Discussion guide

Questions for discussion

According to Neil, the events in California happened "because of us". What do you think he means by that?
Who do you think is most to blame for what happens with Rose? Do Neil and Adam feel sufficiently guilty over it?
Both men come to the conclusion that they are "quits" over Claire and Rose. Do you agree?
Does Neil’s and Adam’s friendship survive despite what happened in California, or because of it?
"After this much time, a person could only be an idea, as perhaps she always had been." When Neil and Adam talk about Rose, what are they really talking about?
Neil thinks that Sam is "a different kind of relative, a friend, almost". What role does Sam play in the story?
Everything before Adam has children "seemed part of a different innings or account". How does becoming a father affect him?
Compare Adam’s marriage to Claire with his friendship with Neil. Which relationship is closer?
Adam blames his disappointments on "all that happiness" in his childhood. How do the friends’ backgrounds affect their lives and careers?
Adam and Neil have very different attitudes towards jobs and work. Which is closer to yours?
"In place of the old jeopardy," Neil thinks, "you found yourself clutching at holograms." How does technology affect the way the people in this book relate to one another?
"Didn’t everyone over twenty have some version of this story in their past?" Do they?
Which of the two friends do you like better? Did your sympathies shift over the course of the novel?