Discussion Questions

One

In middle school, Greg used to sneak into his parents’ living room to watch Brooke Shields swim naked in The Blue Lagoon. Who was your teenage celebrity crush? How’s he/she/it/them looking today? Do you feel like a dummy? Would you dump your husband/wife/partner/pet for a chance with them today? 

Two

Would you rather take a two-week vacation with Aunt Ethel or have a skin graft? Why? Who is your Aunt Ethel?

Three

Did you read Greg’s other memoir, Kept: An American Househusband in Paris? If no, why not?!? If yes, how do the books differ in tone, style or whatever? How do the principal characters differ? Who’s the star of the show?

Four

Ladies, do you feel squeamish, terrified or giddy at the prospect of turning over management of your household and children entirely to your man? What would that look like? Would your family thrive, survive or perish? Exercise: propose this arrangement to your spouse/partner. Ask him to write a book about it.

Five

Gentlemen, how would you like to become a househusband and take over primary management of your household and children? What would your wife say? Would she laugh hysterically? Why? Exercise: do it and write a book about it.

Six

Is Greg the Marie de Rabutin-Chantal, marquise de Sévigné of his day? If not, who is? David Sedaris, Jenny Lawson, Taylor Swift, Donald Trump, someone else? 

Seven

Greg got recruited by a CIA spook at a cocktail party but then bombed the polygraph. Do you think you would make a good spy? Do you think you could pass a CIA polygraph? If not, what is your deepest, darkest secret that you’re hiding? Tell your book group friends your secret. What’s their reaction? Do you remain friends? 

Eight

What’s your favorite thing about Kept: An American Househusband in Paris? Why? 

Nine

Greg and Dana met on a dare. Would you have gone on that date? What would have been your reaction to the answering machine tape?