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    Study Guide for Book Clubs: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry: Study Guides for Book Clubs, #17
    Study Guide for Book Clubs: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry: Study Guides for Book Clubs, #17
    Study Guide for Book Clubs: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry: Study Guides for Book Clubs, #17
    Ebook58 pages38 minutes

    Study Guide for Book Clubs: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry: Study Guides for Book Clubs, #17

    By Kathryn Cope

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    About this ebook

    No book group should be without this companion guide to Gabrielle Zevin's bestselling novel, The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry!

    A comprehensive guide to Zevin's wonderful celebration of the world of literature, this book includes useful literary context; a full plot summary, discussion of themes and symbols; character notes; thought-provoking discussion questions; recommended further reading and a quick quiz.

    Study Guides for Book Clubs are designed to help you get the absolute best from your book club meetings. They enable reading group members to appreciate their chosen book in greater depth than ever before.

    Please be aware that this is a companion guide and does not contain the full text of the novel.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherKathryn Cope
    Release dateMay 11, 2018
    ISBN9781386239079
    Study Guide for Book Clubs: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry: Study Guides for Book Clubs, #17
    Author

    Kathryn Cope

    Kathryn Cope graduated in English Literature from Manchester University and obtained her master’s degree in contemporary fiction from the University of York. She is the author of Study Guides for Book Clubs and the HarperCollins Offical Book Club Guide series. She lives in the Staffordshire Moorlands with her husband, son and dog.

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      Book preview

      Study Guide for Book Clubs - Kathryn Cope

      Introduction

      There are few things more rewarding than getting together with a group of like-minded people and discussing a good book. Book club meetings, at their best, are vibrant, passionate affairs. Each member will bring along a different perspective and ideally there will be heated debate.

      Nevertheless, a surprising number of book club members report that their meetings have been a disappointment. Even when their group enjoyed the book in question, they could think of astonishingly little to say about it and soon wandered off-topic altogether. Failing to find interesting discussion angles for a book is the single most common reason for book group meetings to fall flat. Most groups only meet once a month, and a lacklustre meeting is frustrating for everyone.

      Study Guides for Book Clubs were born out of a passion for reading groups. Packed with information, they take the hard work out of preparing for a meeting and ensure that your book group discussions never run dry. How you choose to use the guides is entirely up to you. The first few chapters provide useful background information which may be worthwhile to share with your group early on. The all-important list of discussion questions, which will probably form the core of your meeting, can be found towards the end of this guide. To support your responses to the discussion questions, you will find it helpful to refer to the Themes, and Character sections.

      A detailed plot synopsis is provided as an aide-memoire to recap on the finer points of the story. There is also a quick quiz—a fun way to test your knowledge and bring your discussion to a close. Finally, if this was a book that you enjoyed, the guide concludes with a list of further reads similar in style or subject matter.

      This guide contains spoilers. Please do not be tempted to read it before you have finished the original novel as plot surprises will be well and truly ruined.

      Why Read The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry?

      Gabrielle Zevin’s novel follows the life of A.J. Fikry, a reclusive independent bookstore owner. After the death of his wife, A.J. loses interest in life, other people and even books. His world is altered forever, however, when he discovers a baby girl abandoned in his bookstore and decides to adopt her. A.J. finds that once his heart has opened, it proves impossible to close it up again. He goes on to make lasting friendships, build links with his community and find love second time around.

      The Storied Life is a life-affirming novel which covers the themes of love, loss and second chances. Moving and poignant, particularly in its treatment of the power of parental love, it is also very funny in parts. Zevin’s descriptions of the heated ‘Chief’s Choice Book Club’ discussions, in particular, are comedy gold for readers who are book club members themselves.

      Perhaps most importantly, this is a book that speaks to the hearts of true book lovers – that community of people who get a thrill from the hallowed atmosphere of bookstores and believe that fiction has the power to transform lives. It explores the reasons why we read and celebrates how books can unite us, elevate us and even make us better people. It also makes a convincing case for the importance of small bookstores and, in the process, raises interesting debates about the future of the book: paper versus e-readers, independent sellers versus online. It would be hard to find another book more ideal for reading group discussions.

      Happy debating!

      Gabrielle Zevin

      Gabrielle Zevin is an American author and screenwriter, born in 1977. Like her protagonist A.J. Fikry, she is of mixed race: her mother is Korean and her father a Russian Jew. Zevin studied English at Harvard before beginning her writing career as a music critic.

      She co-wrote the screenplay for the film, ‘Conversations with Other Women’ starring Helena Bonham Carter. She is also the author of a series of Young Adult novels: Elsewhere (2005); Memoirs

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