Lunch in Paris by Elizabeth Bard is the story of how the author, an American student living in London, fell in love with her French husband and his country's cuisine. While she writes a good bit about her experiences with food, there are plenty of life's other aspects. Love, in-laws, the health care system, making friends, and politics are among the topics Bard covers in her memoir. Use these book club discussion questions on Lunch in Paris to discuss with your reading group.
- Who was your favorite character in Lunch in Paris and why?
- Which recipes looked the best to you? Have you tried any?
- Do you resonate with Elizabeth's primary sense of identity coming from a successful career, a degree from a prestigious university, a good salary? If not, where you do get your identity?
- Was it hard for you to imagine knowing someone for over a year and not knowing what she did for a living? Why isn't knowing what someone does in France important to the French?
- What are your thoughts on the way French social status is achieved - through culture and the arts and not through what one does for a living or how much money one makes? Does this appeal to you?
- Does the thought of reducing your dinner portion sizes to half or even a third of what you normally eat appeal to you or are you glad you live in the States, where no one looks askance at you when you have seconds?
- How did you feel when you learned that the medical establishment is not as well run in France as it is in the States, and that the French aren't inclined to demand better care because they assume they can't affect change?
- Did Elizabeth truly solve her yearning for something to do that was "uniquely her" by writing this book, or do you think she'll return to her identity crisis once she's done with her book project?
