Perish Reading Guide & Discussion Questions

Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, Tiny Reparations Books and our BookBrowse Review of Perish.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. Bear it or perish yourself" is a recurring quote we read from Helen Jean throughout the book. Discuss the meaning of this quote and how it affected the characters' lives.
2. Perish is told by different narrators, how did their point of view impact your view of their character or other characters in the story?
3. Describe how the author creates a distinction between the east and west sides of Jerusalem. And in what ways do you think the areas shaped the family's lives?

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