The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards - Book Club Discussion Questions

The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards starts on a snowy night in 1964 when a doctor delivers his own twins and discovers that one of them, the daughter, has been born with Downs Syndrome. In a hasty decision, he gives the daughter to a nurse to take to an institution and tells his wife the baby died. The nurse raises the daughter as her own. The Memory Keeper's Daughter moves through the years, showing how one decision affected every part of two families' lives. Use these book club discussion questions on The Memory Keeper's Daughter to help your book club discuss the themes of love, grief, redemption and regret.

Spoiler Warning: These book club discussion questions reveal important details about The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards. Finish the book before reading on.

1. Who is "the memory keeper?" How do memories move the story along? What are the different ways characters deal with rememberance and memory?
   
   
2. What was your initial reaction when David gave Phoebe away? Could you sympathize with his decision? What caused him to give her up?
   
   
3. Why do you think Caroline decided to raise Phoebe on her own? Did she do the right thing?
   
   
4. The more time passed, the harder it became for David to tell Norah the truth about Phoebe. Did her reasons for not telling her change over time? Why don't you think he ever came clean? Did you want him to tell her? Would it have saved his marriage or destroyed it? How might it have affected Phoebe, Caroline and Al?
   
   
5. Do you think there is ever a circumstance when it is right to keep the truth from those you love?
   
   
6. Many people questioned whether Phoebe's life would be worth living (David Henry questioned it in giving her away, the nurse who asked Caroline whether she wanted to let her die after the bee sting, other parents who would see Caroline on the playground, etc.). Contrast Phoebe's life to Paul's. Who was happier? Who had more opportunities? Was one of their lives more worthwhile than the other? How do we determine what lives are worth living?
   
   
7. Who was at fault in David and Norah's marriage falling apart? Do you think their relationship would have survived if they had kept Phoebe or would raising her have caused a different kind of stress to isolate them?
   
   
8. Why do you think Caroline and Al were able to be happier than Norah and David?
   
   
9. Why does Caroline wait until David is dead to tell Norah the truth? Do you think she ever stopped loving him? Discuss the connection the shared.
   
   
10. Why does David take photographs? What do they represent? Can you sympathize with his desire to immortalize a moment?
    
    
11. Why does David feel comfortable telling Rosemary all his secrets? How does he change after meeting her?
    
    
12. Rate The Memory Keeper's Daughter on a scale of 1 to 5.