Giovanni's Room is a classic eh? 🍒💣 book club wrap-up chat
Below are questions to spark a book club chat. Tell us your thoughts!
Hey Book Clubbers!
Last month we read Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin. Sooo, what did you think about the book?! How did you feel after closing the book? Will you read more from Baldwin’s bibliography? Tell us your review and chat with each other!
Giovanni’s room has become one of my top 5 favorite books of all time. My poor heart.
Dig Deeper
Answer a reading guide question from the book:
David’s relationship with his father is troubled by the feeling that his father left him unprepared to become a man. How does David’s family define manhood, and how does this definition conflict with David’s own manifestations of masculinity? Do you think David’s father is to blame for his trouble reconciling the two?
Much of Giovanni’s Room takes place in the gay bars and queer spaces that compose the novel’s Parisian landscape. How does this atmosphere compare to that of the United States at this time? Was there ever a setting where David felt truly secure in his sexuality?
In the novel, numerous characters face stereotypes about their culture and countries of origin. Share your own experience of traveling away from home. Have you ever felt people made assumptions about you based on where you are from? How did you react?
CURRENT PICK
We’re currently reading The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo (I’m halfway through!) April’s pick is an adventurous page turner. There’s still time to join if you want, grab your copy. Let’s find out what happens to our magical scullion Luzia, and chat soon!
Love,
Amani
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Giovanni's Room was such a good read! I definitely took a little longer with this one, as I just closed it this weekend. Heart-wrenching, thought-provoking, and ahead of its time, I think this has climbed the list of my top favorites.