Book Discussion Archives

The Body Keeps the Score: Discussion Questions for a Book Club

Did you read The Body Keeps the Score? Are you looking for some questions that will generate thoughtful discussion? We tend to think of trauma in its most extreme forms, such as PTSD. But nearly everyone is likely to either suffer from trauma or know someone who does. In The Body Keeps the Score, Bessel van der Kolk explains that the physiological toll can be tremendous. Read on for The Body Keeps the Score discussion questions that will help you understand and internalize the book’s ideas and apply them where appropriate.

The Things They Carried: Questions for Thoughtful Discussion

How do you handle stress? Do you stick to your principles when the going gets tough? What effect do stories have on you? The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien tells the stories of a small company of American soldiers serving in the Vietnam War. Through the narrative, the book blurs the line between autobiography and fiction, leaving the reader unsure as to what is fact and what is myth. Continue reading to see several The Things They Carried questions that you can use to get more out of your reading.

Freakonomics: Book Club Exercises for a Thoughtful Discussion

Would you like to understand your fellow humans better? When is conventional wisdom wrong? What if you thought like an economist? Authored by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything applies the tools of economics to explain real-world phenomena that aren’t conventionally thought of as “economic.” The book contains fascinating implications and applications. Continue reading for discussion questions and a quiz that you can use with your Freakonomics book club.

The Four Agreements Exercises: 21 Discussion Questions

Do you tend to take things personally? Are you always making assumptions? Are you a gossip? The world today is full of suffering and cruelty. From birth, we are trained to accept society’s rules as “the way it is.” But, agreeing to these rules stops us from becoming our true selves. The good news is that there’s a different way to live. Use these The Four Agreements exercises to help you implement a new approach to life.

15 Who Moved My Cheese? Discussion Questions to Ponder

When you experience change, is it distressing or rewarding? Do you tend to overanalyze? Who Moved My Cheese? is a parable that demonstrates in practical terms how to handle change better and avoid pitfalls. You can do this by practicing a few key principles: anticipate and prepare for change, overcome fears, envision success, and enjoy change. Continue reading for Who Moved My Cheese? discussion questions that will help you apply the book’s principles.

12 Rules for Life: Discussion Questions for Book Club

Are you looking for book club or discussion questions about Jordan Peterson’s 12 Rules for Life? How can you apply the book’s lessons to your own life? In 12 Rules for Life, Peterson argues that there is a right and wrong way to conduct your life. In contrast, he rejects the ambiguity of moral relativism, the idea that good and evil are subjective opinions and that every belief has its own truth. Here are some 12 Rules for Life discussion questions to ponder after reading the book.

Educated by Tara Westover: Discussion Questions for Book Club

Are you looking for discussion questions for Tara Westover’s Educated? How can these questions help you better relate to Westover’s story? Educated is the autobiographical story of Tara Westover’s journey from being the child of extreme anti-government, anti-science, and religious fundamentalist Mormon parents to becoming a Cambridge- and Harvard-educated Ph.D. Keep reading for Educated discussion questions.

6 Discussion Questions From Crucial Conversations

Are you looking for discussion questions for the book Crucial Conversations? How can these exercises help you improve your communication skills? A crucial conversation is a discussion characterized by high stakes, differing opinions, and strong emotions. If handled poorly, these stressful conversations can derail and even destroy relationships. Here’s a brief background of the book along with Crucial Conversations discussion questions.

Start With Why Discussion Questions (Simon Sinek)

Looking for Start With Why discussion questions? How can these exercises help you apply the lessons from Simon Sinek’s book? Start With Why covers everything you need to know about creating an organization that puts its values at the center of its business. The core concept is simple and straightforward: Great businesses know why they’re doing what they’re doing—and they use that mission as their guiding principle. Continue reading for discussion questions and exercises inspired by Start With Why.

Outliers by Gladwell—Discussion Questions to Reflect on

Are you looking for discussion questions about Outliers? How can you apply Malcolm Gladwell’s lessons to your own life? In Outliers, Gladwell argues that the self-made man is a myth. Instead, he says success depends just as much on factors that lie beyond the individual and the individual’s control, including where and when they were born and what kind of family they were born into. Here are some Outliers discussion questions to consider.