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Cover of Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

Literary Fiction · Free kit

Theo of Golden

Allen Levi

An 86-year-old stranger named Theo arrives in the small Southern city of Golden one spring morning and begins a quiet campaign of generosity: purchasing pencil portraits from a local coffeehouse and returning each to its subject in exchange for their story. Portrait by portrait, person by person, Theo weaves himself into the fabric of Golden—healing wounds, revealing secrets, and proving that the smallest acts of kindness can transform ordinary lives forever.

“Sometimes the greatest gift we can give another person is to see them—truly see them—and let them know they matter.”

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Reading schedule · Book vote

Theo of Golden Icebreakers

Answer in under 30 seconds. These connect to the book’s themes without spoiling the story.

  1. Personality Reveal

    1. When you meet someone new, are you the person who asks all the questions or the person who shares first?

  2. Personality Reveal

    2. Are you more likely to give anonymously or make sure the person knows who helped them?

  3. Personality Reveal

    3. Do you prefer small acts of everyday kindness or big, life-changing gestures?

  4. Funny & Light

    4. What's the most memorable gift you've ever received from a stranger or near-stranger?

  5. Funny & Light

    5. Have you ever walked into a local coffee shop or bookstore and felt instantly at home? What made it special?

  6. Funny & Light

    6. What's one thing hanging in your home that you'd never part with, even if someone offered you money for it?

  7. Would You Rather

    7. Would you rather receive an expensive gift anonymously or a handmade gift from someone who tells you exactly why they chose it?

  8. Would You Rather

    8. Would you rather be known for your accomplishments or remembered for how you made people feel?

  9. Would You Rather

    9. Would you rather live in a small town where everyone knows your name or a big city where you can be anonymous?

  10. Hot Take

    10. Hot take: Anonymous generosity is more pure than public giving. Agree or disagree?

  11. Hot Take

    11. Finish this sentence: 'The best way to help someone is to _______.'

  12. Hot Take

    12. Hot take: Everyone has a story worth hearing if you actually take the time to listen. Agree or strongly agree?

  13. Personal Connection

    13. Who is someone in your life who saw you—truly saw you—when you needed it most?

  14. Personal Connection

    14. What's one small act of kindness someone did for you that you still think about years later?

  15. Personal Connection

    15. If you could give one person their portrait with a story about why they matter, who would it be?