Book Club Discussion Questions for The Delight of Being Ordinary by Roland Merullo

Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, Pope Francis and our BookBrowse Review of The Delight of Being Ordinary.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. Each character has very distinct views on religion.  Did they change by the end of the novel?
2. Did any of your perspectives on religion change while reading?
3. Where was the common ground in their discussions?  Where did they disagree?
4. Which location during their travels would you most want to visit?
5. How was family love emphasized or portrayed in the novel?
6. How did Paolo and Rosa's relationship change from the beginning to the end?
7. How did the Pope and Dalai Lama's dreams affect the course of the novel?
8. Do you believe everyone needs to take a step back from their routines of everyday life? Why?
9. In the end, do you think the trip was worth the risk for the Pope and Dalai Lama?  For Paolo and Rosa?
10. What is the key message you'll take away with you from this novel?
11. How important is Cynthia's appearance and the conversation with her near the end of the novel?
12. Did you recognize her from Vatican Waltz, and did you recognize the characters from Merullo's bestselling novel Breakfast with Buddha?

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