the rumored disappearance of Megan Hipwell? What might you or she have done differently?


3. In both Rachel Watson’s and Megan Hipwell’s marriages, deep secrets are kept from the husbands. Are these marriages unusual or even extreme in this way? Consider how many relationships rely on half-truths? Is it ever necessary or justifiable to lie to someone you love? How much is too much to hide from a partner?


4. What about the lies the characters tell to themselves? In what ways is Rachel lying to herself? Do all people tell themselves lies to some degree in order to move on with their lives? Is what Rachel (or any of the other characters) is doing any different from that? How do her lies ultimately affect her and the people around her?


5. A crucial question in The Girl on the Train is how much Rachel Watson can trust her own memory. How reliable are her observations? Yet since the relationship between truth and memory is often a slippery one, how objective or “true” can a memory, by definition, really be? Can memory lie? If so, what factors might influence it? Consider examples from the book.


6. One of Rachel’s deepest disappointments, it turns out, is that she can’t have children. Her ex-husband Tom’s second wife Anna is the mother to a young child, Evie. How does Rachel’s inability to conceive precipitate her breakdown? How does the topic of motherhood drive the plot of the story? What do you think Paula Hawkins was trying to say about the ways motherhood can define women’s lives or what we expect from women’s domestic lives, whether as wives, mothers, or unmarried women in general?


7. Think about trust in The Girl on the Train. Who trusts whom? Who is deserving of trust? Is Rachel Watson a very trustworthy person? Why or why not? Who appears trustworthy and is actually not? What are the skills we use to make the decision about whether to trust someone we don’t know well?


8. Other characters in the novel make different assumptions about Rachel Watson depending on how or even where they see her. To a certain extent, she understands this and often tries to manipulate their assumptions—by appearing to be a commuter, for instance, going to work every day. Is she successful? To what degree did you make assumptions about Rachel early on based on the facts and appearances you were presented? How did those change over time and why? How did your assumptions about her affect your reading of the central mystery in the book? Did your assumptions about her change over its course? What other characters did you make assumptions about? How did your assumptions affect your interpretation of the plot? Having now finished The Girl on the Train, what surprised you the most?

'You' discussion questions

There is only one Guinevere Beck in New York City. She has a public Facebook account and Tweets incessantly, telling Joe everything he needs to know: she is simply Beck to her friends, she went to Brown University, she lives on Bank Street, and she’ll be at a bar in Brooklyn tonight—the perfect place for a “chance” meeting.

As Joe invisibly and obsessively takes control of Beck’s life, he orchestrates a series of events to ensure Beck finds herself in his waiting arms. Moving from stalker to boyfriend, Joe transforms himself into Beck’s perfect man, all while quietly removing the obstacles that stand in their way—even if it means murder.

A terrifying exploration of how vulnerable we all are to stalking and manipulation and a compulsively readable page-turner, debut author Caroline Kepnes delivers a razor-sharp novel for our hyperconnected digital age.

Topics & Questions for Discussion

1. Discuss the structure of You. What’s the effect of hearing about Beck from Joe’s point of view? As you get to know Joe better, do you trust his narration? Why or why not?

2. Before Caroline Kepnes wrote You, she worked as a writer on several television series, including The Secret Life of the American Teenager and Seventh Heaven. How do you think Kepnes’s previous work influenced her writing? Did any of the scenes in You strike you as particularly cinematic? Which ones and why? Who would you cast in the roles of Beck and Joe?

3. Booklist called You “A deeply dark yet mesmerizing first novel of two people caught in a romantic tangle with an ever-tightening knot.” Discuss Beck and Joe’s relationship. What do you think they each saw in each other?

4. Of Benji, Chana says, “ You can buy him all the books in the world and he’s still gonna be Benji.” (p. 33) What does Chana mean by this statement? Did you think that Benji was a good friend to Beck? Explain your answer.

5. When Joe meets Beck he’s instantly smitten, not least because of her book choices. What books is Beck purchasing, and what does Joe think these selections say about her? What were your initial impressions of Beck? Did your opinion of her change? If so, why?

6. Joe is continuously self-conscious about his educational and personal background. How, if at all, does his lack of a college degree affect his narrative voice?

7. Beck tells her friend Peach that she loves the movie Magnolia. Peach tells her that the movie is flawed. When Joe attempts to bond with Beck over their shared love of the movie, she takes Peach’s position. Is Beck using her opinion to gain power or is she just young and figuring herself out?

8. When Joe escorts Beck to IKEA, he is disgruntled that it is not like it is in the movie (500) Days of Summer. This is one of several instances where Joe is upset by the disparities between real life and movies. Were there movies you wanted to see to enhance your reading experience of this book? And do you relate to Joe’s frustration at all?

9. Joe is devastated when he realizes that Beck was not reading The Da Vinci Code along with him. Discuss reading as a shared experience. Do you prefer to read alone or to share your progress on Goodreads?

10. In Karen Minty, Joe finds someone who is fully available. But she is not his dream girl. Do you think Joe would have been better off trying to make it work with Karen Minty?

11. Joe is frustrated that Beck can’t make it through an intimate date without tweeting about it. Joe monitors Beck through her online activity, but he does not participate in any of it. Both are extreme reactions to our increasingly connected lifestyle. How do you find balance in your own life?

12. Joe thinks of murder as an act of compassion, euthanasia for unhappy people. Joe interacts with the police on two separate occasions, but he is never arrested or charged. How does it feel to read a book with so much crime and so little punishment administered by the police?

13. Early readers and reviewers have said that reading You changes the way they think about talking to strangers and sharing information online. Did you change your passwords when you finished? Do you feel more wary of strangers, online or off?

14. In the end, Joe says that some people are destined to read a book in bed with a loved one and others are destined to be alone. Do you think this is true?

15. Joe feels that Benji is a better person because of his time in the cage. Throughout the book, Joe speaks well of his own time imprisoned in that cage. In the movie Ruthless People, Bette Midler’s character is kidnapped and she emerges as a stronger person. Discuss incarceration in storytelling. Did you ever hope that Joe would let Benji or Beck go?

16. How is New York a character in the book? Do you think it would be harder for Joe to follow Beck in a smaller town?

17. When you finished reading, did you hope that Joe might get away with murder and find love? Or do you like to think that somehow, someway, he will be held responsible for his actions? - See more at: http://books.simonandschuster.com/You/Caroline-Kepnes/9781476785608/reading_group_guide#sthash.jW4kmfEm.dpuf

There is only one Guinevere Beck in New York City. She has a public Facebook account and Tweets incessantly, telling Joe everything he needs to know: she is simply Beck to her friends, she went to Brown University, she lives on Bank Street, and she’ll be at a bar in Brooklyn tonight—the perfect place for a “chance” meeting.

As Joe invisibly and obsessively takes control of Beck’s life, he orchestrates a series of events to ensure Beck finds herself in his waiting arms. Moving from stalker to boyfriend, Joe transforms himself into Beck’s perfect man, all while quietly removing the obstacles that stand in their way—even if it means murder.

A terrifying exploration of how vulnerable we all are to stalking and manipulation and a compulsively readable page-turner, debut author Caroline Kepnes delivers a razor-sharp novel for our hyperconnected digital age.

Topics & Questions for Discussion

1. Discuss the structure of You. What’s the effect of hearing about Beck from Joe’s point of view? As you get to know Joe better, do you trust his narration? Why or why not?

2. Before Caroline Kepnes wrote You, she worked as a writer on several television series, including The Secret Life of the American Teenager and Seventh Heaven. How do you think Kepnes’s previous work influenced her writing? Did any of the scenes in You strike you as particularly cinematic? Which ones and why? Who would you cast in the roles of Beck and Joe?

3. Booklist called You “A deeply dark yet mesmerizing first novel of two people caught in a romantic tangle with an ever-tightening knot.” Discuss Beck and Joe’s relationship. What do you think they each saw in each other?

4. Of Benji, Chana says, “ You can buy him all the books in the world and he’s still gonna be Benji.” (p. 33) What does Chana mean by this statement? Did you think that Benji was a good friend to Beck? Explain your answer.

5. When Joe meets Beck he’s instantly smitten, not least because of her book choices. What books is Beck purchasing, and what does Joe think these selections say about her? What were your initial impressions of Beck? Did your opinion of her change? If so, why?

6. Joe is continuously self-conscious about his educational and personal background. How, if at all, does his lack of a college degree affect his narrative voice?

7. Beck tells her friend Peach that she loves the movie Magnolia. Peach tells her that the movie is flawed. When Joe attempts to bond with Beck over their shared love of the movie, she takes Peach’s position. Is Beck using her opinion to gain power or is she just young and figuring herself out?

8. When Joe escorts Beck to IKEA, he is disgruntled that it is not like it is in the movie (500) Days of Summer. This is one of several instances where Joe is upset by the disparities between real life and movies. Were there movies you wanted to see to enhance your reading experience of this book? And do you relate to Joe’s frustration at all?

9. Joe is devastated when he realizes that Beck was not reading The Da Vinci Code along with him. Discuss reading as a shared experience. Do you prefer to read alone or to share your progress on Goodreads?

10. In Karen Minty, Joe finds someone who is fully available. But she is not his dream girl. Do you think Joe would have been better off trying to make it work with Karen Minty?

11. Joe is frustrated that Beck can’t make it through an intimate date without tweeting about it. Joe monitors Beck through her online activity, but he does not participate in any of it. Both are extreme reactions to our increasingly connected lifestyle. How do you find balance in your own life?

12. Joe thinks of murder as an act of compassion, euthanasia for unhappy people. Joe interacts with the police on two separate occasions, but he is never arrested or charged. How does it feel to read a book with so much crime and so little punishment administered by the police?

13. Early readers and reviewers have said that reading You changes the way they think about talking to strangers and sharing information online. Did you change your passwords when you finished? Do you feel more wary of strangers, online or off?

14. In the end, Joe says that some people are destined to read a book in bed with a loved one and others are destined to be alone. Do you think this is true?

15. Joe feels that Benji is a better person because of his time in the cage. Throughout the book, Joe speaks well of his own time imprisoned in that cage. In the movie Ruthless People, Bette Midler’s character is kidnapped and she emerges as a stronger person. Discuss incarceration in storytelling. Did you ever hope that Joe would let Benji or Beck go?

16. How is New York a character in the book? Do you think it would be harder for Joe to follow Beck in a smaller town?

17. When you finished reading, did you hope that Joe might get away with murder and find love? Or do you like to think that somehow, someway, he will be held responsible for his actions? - See more at: http://books.simonandschuster.com/You/Caroline-Kepnes/9781476785608/reading_group_guide#sthash.jW4kmfEm.dpuf

There is only one Guinevere Beck in New York City. She has a public Facebook account and Tweets incessantly, telling Joe everything he needs to know: she is simply Beck to her friends, she went to Brown University, she lives on Bank Street, and she’ll be at a bar in Brooklyn tonight—the perfect place for a “chance” meeting.

As Joe invisibly and obsessively takes control of Beck’s life, he orchestrates a series of events to ensure Beck finds herself in his waiting arms. Moving from stalker to boyfriend, Joe transforms himself into Beck’s perfect man, all while quietly removing the obstacles that stand in their way—even if it means murder.

A terrifying exploration of how vulnerable we all are to stalking and manipulation and a compulsively readable page-turner, debut author Caroline Kepnes delivers a razor-sharp novel for our hyperconnected digital age.

Topics & Questions for Discussion

1. Discuss the structure of You. What’s the effect of hearing about Beck from Joe’s point of view? As you get to know Joe better, do you trust his narration? Why or why not?

2. Before Caroline Kepnes wrote You, she worked as a writer on several television series, including The Secret Life of the American Teenager and Seventh Heaven. How do you think Kepnes’s previous work influenced her writing? Did any of the scenes in You strike you as particularly cinematic? Which ones and why? Who would you cast in the roles of Beck and Joe?

3. Booklist called You “A deeply dark yet mesmerizing first novel of two people caught in a romantic tangle with an ever-tightening knot.” Discuss Beck and Joe’s relationship. What do you think they each saw in each other?

4. Of Benji, Chana says, “ You can buy him all the books in the world and he’s still gonna be Benji.” (p. 33) What does Chana mean by this statement? Did you think that Benji was a good friend to Beck? Explain your answer.

5. When Joe meets Beck he’s instantly smitten, not least because of her book choices. What books is Beck purchasing, and what does Joe think these selections say about her? What were your initial impressions of Beck? Did your opinion of her change? If so, why?

6. Joe is continuously self-conscious about his educational and personal background. How, if at all, does his lack of a college degree affect his narrative voice?

7. Beck tells her friend Peach that she loves the movie Magnolia. Peach tells her that the movie is flawed. When Joe attempts to bond with Beck over their shared love of the movie, she takes Peach’s position. Is Beck using her opinion to gain power or is she just young and figuring herself out?

8. When Joe escorts Beck to IKEA, he is disgruntled that it is not like it is in the movie (500) Days of Summer. This is one of several instances where Joe is upset by the disparities between real life and movies. Were there movies you wanted to see to enhance your reading experience of this book? And do you relate to Joe’s frustration at all?

9. Joe is devastated when he realizes that Beck was not reading The Da Vinci Code along with him. Discuss reading as a shared experience. Do you prefer to read alone or to share your progress on Goodreads?

10. In Karen Minty, Joe finds someone who is fully available. But she is not his dream girl. Do you think Joe would have been better off trying to make it work with Karen Minty?

11. Joe is frustrated that Beck can’t make it through an intimate date without tweeting about it. Joe monitors Beck through her online activity, but he does not participate in any of it. Both are extreme reactions to our increasingly connected lifestyle. How do you find balance in your own life?

12. Joe thinks of murder as an act of compassion, euthanasia for unhappy people. Joe interacts with the police on two separate occasions, but he is never arrested or charged. How does it feel to read a book with so much crime and so little punishment administered by the police?

13. Early readers and reviewers have said that reading You changes the way they think about talking to strangers and sharing information online. Did you change your passwords when you finished? Do you feel more wary of strangers, online or off?

14. In the end, Joe says that some people are destined to read a book in bed with a loved one and others are destined to be alone. Do you think this is true?

15. Joe feels that Benji is a better person because of his time in the cage. Throughout the book, Joe speaks well of his own time imprisoned in that cage. In the movie Ruthless People, Bette Midler’s character is kidnapped and she emerges as a stronger person. Discuss incarceration in storytelling. Did you ever hope that Joe would let Benji or Beck go?

16. How is New York a character in the book? Do you think it would be harder for Joe to follow Beck in a smaller town?

17. When you finished reading, did you hope that Joe might get away with murder and find love? Or do you like to think that somehow, someway, he will be held responsible for his actions? - See more at: http://books.simonandschuster.com/You/Caroline-Kepnes/9781476785608/reading_group_guide#sthash.jW4kmfEm.dpuf

My Name is Asher Lev discussion questions

1) Who is Asher’s “mythic ancestor,” and what do his “visits” to Asher mean in the book? 2) Discuss the significance of the Levs’ living room window and the venetian blinds? Which characters look out the window, and why? In what way does the window become symbolic at the end of the book?
3) What hints does the reader receive regarding the events of Jacob Kahn’s past experiences as a Jewish artist?
4) Does Asher do the right thing or not by portraying his mother in a crucifixion painting? Discuss.
5) Aryeh’s religious beliefs clash with his son’s love of art. Explain why Aryeh reacts the way he does, and how his reaction impacts his relationship with Asher.
6) What role does the Rebbe play in Asher’s life?
7) Discuss the significance of Asher's lengthy stay in Europe.

8) Why does Potok choose to set My Name is Asher Lev in a Hasidic community?
9) Who plays the largest role in Asher's life and development?
10) Compare and contrast the way Asher's parents relate to him.
11) My Name is Asher Lev focuses heavily on the clash between cultures and the coming of age of a boy caught between two opposed traditions. This conflict is further conveyed in the mixed usage of language from both worlds. For example, at the very beginning of the book there is a paragraph beginning, "Often on Shabbos or festivals…." Here, the colloquial Yiddish word, "Shabbos" for the Sabbath is juxtaposed with the English word, "festivals," for the holidays. In Lev's household, the word "festivals would not have been used. This juxtaposition makes clear the change Lev has undergone and the continued cultural conflict in which he is mired. After all, he has forsaken only some, but not all of the Hebrew or Yiddish expressions for English ones.

Tamar discussion questions

1) Characterize the relationship between Tamar and Dart. How do they feel about each other? What is this relationship based on? Why doesn't Tamar tell Dart about Marjike?
2) What kind of person does it take to do Tamar and Dart's job? Why did they choose this, despite the risks? Do you think they regret it? What would you do?
3) How do you think 1995 and 1944 are connected? What makes you think that? How does the switch back and forth affect your reading?
4) What is the purpose of girl Tamar's trip? How does this match her grandfather's purpose for sending her on the trip? How is this trip changing her?
5) In the end of the book, do you agree with the decision of all the characters? Do you agree with Peet's decision as a writer? How would you have changed the end of the novel?
6) Were there any puzzles or questions left unanswered?

Neverwhere discussion questions

Neverwhere Discussion Questions

Illustration by Jay Ryan

1. In the first chapter, before Richard leaves for London from Scotland and months before he meets Door, a woman tells him he has a good heart and that “Sometimes that’s enough to see you safe wherever you go… But mostly, it’s not.” In what other ways does Neverwhere present the dilemma that kindness and safety are unrelated?
2. London Below is made up of people who have fallen through the cracks. As an outsider to London who dislikes drawing attention to himself, does Richard belong in London Below? Is it his meek disposition and sense of displacement that drew him there in the first place?
3. Why do you think Richard sees Door on the sidewalk when Jessica does not? Is it indifference to his fiancee and to his life in general that opens him up to Door and her world?
4. Why is Door so attached to Richard when he is clearly in over his head? When Mr. Croup asks the marquis de Carabas why she permits the “upworlder” to travel with her, the marquis responds that “it’s sentimentality on her part.” Do you agree?
5. Discuss trust among the characters in the novel, particularly in relation to the Angel Islington and the marquis de Carabas. Why does Door implicitly trust de Carabas, and does Richard trust him as well or just go along? As a reader, do you trust the Angel’s intentions early on in the novel?
6. Is Hunter’s betrayal out of character for her? Do her actions at the end of her life redeem her?
7. Why does the girl who escorts Richard to the Floating Market, Anaesthesia, fail to make it across Night’s Bridge? Hunter says that the bridge is only noises in the dark, and the only harm is done by one’s own fear and imagination. Is it Anaesthesia’s fear that takes her? And why didn’t the same happen to Richard?
8. What traits about London Below strike you most? Conversely, how does Gaiman portray London Above? Are both worlds presented with positive and negative aspects? Are they direct opposites of each other?
9. Old Bailey talks about how no one lives in the city now, and London Above is presented as somewhat sterile and cold. London Below, on the other hand, is a throwback to less sanitized city living, but is presented in a more attractive way in the end. What about the novel is a commentary on urban life?
10. Do you think that despite his original fear and reluctance, Richard comes to enjoy himself in London Below? If so, when?
11. When Richard has to undergo “The Ordeal” at the Black Friars’ it’s suggested that he’s been imagining all of London Below after a nervous breakdown of some kind in the “real” world. Do you think it’s possible that London Below is only a product of Richard’s imagination?
12. At the end of the book, why does Richard choose to return to London Below? Does his newfound position as a hero in London Below make him more or less vulnerable?

From http://www.chipublib.org/neverwhere-discussion-questions/

Animal Vegetable Miracle book questions

Discussion Questions 
1. What was your perception of America's food industry prior to reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle? What did you learn from this book? How has it altered your views on the way food is acquired and consumed?

2. In what ways, if any, have you changed your eating habits since reading  Animal, Vegetable, Miracle? Depending on where you live—in an urban, suburban, or rural environment—what other steps would you like to take to modify your lifestyle with regard to eating local?

3. "It had felt arbitrary when we sat around the table with our shopping list, making our rules. It felt almost silly to us in fact, as it may now seem to you. Why impose restrictions on ourselves? Who cares?" asks Kingsolver in  Animal, Vegetable, Miracle? Did you, in fact, care about Kingsolver's story and find it to be compelling? Why or why not? What was the family's aim for their year-long initiative, and did they accomplish that goal?

4. The writing of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle was a family affair, with Kingsolver's husband, Steven L. Hopp, contributing factual sidebars and her daughter, Camille Kingsolver, serving up commentary and recipes. Did you find that these additional elements enhanced the book? How so? What facts or statistics in Animal, Vegetable, Miracle surprised you the most?

5. How does each member of the Kingsolver-Hopp family contribute during their year-long eating adventure? Were you surprised that the author's children not only participated in the endeavor but that they did so with such enthusiasm? Why or why not?

6. "A majority of North Americans do understand, at some level, that our food choices are politically charged," says Kingsolver, "affecting arenas from rural culture to international oil cartels and global climate change." How do politics affect America's food production and consumption? What global ramifications are there for the food choices we make?

7. Kingsolver advocates the pleasures of seasonal eating, but she acknowledges that many people would view this as deprivation "because we've grown accustomed to the botanically outrageous condition of having everything always." Do you believe that American society can—or will— overcome the need for instant gratification in order to be able to eat seasonally? How does Kingsolver present this aspect in Animal, Vegetable, Miracle? Did you get the sense that she and her family ever felt deprived in their eating options?

8. Kingsolver points out that eating what we want, when we want comes "at a price." The cost, she says, "is not measured in money, but in untallied debts that will be paid by our children in the currency of extinctions, economic unravelings, and global climate change." What responsibility do we bear for keeping the environment safe for future generations? How does eating locally factor in to this?

9. Kingsolver asserts that "we have dealt to today's kids the statistical hand of a shorter life expectancy than their parents, which would be us, the ones taking care of them." How is our "thrown-away food culture" a detriment to children's health? She also says, "We're raising our children on the definition of promiscuity if we feed them a casual, indiscriminate mingling of foods from every season plucked from the supermarket." What responsibility do parents have to teach their children about the value and necessity of a local food culture?

10. In what ways do Kingsolver's descriptions of the places she visited on her travels—Italy, New England, Montreal, and Ohio—enhance her portrayal of local and seasonal eating?

11. "Marketing jingles from every angle lure patrons to turn our backs on our locally owned stores, restaurants, and farms," says Kingsolver. "And nobody considers that unpatriotic." How much of a role do the media play in determining what Americans eat? Discuss the decline of America's diversified family farms, and what it means for the country as a whole.
(Questions issued by publisher.)

Discussion questions for 'Everything I Never Told You'

1. Discuss the relationships between Nath, Lydia, and Hannah. How do the siblings both understand and mystify one another?
   


2. Why do you think Lydia is the favorite child of James and Marilyn? How does this pressure affect Lydia, and what kind of impact do you think it has on Nath and Hannah? Do you think it is more difficult for Lydia to be the favorite, or for Nath and Hannah, who are often overlooked by their parents?


3. “So part of him wanted to tell Nath that he knew: what it was like to be teased, what it was like to never fit in. The other part of him wanted to shake his son, to slap him. To shape him into something different. . . . When Marilyn asked what happened, James said merely, with a wave of the hand, ‘Some kids teased him at the pool yesterday. He needs to learn to take a joke.’”


4. How did you react to the “Marco Polo” pool scene with James and Nath? What do you think of James’s decision?


5. Discuss a situation in which you’ve felt like an outsider. How do the members of the Lee family deal with being measured against stereotypes and others’ perceptions?


6. What is the meaning of the novel’s title? To whom do the “I” and “you” refer?


7. What would have happened if Lydia had reached the dock? Do you think she would have been able to change her parents’ views and expectations of her?


8. This novel says a great deal about the influence our parents can have on us. Do you think the same issues will affect the next generation of Lees? How did your parents influence your childhood?


9. “It struck her then, as if someone had said it aloud: her mother was dead, and the only thing worth remembering about her, in the end, was that she cooked. Marilyn thought uneasily of her own life, of hours spent making breakfasts, serving dinners, packing lunches into neat paper bags.”


10. Discuss the relationship Marilyn and her mother have to cooking and their roles as stay-at-home mothers. Do you think one is happier or more satisfied?


11. The footprint on the ceiling brings Nath and Lydia closer when they are young, and later, Hannah and James discover it together and laugh. What other objects bring the characters closer together or drive them further apart?


12. There’s so much that the characters keep to themselves. What do you wish they had shared with one another? Do you think an ability to better express themselves would have changed the outcome of the book?

Book discussion questions

• Will this book stand the test of time?

• Do any of the characters seem to be unique individuals, or are they all simply two-dimensional figures whose experiences serve only to convey the author's political message?

• What are some themes in the novel? How do they relate to the plot and characters?

• Did the novel seem believable?

• How did the book portray women? What is the role of women in the text? How are mothers represented? What about single/independent women?

• Do you find the characters likable? Are the characters persons you would want to meet?

• Does the novel end the way you expected? How? Why

• What is the central/primary purpose of the novel? Is the purpose important or meaningful?

• In what ways does the author depict capitalism as destructive? Consider the characters’ personal lives and social interactions.

• After reading the book do you think the author succeeds in accomplishing what /she set out to do? Does s/he fail in certain sections or reveal a bias that strays from stated intentions?

• Would you recommend this novel to a friend? Thumbs up? Thumbs down?

• Pick a particular segment, chapter, or example that stands out to you once you are finished reading the book. Why did you pick it, and what is the author's larger point in including it? Is it particularly upsetting, graphic, informative, controversial, etc?

• Fast food chains and convenience foods, despite the myriad problems documented, have an undeniable appeal-they are convenient and offer inexpensive and tasty food. Even if you are disturbed by the practices of these corporations, could you realistically swear off your food, given its ubiquity and mainstream appeal? If you are driving home from work, tired and hungry, and your two choices are a familiar fast food restaurant or an unknown Mom-and-pop, which would you choose? What kinds of implications does this choice have?

• Since few people would confuse fast food with health food, who bears the greater responsibility for the alarming rate of obesity in children in the United States: the fast food chains that market "supersize" meals to children and the companies that make convenience food, or parents who are not educating their children about the benefits of a balanced diet? Can well-intentioned parents maintain control over the eating habits of their children in an era when school districts are contracting to bring fast food into the school cafeteria? On the other hand, do you view it as an impingement on civil liberties when organizations such as school districts, refuse to have vending machines on site in order to avoid presenting kids with unhealthy options?

• What is an example of what can happen when important matters of public policy are abandoned by government to the self interests of corporations?

• What do you think is the role of government when it comes to the food industry? How much oversight do you think there should be? Should the government refuse to allow some foods that are bad for health? What are your thoughts when you hear that European countries ban some of the food additives we allow? What might be some arguments AGAINST toughening national food safety laws to prevent e.coli or salmonella?

• If one accepts the author's assertions that the food corporations are engaging in patterns of unethical conduct, what can the consumer do to modify their behavior? Can the conduct of an individual have an impact on a company's practices? Why is a company most likely to change its conduct? To generate public goodwill? To respond to its employees' concerns? To address diminishing profits?

• Much of the book focuses upon aspects of the corporate world including marketing, labor practices, political ties, and the growth of specific industries. How do the points the author makes matter in your own life?

'What Alice Forgot' book discussion questions

From http://www.us.penguingroup.com/static/rguides/us/what_alice_forgot.html

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Did you like the younger Alice best? Or did you relate more to the older Alice?


2. What would your younger self of ten years ago think of the person you are today?


3. What would surprise your younger self most about the life you're currently leading? What would disappoint you?


4. What would you think of your children? Are they how you imagined they would be? Are you the parent you envisioned? Why or why not?


5. Alice is shocked by many transformations—her gym-toned body, her clothes, her house. Are you more or less polished than you were a decade ago? And do you think there's any deeper significance to such change?


6. Do you think it was realistic that Alice ended up back with Nick? Were you happy with that ending? Do you think they would have ended up together if she hadn't lost her memory?


7. In order for Nick to be successful at his job, was it inevitable that he would spend less time with his family and thereby grow apart from Alice?


8. How did you feel about the sections written from the perspectives of Elisabeth and Frannie? Did they add to your enjoyment of the book, or would you have preferred to have it written entirely from Alice's point of view?


9. Do you think it was unavoidable that Elisabeth and Alice had grown apart, because of the tension caused by Elisabeth's infertility versus Alice's growing family? Or do you think their rift had more to do with the kind of people both of them had become?


10. It's not only Alice who changed over the last decade. Elisabeth changed, too. Do you think she would have been so accepting of the new Alice at the end if she herself didn't get pregnant?


11. Out of all the characters in the book, who do you think had changed the most over the past decade and why?


12. The film rights to the book have been sold to Fox 2000—who do you think would be good in the lead roles?


13. If you were to write a letter to your future self to be opened in ten years, what would you say?