Our discussion questions are perfect for a book club, organizational retreat, or grief support groups.
If you would like the author to facilitate a discussion for your group, please click here.
Reading Group Guide
1. Early on, and throughout the narrative, we get a sense of William Maldonado's personal tragedies and losses. What causes him to grieve? How does grief manifest itself in his life?
2. Maldonado takes the risk of stealing a running car, and then struggles with the decision of getting rid of his hot car. What factors do you think swayed his decision to steal and keep the car? Does the end justifies the means when it comes to taking a risk? The stolen car becomes "a beloved albatross," and it can stand to represent the things in life that we carry, which become part of our nature and become hard to get rid of. How does Maldonado's agonizing's feelings over wanting to get rid of the stolen car compare to those poignant words shared by Saint Paul in Romans 7,"I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do," and "....For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing"?
3. How does music work in Maldonado's life? How does music work in your personal life?
4. Maldonado ponders pleasant and unpleasant memories throughout the narrative. Do his memories hinder him or help him as he tries to discern what caused him grief? Can we trust our memories?
5. Maldonado's return to Jersey City, N.J., has him intersecting with the lives of a slew of colorful characters. How do these relationships affect Maldonado and help him grapple with his grief? How does race, gender, and class influence the relational dynamics among some of the characters?
6. The theme of grief also appears in the lives of other characters. How does grief impact those characters, and what can we learn from how they chose to respond to their individual grief?
7. Maldonado demonstrates anger and contempt toward Angel Santana. Are his feelings and attitude toward Santana justified, and was it possible for him to reconcile with Santana? What drives human beings to attempt to fix a fractured relationship? Guilt? Hubris? Healing?Other? How do other characters in the story understand the nature of friendship?
8. Maldonado is passionate about writing in his journal. What does journaling reveal about Maldonado? Does it help him reconcile his grief? Can reflecting upon the past help us become forward-looking? What practical techniques do you employ to process your pain and deal with your grief?
9. Maldonado is gripped by the self-sustenance theory. How does that theory influence Maldonado's outlook on life? Is the self-sustenance theory a plausible explanation for human aggression and for human motive? What is your personal life philosophy, and what is it rooted in? If you don't have a personal life philosophy, have you ever wondered what your life would be like if you had one?
10. Maldonado quite often thinks about the conversations he held with authority figures. How do these authority figures and mentors impact him throughout his journey? What other characters benefit from a relationship with a mentor and authority figure? How have authority figures and mentors shaped us throughout the years?
11. What is the meaning of vocation? Think in particular about the take that Eddie, Pastor Santana, Father Roberto, Daisy, Walker, Don Frankie and Brigid have on what constitutes vocation.
12. What role does religious symbols, iconography and community have in the life of Maldonado and in the lives of others? In what ways does Maldonado struggle with religion? Does religion have to make sense in order for it to add meaning to one's life? Is communion with the deity facilitated by having communion with others? Or, can communion with the deity be achieved independent of a faith community?
13. Can you think of a circumstance where a precondition to forgiveness is justified? What does Maldonado do with his new understanding of grief? Is Maldonado able to overcome his grief? What lessons does this book offer that can help us in our own journey? Who was your favorite character, and why?
If you would like the author to facilitate a discussion for your group, please click here.
Reading Group Guide
1. Early on, and throughout the narrative, we get a sense of William Maldonado's personal tragedies and losses. What causes him to grieve? How does grief manifest itself in his life?
2. Maldonado takes the risk of stealing a running car, and then struggles with the decision of getting rid of his hot car. What factors do you think swayed his decision to steal and keep the car? Does the end justifies the means when it comes to taking a risk? The stolen car becomes "a beloved albatross," and it can stand to represent the things in life that we carry, which become part of our nature and become hard to get rid of. How does Maldonado's agonizing's feelings over wanting to get rid of the stolen car compare to those poignant words shared by Saint Paul in Romans 7,"I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do," and "....For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing"?
3. How does music work in Maldonado's life? How does music work in your personal life?
4. Maldonado ponders pleasant and unpleasant memories throughout the narrative. Do his memories hinder him or help him as he tries to discern what caused him grief? Can we trust our memories?
5. Maldonado's return to Jersey City, N.J., has him intersecting with the lives of a slew of colorful characters. How do these relationships affect Maldonado and help him grapple with his grief? How does race, gender, and class influence the relational dynamics among some of the characters?
6. The theme of grief also appears in the lives of other characters. How does grief impact those characters, and what can we learn from how they chose to respond to their individual grief?
7. Maldonado demonstrates anger and contempt toward Angel Santana. Are his feelings and attitude toward Santana justified, and was it possible for him to reconcile with Santana? What drives human beings to attempt to fix a fractured relationship? Guilt? Hubris? Healing?Other? How do other characters in the story understand the nature of friendship?
8. Maldonado is passionate about writing in his journal. What does journaling reveal about Maldonado? Does it help him reconcile his grief? Can reflecting upon the past help us become forward-looking? What practical techniques do you employ to process your pain and deal with your grief?
9. Maldonado is gripped by the self-sustenance theory. How does that theory influence Maldonado's outlook on life? Is the self-sustenance theory a plausible explanation for human aggression and for human motive? What is your personal life philosophy, and what is it rooted in? If you don't have a personal life philosophy, have you ever wondered what your life would be like if you had one?
10. Maldonado quite often thinks about the conversations he held with authority figures. How do these authority figures and mentors impact him throughout his journey? What other characters benefit from a relationship with a mentor and authority figure? How have authority figures and mentors shaped us throughout the years?
11. What is the meaning of vocation? Think in particular about the take that Eddie, Pastor Santana, Father Roberto, Daisy, Walker, Don Frankie and Brigid have on what constitutes vocation.
12. What role does religious symbols, iconography and community have in the life of Maldonado and in the lives of others? In what ways does Maldonado struggle with religion? Does religion have to make sense in order for it to add meaning to one's life? Is communion with the deity facilitated by having communion with others? Or, can communion with the deity be achieved independent of a faith community?
13. Can you think of a circumstance where a precondition to forgiveness is justified? What does Maldonado do with his new understanding of grief? Is Maldonado able to overcome his grief? What lessons does this book offer that can help us in our own journey? Who was your favorite character, and why?
