Book Club Questions
-
Did Mimi use a chronological, thematic, or episodic structure to tell her story, and how did this choice enhance the narrative and / or reading experience?
-
Mimi describes an unsettling childhood including being the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, known as the “second generation.” How did Mimi's parents and family life influence her decisions?
→ How do family dynamics and peoples’ early lives impact who they become?
→ How did Mimi’s childhood or her family’s history influence her ability to cope on the Everest expedition?
-
Mimi vividly evoked distinct places including growing up in New York City, The Catskills, Rocky Mountains, Israel, and the Himalayas. How do you think “place” influenced her and the story, and how does it influence you?
-
Mimi ponders her mother's best friend’s words: “What you are at seven, you are at seventy." Do you believe that we mostly stay the same or mostly change over the course of our lives?
-
Discuss the repeating elements, symbols, and throughlines in the book and how they helped tie the story together.
-
Did Mimi's travels and adventures make you feel empowered to travel more, or do you prefer to stay close to home? What are the pros and cons of both?
-
What was the most adventurous experience you have had? How did it impact your life going forward?
-
-
Mimi was harassed by men at various points in her life, including by locals on the way to Base Camp. Discuss the challenges women experience when in male-dominated spaces or simply throughout life.
-
How do you think Mimi being the only woman on the Everest team resulted in her experiencing additional risks or challenges?
-
What motivated Mimi to trek alone. What are your thoughts about women traveling solo?
-
-
What did the parts of the book that touched on religion and spirituality make you think about? How did you relate to Mimi’s descriptions of her Jewish life and identity? Or of her spirituality in nature?
-
How do you approach risk taking in your life? Did reading this story make you rethink your approach to taking risks? Did it inspire you to move forward with taking a risk you've been afraid of?
-
Mimi thrived in the mountains and sought solitude there. What is your happy place? Does nature have a place in your life?
-
Mimi is searching for her identity and place in the world, to find her truest self/belonging. Discuss experiences you’ve had that helped you with self-discovery. Has this book changed the way you think about belonging?
-
How have you handled opportunities that required stretching outside your comfort zone? What was the result? Has reading this book changed your thinking about these kinds of opportunities?
-
Mimi lists the random circumstances that brought her to the Everest team, in a format that mimics the Passover song, Dayenu (a list) but writes they feel like a symphony of the universe playing in the background. Do you believe in randomness, coincidence, fate and / or destiny?
