The Reading List

1. General Impressions 

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• What were your initial responses to Mukesh Patel’s and Aleisha Thomas’s disinterest in reading? Were you surprised by how their relationships to books changed?
• Does The Reading List remind you of other books you’ve read about books and reading? How does The Reading List compare and contrast to parallel titles?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection 

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• The Reading List explores personal tragedy and grief. Did you relate to Mukesh’s and Aleisha’s encounters with loss? If so, how?
• Were you surprised by Mukesh and Aleisha’s relationship? Which elements of their friendship were most emotionally resonant? Have you had an unexpected friendship like theirs?
• Do you relate to a library or bookstore the way the characters relate to the Harrow Road Library? What is it about bookstores and libraries that attracts you?
• Mukesh and Aleisha’s newfound love for reading saves them from their personal challenges. Has reading played a similar role in your life? What role do you think fiction can play in people’s lives?

3. Societal and Cultural Context 

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

• The Reading List was originally published in 2021, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.