Book Club Kit for
Laying It All Out There
Your Book Club Party Plan
If you want to host a book club with a funny read that will guarantee great conversations then Laying It All Out There is the way to go.
What Other Readers Are Saying
Carol B.'s Review: "This book is perhaps the perfect summer read! The writing is witty and tender and true. . . Moreover, the narrator's voice just grabs the reader, and it's like getting to listen in to your best friend's description of her life and times--if your best friend happens to be wickedly sharp and snappy and able to point out the absurdities of the world in a way that will have you snorting out your drinks in public because you laughed too much at just the wrong moment."
Super Easy Menu Inspired by the Book
In Chapter 10, Alene and Nolen sample tea at the tea factory then eat turkey croissant sandwiches. Later, they enjoy a peaceful snack of turnovers and a Danish as they sit by Lake Irene. For your book club, set up a do-it-yourself Sandwich Bar so your club members can grab a croissant and add their favorite fillings.
For the Sandwich Bar: Croissants (have them already sliced), carved turkey slices, butter lettuce, tomato slices, a choice of cheeses (such as Havarti, Gouda, Swiss, or Cheddar), and avocado slices so vegetarians can join in too, plus mustard and mayo. Have a bowl of olives on the side or have fun and add a bowl of colorful Gummy Bears on the table.
For Desert: Fudge or Brownies.
And for Drinks: Try Iced Herbal Tea or an Herbal Tea Cocktail.
Book Club Questions for Laying It All Out There
Skim the following questions and choose about ten of your favorites for your book club to discuss.
1. How does Alene's friendship with Mitch differ from her friendship with Nolan?
2. Why doesn't Alene have many friends?
3. What are Alene's positive and negative traits?
4. How are all of Alene's friends are extreme or unusual in some way?
5. Is Alene extreme without realizing it?
6. Why does Alene have so many friends that drive fast?
7. Alene's college friend Nicoletta and Alene's sister Tessa are both profoundly beautiful. Why has extreme beauty affected their lives so differently?
8. Why does Alene try to dress like the local Coloradans?
9. Who is your favorite character? Who do you find most relatable?
10. Who is your least favorite character?
11. If the book were made into a movie, who would you cast?
12. What songs would go on your sound track for the book?
13. Which character upset you the most or made you angry?
14. Which scene was the funniest?
15. Which scene created the strongest emotional reaction for you?
16. Which scene was the most unique or unexpected?
17. What scene touched your heart the most?
18. What scene made you cringe?
19. What did you learn about being a teacher from Alene?
20. Do you empathize with what Lauren, Jovi's mom, is going through? Does Lauren go too far or is she unjustly criticized?
21. What events were you expecting in the book that did not happen?
22. The copyright page says that the book started out as a memoir but evolved into fiction. Do you think the book ended up as mostly memoir or mostly fiction?
23. Based on your own experiences in life, what ideas in the book seem inaccurate?
24. Who do you know who needs to read this book?
25. When traveling alone, have you ever experienced the same problems or dangers as Alene?
26. How did your emotions in 2020 compare to Alene's?
27. Is the book really about the 3 things Alene claims it is about or are there other themes?
28. Do you agree with the book's message?
29. Is Alene's transformation believable?
30. What place in the book would you most like to go?
31. What favorite sentence did you highlight?
32. Do you worry about caring for your parents as they age?
33. How have you prepared to care for yourself as you get older?
34. How does Alene's relationships with her mom and dad differ?
35. After the novel ends, do you think Alene will keep making treats or is she done with that?
36. After the novel ends, what do you think will happen on the multi-day river rafting trip?