Book Club Discussion Questions and Guide for When We Were Brilliant by Lynn Cullen

1. What impressions of Marilyn Monroe did you have before reading this novel? Did this story change your perception of her at all?
2. Had you seen any of Eve Arnold's photographs of Marilyn Monroe before reading this book? If you looked at any while reading, did you recognize them? Many people claim they can tell that a photograph of Marilyn was taken by Eve before seeing the photographer's name—do you see that to be true? Why or why not?
3. Did you know that Marilyn had endometriosis? How do you think it changed the course of her life, career, and happiness?
4. If any, which of Marilyn Monroe's movies have you seen? Now that you know more about Marilyn's state of mind while she filmed some of her biggest films, do you think about her talent differently? Are there any films you'd like to watch again, or for the first time?
5. Do you think our society's treatment of celebrities, and in particular female celebrities, has changed much since Marilyn's time?
6. Eve captured many historically significant moments during her photography career, but she feared being best known for her photographs of Marilyn Monroe. Do you think being "Marilyn's photographer" detracted from her other work?
7. Eve struggled with feeling like an absentee parent, but her sense of purpose in her career ultimately took precedence. What example did she set for Francis? How has being a working mother changed from her era to today?
8. Marilyn had quite a few high-profile relationships. How did her identity shift based on each man? Did you think any of the men she chose had a positive influence on her life? Why do you think she pursued relationships with each of them?
9. Marilyn dreamed of having a child. How do you think her life might have been different if her dream had been realized? What was it about her own childhood that made her so eager to be a parent?
10. What about Eve's and Marilyn's childhoods allowed them to connect with each other the way that they did? Why do you think it was so hard for each of them to build meaningful friendships or relationships otherwise?
11. Do you think Eve made the right decision to embargo her photographs of Marilyn after Marilyn's death? Do you think the conversation around Marilyn would have been different, had Eve released the photos earlier? Do you think the conversation around Marilyn has shifted since the time of her death?
12. Friendship, empowerment, recognition, and perception are all major themes in this story. How do you think each of these played into Marilyn's short, illustrious life? How do you think they played into Eve's longer, incredibly impressive career?

Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Berkley Books. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.