6. In one of Mrs. G’s conversations, she says that “life gives us nothing outright. It only lends. Nothing is ours to keep.” What is she referring to? Do you agree or disagree? If that is true, how does that shape the way you look at your life?
7. From the time Luis is killed, through the trial and the verdict, did you ever feel empathy for the woman who shot him? If so, why? Either way, did you feel the verdict was fair?
8. A recurring theme the author examines throughout the book is what constitutes a life of value. In what ways did this book illuminate or redefine this concept for you?
9. The book examines the concept of privilege and how it can affect the outcome of a person’s life. How does privilege play a role in the final verdict of the trial?
10. Before he met Mrs. G, Raymond felt like he didn’t fit in and was alone and directionless. In what ways does his relationship with Mrs. G not only change his current life, but shape his future as well?
11. When Mrs. G is the most despondent, Raymond takes her to hear a cellist play. Mrs. G comments on how the cellist says the instrument has the same sad-to-beautiful ratio as life. What do you think is meant by that?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Photo ? 2017 Laurel Renz
Catherine Ryan Hyde is the author of more than thirty published and forthcoming books. An avid hiker, traveler, equestrian, and amateur photographer, she has released her first book of photos, 365 Days of Gratitude: Photos from a Beautiful World.
Her novel Pay It Forward was adapted into a major motion picture, chosen by the American Library Association for its Best Books for Young Adults list, and translated into more than twenty-three languages for distribution in more than thirty countries. Both Becoming Chloe and Jumpstart the World were included on the ALA’s Rainbow Book List, and Jumpstart the World was a finalist for two Lambda Literary Awards. Where We Belong won two Rainbow Awards in 2013, and The Language of Hoofbeats won a Rainbow Award in 2015.
More than fifty of her short stories have been published in the Antioch Review, Michigan Quarterly Review, Virginia Quarterly Review, Ploughshares, Glimmer Train, and many other journals and in the anthologies Santa Barbara Stories, California Shorts, and New York Times bestseller Dog Is My Co-Pilot. Her stories have been honored in the Raymond Carver Short Story Contest and the Tobias Wolff Award and nominated for the O. Henry Award and the Pushcart Prize. Three have been cited in Best American Short Stories.
She is the founder and former president （2000–2009） of the Pay It Forward Foundation and still serves on its board of directors. As a professional public speaker, she has addressed the National Conference on Education, spoken at Cornell University twice, met with AmeriCorps members at the White House, and shared a dais with Bill Clinton.
For more information and book club questions, please visit the author at www.catherineryanhyde.com.