Book Club Discussion Questions and Guide for Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld

1. How does this book portray the Hillary we know from her long years in the public's eye? Is the portrayal credible? Is the Hillary Rodham in this novel the same woman (we think) we have known through years of watching and hearing her? What kind of inner life does the novel reveal?
2. Talk about Hillary's 1969 commencement speech at Wellsley, which has been a famous touchstone throughout her public career. Why do you think Curtis Sittenfeld included it in this novel? What does it reveal about Hillary?
3. Talk about Bill Clinton. How does he come across in the novel? Is it a fair portrait, unfair, a funny one, or unpleasant one?
4. Talk about the sexism and the double standard ever present in American politics that Settinfeld details explicitly. Does her depiction feel about right to you? Does she over- or under-do it?
5. What about portrayals of other real-life characters, primarily Donald Trump?
6. In what way does Hillary's youthful idealism fade as she engages with the realities of politics? Is that loss of idealism inevitable? Why or why not?

Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Random House. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.