68) What do you think is the best approach to friendship: honest advice or unquestioning support? How do you think Marnie is able to stay so nonjudgmental when it comes to her friends’ tangled lives? Thinking about Rosie’s quest for children, Marnie wonders, “When I see a friend heading down a difficult road, how much do I confront, and how much do I accept knowing I’ll be there to pick up the pieces?” (pg.What are your associations with these ingredients and others in your kitchen? Was there anything you learned that surprised you? Marnie also mentions her personal associations with these common items. The book highlights the social histories of baking ingredients such as vanilla, sugar, and dates.22) Why do you think Marnie is so conflicted about moving forward in her relationship with Jim? What gives her the courage to tell him that she loves him? Marnie wonders, “Is Jim another chance for intimacy or another dodge from commitment?” (pg.How does the opening of The Christmas Cookie Club establish the themes of darkness and light that run through the novel? How do you feel about the choice of the hospice as the recipient of the group’s generosity? Why do you think Marnie is so especially attuned to the pain her friends suffer and brave in facing the starkness of events such as Luke’s death?.193) How does each character in the novel change for you as you learn more about them? How does Aaron change for Marnie after hearing Sissy’s story? As Marnie says, “The people in our lives change as our understanding changes.” (pg.How does the present action of the narrative, as well as the way details are revealed about characters, affect your reading of the novel? In what ways does the story draw the reader in as a new member of the group?.But they come together, knowing that dark times and snowy nights call for the warmth that only friends can provide. Meanwhile, the guests have problems of their own: a father’s infidelity with a friend, a move to another state, a husband’s desertion.

This year, Marnie, the “head cookie bitch” is preoccupied with caring for a bereaved friend, waiting for a life or death call from her pregnant daughter, and debating how far to fall in love with her boyfriend Jim. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book.Įvery year on the first Monday of December, a group of women gather to share cookies, food, wine, and stories. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. This reading group guide for The Christmas Cookie Club includes an introduction, discussion questions, and ideas for enhancing your book club.

The christmas cookie club book