Literary Fiction · Free kit
Tom Lake
Spring 2020, a northern Michigan cherry orchard, three grown daughters home from a stalled world. While they pick, they finally pry the story out of their mother: a New Hampshire girl who kept being cast as Emily in Our Town, a summer-stock company called Tom Lake, and a few months with a magnetic young actor who later became famous. Patchett braids harvest days with that edited past — first love against a marriage that stayed, the lives parents lead before anyone calls them Mom, and the question of how much of a story the people who love you are owed.
“There is no explaining this simple truth about life: you will forget much of it. The painful things you were certain you'd never be able to let go? Now you're not entirely sure when they happened, while the thrilling parts, the heart-stopping joys, splintered and scattered and became something else. Memories are then replaced by different joys and larger sorrows, and unbelievably, those things get knocked aside as well, until one morning you're picking cherries with your three grown daughters and your husband goes by on the Gator and you are positive that this is all you've ever wanted in the world.”
Complete free book club kit
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Plan your meeting
BookClubee take
Vibe check
Our editorial snapshot of how this book tends to land at club night — not a crowd average.
Craft
- Overall4
- Plot3
- Characters5
- World building5
- Ending4
How it feels
- Spice1
- Tears3
- Surprises2
- Humor3
- Comfort4
What’s in this kit
Everything below is free — open a section, use it at your meeting, or print what you need. No account required.
- Discussion Questions20 book-specific questions labeled warm-up, debate, and deep dive.
- Icebreakers15 fast warm-ups about the reader — not the plot.
- CharactersProfiles, dynamics map, and superlative awards.
- Trivia20 interactive questions from easy to hard.
- Would You Rather25 impossible choices inspired by the book.
- BingoPrintable book-club bingo for reading and live discussion.
- This or That40 rapid-fire choices plus a 60-second speed round.
- Speed DebatesPick a side and defend it against the clock.
- Hosting GuideShopping list, timeline, surprise touch, and wrap-up.
- PrintablesStickers, quote cards, invites, and review sheets.
How to run your meeting
1. Warm up
Start with icebreakers or a quick trivia round.
2. Discuss
Use the labeled discussion questions — warm-up to deep dive.
3. Play & wrap
Would You Rather, bingo, or a speed debate — then rate the book.
Frequently asked questions
Is this Tom Lake book club kit free?+
Yes. Everything on this page is free — discussion questions, games, trivia, and hosting tips. No account required.
Does this kit spoil Tom Lake?+
Yes. Discussion questions, trivia, character material, superlatives, bingo, and debates assume you know Joe directed Our Town, Lara's Achilles injury, Pallace taking the roles, Duke's death off Capri, the cemetery plot, Emily and Benny's decision about children, and the part of the story Lara never tells her daughters (the Boston visit and the pregnancy). Finish the novel first. Icebreakers are about the reader, not the plot. The book includes a pandemic, addiction and a death, a sexual encounter that reads as coercive to many readers, and an abortion — give your group a content note, and skip or pause if anyone needs to.
What's in the Premium Kit?+
The Premium Kit on Etsy is the full printable pack: discussion guide, character cards, trivia, bingo, games, hosting checklist, and review sheets — ready to print for your meeting.
How long should our Tom Lake meeting run?+
Plan 70–80 minutes. This is a quiet, talky novel: 10 minutes of icebreakers, 10 minutes of trivia, 35 minutes of discussion (the edited story, Emily's future, Joe vs Duke, the ending), 15 minutes of a speed debate or Would You Rather, then wrap-up. Use the Hosting Guide for a minute-by-minute outline.
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