Your Second Life Begins When You Realize You Only Have One

Book Club Kit

Discussion Questions 1 Why do you think Camille feels as if her life is missing something at the beginning of the novel? Do you relate to her character? Why or why not?

2 Why does Camille decide to go with Claude’s unorthodox therapy?

Would you have called him? Why or why not?

3 Have you ever had a case of “routinitis”?

What helped you to climb out of your rut?

What strategies from the novel would you try in your own life?

4 On p. 11, Claude says “The capacity for being happy has to be worked on, built up day by day.” Do you agree with him? How do you think you could start building this capacity in your own life?

5 Claude teaches Camille the “theory of small steps” (p. 29), asking her to start by listing out everything she’d like to change in her life. What are the top three things you want to change in your own life?

6 Claude reminds Camille that “many people know what they’re supposed to do to lead a happy life but never really put it into practice” (p. 70).

Do you think that’s true?

What do you think might be holding people back?

7 What would you say are your top three successes in your life? Why do you think these three achievements mean so much to you? What could you do to create similar success in the next year of your life?

8 What do you think about Claude’s “elastic band” theory? Have you seen this play out in your life?

9 Do you have a role model? If so, who is it?

What is it you admire about them? What is one thing you could do tomorrow to emulate these qualities?

10 Think back on the past few days in your life.

What things would you list in your Positive Notebook?

11 Claude teaches Camille to “anchor” herself in a positive memory. Have you ever tried this exercise before? How do you think it might change your perspective? What anchor would you choose for yourself?

12 Were you surprised by the novel’s ending?

How to start your second life and find your inner happiness . . .

“Well, you may know what Abbé Pierre said: ‘We have as much need of reasons for living as of the necessities of life.’ So don’t say it’s not serious. It’s tremendously serious! Troubles of the soul are not something to be taken lightly.

“Everyone has good qualities. The trick is to identify them, then help them flourish. This will give you the essence of what is best in you.”

“Sow love and appreciation, and you’ll reap tenderness and gratitude.”

“The capacity for being happy has to be worked on, built up day by day. All you have to do is take a good look at your system of values and re-educate the way you look at life and what’s going on around you.”

“To become a better, happier, more balanced person calls for regular work and effort. You’ll find that the difficulty isn’t knowing what you ought to be doing to feel better, but to commit yourself completely and to move from theory to practice.”

“Self-confidence is your greatest asset. Shine and you’ll be irresistible.

If you’re filled with beauty, you will be attractive—goodness and kindness sparkle far more than jewels.”

“You need to live life at four hundred percent, instead of wallowing in your dissatisfaction and hoping that a solution will drop from the skies.”

“You can never protect yourself against future suffering, because that’s part of life . . . Life is made up of the rough and the smooth.”

“Becoming aware is an excellent first step to cutting those ties to the past. After that, by continuing to work on yourself and by embracing positive change you’ll be able to banish those old demons once and for all.”

“A smile costs nothing and yet has a huge influence on the people around you, as well as on your own state of mind. So you get a double benefit.”

“As for what gives life meaning, it now seemed to me that it involved getting to know how to give the best of yourself based on the qualities that made up your true identity. Be good at what you do and be good to others. Wasn’t that the key?”

If Camille can get her son to eat zucchini, then you can too.

Zucchini Chocolate Cake M A K E S 24 S E R V I N G S

2 CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR

1 TEASPOON GROUND CINNAMON

2 CUPS WHITE SUGAR

4 EGGS

¾ CUP UNSWEETENED COCOA POWDER

1 ½ C U P S V E G E TA B L E O I L

2 TEASPOONS BAKING SODA

3 C U P S G R AT E D Z U C C H I N I

1 TEASPOON BAKING POWDER

¾ CUP CHOPPED WALNUTS

½ T E A S P O O N S A LT

Y O U R FAV O R I T E F R O S T I N G

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.

Add the eggs and oil and mix well.

Fold in the zucchini and nuts until they are evenly distributed.

Pour everything into the prepared pan.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool cake completely before frosting with frosting of your choice.