It's All Right Now Reading Guide & Discussion Questions

Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, and our BookBrowse Review of It's All Right Now.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

Introduction

Tom Ripple is a man seemingly committed to nothing except bad puns and lust. In It's All Right Now, Ripple reveals the story of his life from the 1970s through the present day. He begins with his quiet marriage and family life in the suburbs of north London and his steady rise in the business world (which comes to include a great deal of traveling and philandering) to a new period as a divorced churchgoing country gentleman in Suffolk, then covers his time at a modest flat in London where he becomes profoundly and strangely connected to the residents of his building, and finally his retirement in a quiet coastal town.

A provocative examination of the everyday by a remarkable new everyman, It's All Right Now gathers force and depth as its anti-hero, Tom Ripple, shares his candid observations on his life and the unforgettable characters he comes to know along the way.


Questions for Discussion

1. Tom's character is, at every turn, under question. For example, was it wrong of Tom not to report Webb, the neighbor who tried to molest his son, to the police? Was it the right decision not to tell his wife? Why didn't he tell his wife? Is it possible that he kept Adrian's secret because he felt guilty about his own interest in his son? (See page 58.)
    
2. Ripple says he's not sure how much he loves his children. Discuss your reaction to this frankness about being a father. Does this make you dislike him or feel an appreciation for his honesty? Discuss other examples of Ripple's candor that form your opinion of him.
    
3. Why does Tom Ripple begin writing his life story? What does he get out of it? (See page 113)
    

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