Join in Marlborough’s biggest book club and read Kit de Waal’s The Best of Everything before meeting the author at this year’s Big Town Read event on Sunday 27 September at 5.30pm at Marlborough Town Hall.
Thanks to the support of Wiltshire Libraries, multiple copies of The Best of Everything are available to order from Marlborough Library. Readers are encouraged to return their copy quickly so that others can borrow it.
So start reading now and come along in September ready to put your questions to Kit. To help fuel discussion, we have some reading group questions here – but no peeking until you’ve finished the book!
KIT DE WAAL’S THE BEST OF EVERYTHING READING GROUP QUESTIONS
- What is your main takeaway from this book?
- Do you see any similarities in the struggles that Paulette and Nellie face throughout their lives, and do they impact their relationship?
- To what extent do you think Paulette’s relationship with Nellie satisfies the aspirations she had in life?
- Do you think Paulette’s decision to take Nellie to her homeplace reflects that she views him as her son, or rather is indicative of her inclination to nurture?
- Do you perceive Garfield as being a villain?
- Do you think it’s fair to blame Garfield for Paulette’s breakdown / alcoholism?
- Would you agree that Bird is a bad son to Paulette?
- Do you believe that Paulette had the right to be resentful towards ‘Shirt and Tie’ for as long as she was?
- What do you think was the most upsetting part of this story?
- Do you think this book successfully highlights the social and political differences in the lives of white and black people in 1970s/80s England?
- To what extent does Paulette get a ‘happily ever after’?