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Book Club Questions for Sam by Allegra Goodman

Book club questions for Sam by Allegra Goodman delve into the themes of self-discovery and the complexities of growing up. The novel offers a thought-provoking look at the psychological tensions within our inner quest to seek out the truth, and the many ways our memories can fail us – and set us free.

How does the novel explore the theme of memory and how it shapes our understanding of ourselves and the world around us? How does Sam’s passion for climbing reflect her inner struggles and search for identity? How does the novel explore the theme of coming-of-age, and the challenges and struggles that come with it? And more!

About the Story

“There is a girl, and her name is Sam.” So begins Allegra Goodman’s moving and wise new novel.

Sam is seven years old and living in Beverly, Massachusetts. She adores her father, though he isn’t around much. Her mother struggles to make ends meet, and never fails to remind Sam that if she studies hard and acts responsibly, adulthood will be easier—more secure and comfortable. But comfort and security are of little interest to Sam. She doesn’t fit in at school, where the other girls have the right shade of blue jeans and don’t question the rules. She doesn’t care about jeans or rules. All she wants to climb. Hanging from the highest limbs of the tallest trees, scaling the side of a building, Sam feels free.

As a teenager, Sam begins to doubt herself. She yearns to be noticed, even as she wants to disappear. When her climbing coach takes an interest in her, his attention is more complicated than she anticipated. She resents her father’s erratic behavior, but she grieves after he’s gone. And she resists her mother’s attempts to plan for her future, even as that future draws closer.

The simplicity of this tender, emotionally honest novel is what makes it so powerful. Sam by Allegra Goodman will break your heart, but will also leave you full of hope.

Book Club Questions for Sam

1. What was your biggest takeaway from SAM and its titular narrator? What was most compelling to you about Sam’s story? How, if at all, did you identify with Sam’s personal challenges and desires?

2. For Sam, climbing is “not just a sport; it’s an art.” What does she mean by that statement? How does Sam express herself, and her unique vision, through the art of climbing?

3. Declan notes that climbing requires “half knowledge, half instinct…and a little bit [of] experience.” Discuss climbing as a metaphor for coming-of-age in this novel. You may also wish to factor in Sam’s burgeoning interest in geology. What does it take for Sam to feel grounded in her world?

4. Family instability is a major factor in Sam’s life (and theme in this book). Her home life is the exact opposite of Halle’s, for example; it’s also quite different from the multigenerational structure of Justin’s. What does the novel say about what families look like? How does Sam’s upbringing shape, disadvantage or motivate her?

5. Talk about the two fathers at the heart of SAM. Is Mitchell a sympathetic character? How do you feel about Jack? Do either of these men’s struggles — with such issues as employment and substance abuse — resonate with you, and how?

6. What does Sam show us about the pursuit of the American Dream? What are the risks and rewards of following your heart? Finding your passion? What sacrifices do the adults in this novel, from Courtney and Adam to Beth and Ann, make (or not) on behalf of their children?

7. Sam’s mother tells her not to be superstitious. “You make your own luck,” Courtney says. But Sam isn’t so sure; she thinks that “other people’s luck can crush you.” Do each of their beliefs hold true throughout the course of the novel? How or why not? Which, if at all, do you believe?

8. We are taught, as young readers, that there is a moral to every story. Do you believe that fiction, by and large, is meant to teach us something important about the world and ourselves? And, if so, what do you think Allegra Goodman intends for us to take away from SAM?

9. If you had the chance to ask the author one question about Sam — about the writing process, the characters or the plot — what would it be?

10. What kind of future do you imagine for Sam beyond the final chapter of this book?

11. What role does the theme of dreams play in the novel, and how does it relate to the characters’ understanding of themselves and the world around them?

12. How does the novel explore the theme of addiction and how it affects the characters and their relationships?

13. How does Sam’s passion for climbing reflect her inner struggles and search for identity?

Additional Recommendations

The Lost Girls of Willowbrook by Ellen Marie Wiseman
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Sage Winters always knew her sister was a little different even though they were identical twins. They loved the same things and shared a deep understanding, but Rosemary—awake to every emotion, easily moved to joy or tears—seemed to need more protection from the world.

Six years after Rosemary’s death from pneumonia, Sage, now sixteen, still misses her deeply. Their mother perished in a car crash, and Sage’s stepfather, Alan, resents being burdened by a responsibility he never wanted. Yet despite living as near strangers in their Staten Island apartment, Sage is stunned to discover that Alan has kept a shocking secret: Rosemary didn’t die. She was committed to Willowbrook State School and has lingered there until just a few days ago, when she went missing.

Sage knows little about Willowbrook. It’s always been a place shrouded by rumor and mystery. A place local parents threaten to send misbehaving kids. With no idea what to expect, Sage secretly sets out for Willowbrook, determined to find Rosemary. What she learns, once she steps through its doors and is mistakenly believed to be her sister, will change her life in ways she never could imagined . . .

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
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We can’t choose what we inherit. But can we choose who we become?

In present-day California, Eleanor Bennett’s death leaves behind a puzzling inheritance for her two children, Byron and Benny: a black cake, made from a family recipe with a long history, and a voice recording. In her message, Eleanor shares a tumultuous story about a headstrong young swimmer who escapes her island home under suspicion of murder. The heartbreaking tale Eleanor unfolds, the secrets she still holds back, and the mystery of a long-lost child challenge everything the siblings thought they knew about their lineage and themselves.

Can Byron and Benny reclaim their once-close relationship, piece together Eleanor’s true history, and fulfill her final request to “share the black cake when the time is right”? Will their mother’s revelations bring them back together or leave them feeling more lost than ever?

Charmaine Wilkerson’s debut novel is a story of how the inheritance of betrayals, secrets, memories, and even names can shape relationships and history. Deeply evocative and beautifully written, Black Cake is an extraordinary journey through the life of a family changed forever by the choices of its matriarch.

Happy reading! ❤️

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I love to read and I enjoy exploring a range of genres including contemporary and historical fiction, mysteries, thrillers, nonfiction, and memoirs. If you would like me to review your book, feel free to reach out to me!