/  3
theme_banner
 
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1.Thesubtitleof
The Memory of All That 
is“GeorgeGershwin,KaySwift,andMyFamilysLegacyofIndelities.”Whatdoesitmeantohavealegacyofindelities?2.Whataresomeoftheotherindelities,beyondtheromancebetweenKaySwiftandGeorgeGershwin,inWebersfamilyhistory?3.Arethereanyrelationshipsinherfamilythatarenotdenedinsomewaybyanactofindelity?Whointhisstoryiscapableofloyaltyanddelity?4.TheFBIconsideredtheauthorsfather,SidneyKaufman,tobeunfaithfultotheUnitedStatesofAmerica.Wasthisavalidsuspicion?Whatwastheeffectoftheirdecadesofsurveillance?5.HowdoyouthinkWebersownmarriagehasbeenaffectedbyherfamilyshistory?6.
Library Journal 
,whilecallingthebook“athoroughlyengagingfamilymemoir,”said:“Thelackoffaithfulnessinfamilyrelations,sexualandotherwise,wasasourceofpainthatWeberstroveforyearstoovercome—apparentlysuccessfully.”Doyouagree?Whydoyouthinkshedidntwriteaboutthisdirectly?7.Howwouldfamilymembersdescribedinthebookhavetoldtheirstories?HowdoyouthinkSidneyKaufmanwouldfeelaboutthisbook?8.WhydoyouthinkKaySwiftwantedalltheirlettersdestroyedafterGeorgeGershwinsdeath?9.IfGeorgeGershwinhadnotdiedatage38in1937,howmightWeber’slifehavebeendifferent?Wouldithavebeendifferent?10.Weber’sfamilytreehasbranchesthatholdarangeofdisparatecharacters,fromBenedictArnoldandKaySwifttoAbyWarburgandSidneyKaufman.Aretheremembersofherfamilywhosestoriesremindyouofyourownfamilyhistory?Doyouthinkhavingaplaceonthisfamilytreeisagiftoraburden?11.Isthisbookatypicalmemoir?WhatdidWeberchoosenottowriteabout?12.Arethereincidentsordetailsin
The Memory of   All That 
whichmighthaveinspiredelementsinanyofWebersvenovels?13.Howdofamilystoriesshapeus?Whydosomefamilieshonortheirownhistorieswhileotherfamiliesareindifferenttothepast?Docertaingroupsofpeoplecareaboutfamilyhistorymorethanothers?14.Ifyoucouldmeetanyofthecastofcharactersin
The  Memory of All That 
,whowoulditbe?
 
For more information visit www.KatharineWeber.com.
 
TheMemoryofAllThat
GeorgeGershwin,KaySwift,andMyFamily’sLegacyofIndelities
KatharineWeber
Reading group guide for
The Memory of All That 
by Katharine Weber. Copyright © 2011 by the Crown Publishing Group. Distributed by permission of the Crown Publishing Group, a divi-sion of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this reading group guide may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Reading should be social! Post a message on your social networks to let others know what you're reading. Select the sites below and start sharing.


Add a Comment

Characters: ...