The Parting Glass Reading Guide & Discussion Questions

Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, The 1857 Dead Rabbits Riot and our BookBrowse Review of The Parting Glass.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. How does the opening line, "It was Thursday again, and once more I was courting misery with both arms wide open (1)" set up the tone and voice of the novel?
2. Guadagnino starts each chapter with a quote from The Duties of a Lady's Maid. What function do these lessons serve while reading? Do you see the remnants of any of the lessons in today's society?
3. One lesson from The Duties of a Lady's Maid is, "Desire nothing but what is within your reach; for if your desires are unreasonable, you may be certain of disappointments (28)." Another says, "If you wish to be happy, avoid all such tales of love and adventure, for they will only fill your fancy with vain images, and make you hopelessly wish for miraculous events that can never happen (93)." How does this theme play out in various ways throughout the novel?

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