For those of you that haven't or couldn't attend book club lately, we'll be publishing the previous months' discussion questions here. I hope eventually to post discussion questions for all of the books we've covered since I took over a couple of years ago and beyond, all the way to the beginning over a decade and a half ago. It will take a while. Until then, we will be posting discussion questions on a weekly basis. Here are the questions from a 2014 title, The Voluntourist. We hope these questions spark discussions of your own.
The Voluntourist
by Ken Budd
Summary:
Ken Budd's The Voluntourist is a remarkable memoir about losing your father, accepting your fate, and finding your destiny by volunteering around the world for numerous worthy causes: Hurricane Katrina disaster relief in New Orleans, helping special needs children in China, studying climate change in Ecuador, lending a hand - and a heart - at a Palestinian refugee camp in the Middle East, to name but a few. Ken's emotional journey is as inspiring and affecting as those chronicled in Little Princes and Three Cups of Tea.
At once a true story of powerful family bonds, of sacrifice, of self-discovery, The Voluntourist is an all-too-human, real-life hero whom you will not soon forget. -- Paperback back cover
Discussion Questions
What is the central idea discussed in The Voluntourist? What issues or ideas does Ken Budd explore?
What do you think motivated Budd to share his story?
What observations are made in the book? Does Mr. Budd examine economics and politics, family traditions, the arts, religious beliefs, language or food?
What is different from your own culture/experience? What do you find most surprising, intriguing or difficult to understand?
What kind of language does the author use? Is it objective and dispassionate? Or passionate and earnest? Is it biased, inflammatory, sarcastic? Does the language help or undercut the author's premise? Did the quality of the writing match the story?
Talk about specific passages that struck you as significant—or interesting, profound, amusing, illuminating, disturbing, sad...? What was memorable?
What feelings did The Voluntourist evoke for you?
I hate to be cliché, but "If you got the chance to ask the author of this book one question, what would it be?"
How does the title relate to the book’s contents? What other title might you choose?
What other books on surviving the loss of a loved one have you read? How does this one compare? Are there some that you'd like to read?
What about other memoirs? How does it compare?
Is this book overrated or underrated?
Are there lingering questions from the book you're still thinking about?
Are there any areas you wished the author had elaborated upon further?
Are there any people in the book whose perspective you wanted?
Do you think Budd was honest?
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