Discussion Questions:
1.What were your initial thoughts on Arthur Moses (aka Arthur Truluv)? How did your opinion of him change as you read the book?
2. Arthur visits his wife’s Nola grave every day. He talks to her as if she were alive. What do you think of his way of coping with grief? How does his age affect his outlook in life?
3. Arthur reads the headstones when he visits Nola at the cemetery. He imagines what the person would be like based on what is on the epigraph. Why do you think he does that? What would your epigraph say?
4. Why do you think Maddy and her dad Steven have such a difficult relationship? Why do you think it was hard for him to be affectionate? How does their relationship change towards the end of the book?
5. The book contained many themes, such as bullying, teenage pregnancy, family, death, grief, new beginnings, and friendship to name a few. Which theme impacted you the most?
6. What do you think of Arthur and Maddy’s relationship? How did Arthur’s and Maddy’s friendship help each of them?
7. Maddy’s boyfriend Anderson was much older than her. Why do you think she chose him? Why were they incompatible?
8. Maddy was bullied in school and avoided going to school. To what extent do you think that her decision making was affected by it? How did she change by the end of the book?
9. Maddy and Lucille slide notes under each other’s door. On note from Maddy said: ” What is it that makes a family? Certainly no document does, no legal pronouncement or accident of birth. No, real families come from choices we make about who we want to be bound to, and the ties to such families live in our hearts.“
What do you think of the quote? Is Arthur and Lucille Maddy’s family?
10. Lucille is in her eighties and she jumps at a chance with love with Frank, a high school sweet heart. Frank said: ” Who cares what happens before we’re born and after we die? The question is, what do we do in the meantime?“
What do you think about second chances in your eighties? How do you feel about their engagement so quickly after seeing each other again?
11. Was there a part in the book that you liked the most?
12. Do you think Maddy’s method of conception was accurate? Were you confused by it?
13. Did you like the ending? How did it make you feel?
14. Did you enjoy The Story of Arthur Truluv? Who would you recommend it to?
Enhance Your Book Club:
Check out Summary of The Story of Arthur Truluv, for a deeper look into the book and also more conversation starters.
Make some Orange Blossom cookies and share them with your book club!
Check out The Story of Arthur Truluv Book Review!
I don’t understand question #12. Could anybody explain?
Hi Queenbee!
Maddy got pregnant by Anderson’s sperm. He did not have penetrative sex with her but ejaculated nearby. Do you think that method was scientifically feasible to get pregnant? For his sperm to swim all the way from the outside of her vagina to the inside of her cervix and got her pregnant?
I always thought it was impossible and thought the whole thing was confusing.
Thanks for stopping by at Arlene’s book club!