Anxious People

1. General Impressions 

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• What kind of story were you expecting before reading Anxious People? Did the novel bear out your expectations?
• How would you describe the tone of Anxious People? Did you think it was effective in conveying the book’s themes? Why or why not?
• Who was your favorite character, and why? Your least favorite?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection 

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

• Were you surprised to learn the bank robber was a woman? Why or why not? Did it change the way you understood her actions?
• How do you feel about the characters’ decision to shield the bank robber from the law? Do you think she should have had to face the consequences of her actions, even if her motivation was understandable? Why or why not?
• Both Jack and Zara feel intense guilt due to their perceived failure to stop the man on the bridge from jumping. Do you think it’s human nature to respond this way even in situations where nothing more could have been done? What do you think the “function” of this kind of guilt is?
• The hostages initially seem like a random assortment of people, but they discover underlying connections and shared concerns over the course of their ordeal.