The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise by Colleen Oakley Discussion Questions:

Discussion Questions:
1. When Tanner and Louise first meet, they make a lot of assumptions about each other. Have you ever gotten a negative first impression of someone that turned out to be wrong (or right) as you got to know them?
Multiple times!!! That’s why I have learned to never let that first impression be it or if I knew the person years prior to realize we all change. The person I knew then may not be the same person they are now.
2. When we first meet her, Tanner is hell-bent on getting back to Northwestern, even though she can’t play soccer. Why do you think she’s struggling so much to accept the curveball life has thrown her?
She has worked so hard and done everything right. She’s been the perfect student and perfect athlete following all the rules to get to that one place. It’s very difficult to accept the realization that life isn’t going to be what you expected. That you can plan and plan but life doesn’t always go accordingly. It is a very harsh pill to swallow.
3. Given their age difference, what do you see as the toughest disconnect between Tanner and Mrs. Wilt when they start living together?
Mrs. Wilt is a woman who is determined to never give up. Tanner has given up on life because it threw her a ball she didn’t want and she can’t see anything beyond that.
4. Do you have a favorite person in Louise’s family? What do you enjoy most about the character?
I don’t really. I did like that Jules knew all these secrets and never said anything.
5. When Tanner started to pick up on several suspicious things around Mrs. Wilt’s house, did you agree with her? Or did you assume she had an overactive imagination?
It was strange things that were locked, however, I didn’t feel any certain way about it.
6. When Louise burst into Tanner’s room demanding they leave immediately, what did you think was the real reason she needed to leave? Were you right or wrong?
Completely wrong!
7. If you could pick the getaway car of your dreams, what would it be?
Probably a suv or something. It’s a get away car for Pete’s sake. Nothing like a Jag.
8. What was the most memorable pit stop along the road trip for you as you read? Have you been to any of the places Tanner and Louise went?
St. Louis Arch- I have been there and just like Louis-I chickened out on the arch ride to the top!
9. Louise muses: “People always said life was short, but it wasn’t. Not really. You could cram so many different lives into one. Be so many different people.” Do you think that’s true? Do you feel like you’ve lived different lives or been a different person at different times in your life?
I have! Who I was once I not who I am today. I think this rings true for most people.
10. Did you see a point where Tanner’s mindset about aging begins to change from what she thought early on, that “all old white women were nearly indistinguishable from one another”? Did you agree or disagree with her there?
There is a point where you can see a shift in how Tanner views aging. I have always had a respect for the elderly population. So I disagreed with her on her early on view point.
11. There are so many strong female friendships in this novel—Tanner and Vee; Louise and George; and then, of course, Tanner and Louise. How do these relationships differ, and how are they similar? Do any of them remind you of your own friendships? How so?
Tanner and Louis have both but their friends in situations that strained the relationship and hurt the person. Both would still do anything for that person. Even though it had been year since they last seen each other, they easily picked up where they left off. I would do anything for my friends. There are friends I don’t see often but we can pick up like it was yesterday.
12. When George and Louise are catching up after being reunited, Louise asks George, “Do you really think things are better now? For women, I mean.” What do you think? Are things better or worse for women in America now than, say, fifty years ago?
In some ways 100 times better, in other ways we have regressed.
13. What would you say is the biggest life lesson Tanner learns from her friendship with Louise? And does Louise learn anything from having Tanner in her life?
Tanner- Life doesn’t always go as planned but you make the most of what it offers.
Louise-To not judge a book by its cover
14. The author was inspired to write this novel because of her close relationship with her grandmother and everything her grandmother taught her. Have you ever had the experience of learning from an older generation? What was the most valuable thing they shared with you?
Appreciate everything