Here are some suggested questions for your Book Club chat.
Which of your stories in the book was your favourite and why?
The stories share a common theme of acts of optimism, but some of the leaps of faith are more acts of delusion or foolishness. In which stories do you think this was the case for the protagonists?
In There’s a cafe in this story, the man sees the elements of his environment as part of his enchanted new story as he meets his lover. Talk about the imagery that is used to bolster this story and the contrast with the world of his wife, sitting under the infant at home.
Some of the stories are humourous and some are more sinister and frightening. How did you feel about the range of emotions through the book? Did you enjoy or struggle with the changes in sentiment?
What do you think is the main theme of Bog Body? How effective was the imagery in getting across the idea of persecution? How did the ending make you feel?
The stories Random Acts of Optimism, Meringue and The Spaceman has his Tea all have poignant reflections on grief and people finding their way through tragedy. How did the stories, make you feel. Did you find a spark of hope in the character’s stories?
In Without the Light Pollution We can See the Stars, the story depicts a moment of reflection for Morrisson. Do you think the use of poetry adds to or detracts from the story.
Several of the stories, including The Memory Jar, Gods and Other People and Last Tango with Dinosaurs are speculative or fantastical. Did you find it easy to ‘suspend your disbelief’ in what was happening. Which of the stories worked better in bringing you into a possible alternative reality?
Several of the characters are stoic and brave in the face of adversity – which of these were your favourites and how much did you identify with their endeavours?
For more on the author and the background to the stories read:
Beginners Pluck – Sue Leonard features Alison in the Irish Examiner
Alison Wells Author 