Twenty Years Later

1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• Is this a novel that is “about” September 11, 2001, or is this a novel in which the events of that day happen as a background to the main plot? Consider how Victoria’s murder trial gets dismissed and then revived in determining your answer.
• How does the novel show trauma as something that affects a character’s decisions? How does it show trauma as something that can be processed or overcome?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• “Deathbed confessions” like the messages Victoria leaves for Emma are often considered powerful testimony. Do you consider such declarations credible? Do you think that people experience greater clarity when facing death? Why or why not?
• Have you ever made a dramatic career change, like Avery’s movement from law to news media? What inspired this shift if so?
• If you were alive, do you remember where you were on September 11, 2001? What was your experience of that day?
• Is there a point in the novel where you felt that the characters (such as Walt, Emma, or Avery) should have turned back in their search for information? Why do you think they should have considered such a moment a line not to cross?
• Have you ever experienced a single day that affected you for years to come? What happened, and how did it stick with you?

3. Societal and Cultural Context

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

• The novel presents numerous problems with journalists’ ethics in presenting news stories. Does this feel like an accurate, overblown, or understated representation of real-world media, given your experience? Are the novel’s critiques valid?
• How does the novel’s portrayal of New York City compare to other media representations of the city? If you’ve been to New York, how does it compare to your experience of the real New York?

4. Literary Analysis

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

• How do the different settings in the novel have different tones or atmospheres? How does this serve to characterize settings differently?
• Does the novel present Avery’s desire to be paid an amount she considers fair compared to her male predecessor as greedy or reasonable? 
• Does the novel treat personal trauma as different from widespread trauma? Why or why not?
• To what extent does the novel stigmatize abortion?

5. Creative Engagement

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

• Walt Jenkins moves to Jamaica to get distance from his past. If you were starting over in a new place, where would you go? What appeals to you about that place?
• Avery engages in elaborate, dangerous stunts to get high ratings for American Events. If you hosted a talk show, what would you do (or not do) to earn ratings? What would be your subject matter?

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