The Family Man

By Elinor Lipman
(Thorndike Press, Hardcover, Large Print, 9781410419194, 443pp.)

Publication Date: September 2009

Other Editions of This Title: Paperback, Hardcover

Categories: Gay, Humorous, Literary

Selected by Indie Booksellers for the Summer '10 Reading Group List

“Elinor Lipman's latest comedy of manners, while a quintessential New York story, translates into any reader's experience. An estranged father meets his adult daughter who's seeking her place in the world, but the controlling mother...and the boyfriend...and...well, it's classic Elinor Lipman! A much-needed, laugh-out-loud, but discussable book club pick!”

-- Cheryl McKeon, Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park, WA

Selected by Indie Booksellers for the June 2009 Indie Notables

“The Family Man is a charming, funny tale of a gay father reconnecting with his hapless ex-wife and aspiring actress stepdaughter. Witty and urbane, Lipman's latest showcases endearing characters and a storyline that satirizes our fascination with celebrity while it reassures us of the endurance of love and good intentions.”

-- Linda Bubon, Women & Children First, Chicago, IL

Description

A hysterical phone call from his ex-wife and a familiar face in a photograph upend Henry Archer's well-ordered life to bring him back into contact with the child he adored, a stepdaughter from a misbegotten marriage long ago 320 pp.

Conversation Starters from ReadingGroupChoices.com

Consider the novel’s title. What does it take to be a good family man? Is DNA irrelevant in parenting? What makes Henry and Thalia an ideal father-daughter team?

If you were a judge evaluating Denise and Glenn’s pre-nup (before the revelations at the end of the book), would you rule in her favor? Would the Polaroids have helped?
What was the basis of Henry’s friendship with Celeste? What made Henry more comfortable with her than with anyone else?
If you had been Todd, would you have come out to Lillian sooner? Were you surprised to discover how progressive she was? Why was she worried that Todd would not be able find anyone to love him?
What does Thalia’s faux relationship with Leif say about the public’s expectations of what a typical celebrity love affair should be? Do fans prefer celebrities who have volatile private lives?
How would The Family Man unfold if it were told from Dr. Abrams’s point of view? What would her assessment of Henry’s state of mind (and the sanity of those around him) be?
What draws Denise and Eddie together? How is he different from Glenn? What aspects of her personality are reflected in her various men?
Were you surprised to discover the truth about the carton factory, or were you suspicious from the beginning? How did the revelations affect your opinion of Glenn Senior?
Why is Denise so cranky, even when she isn’t living under the cloud of looming financial loss? Who are the Denises in your life? What does it take to cheer them up?
Why is it so appropriate that some of the characters in this novel are immersed in the film industry? Which characters do the most “acting,” even if they are not aspiring to become professional actors?
What enables Henry to remain ethical as an attorney? Are attorneys the villains or the heroes in this novel?
What is Philip’s role in Thalia’s life? As her friendship with him evolves throughout the novel, how does it reflect her own transformation?
What is it like for Glenn Junior to live in his father’s shadow? How does his impression of his father change as he becomes embroiled in feuds over the estate? Has your family ever been embroiled in a similar feud? What alliances were broken and forged as a result?
Thalia is a born publicist and actress and will clearly succeed in those endeavors. Will these skills help her be a good mother too? How will her parenting style be affected by her childhood memories?
From a workaholic surgical intern The Pursuit of Alice Thrift to a Latin teacher reunited with her birth mother Then She Found Me, now a motion picture), Elinor Lipman’s characters explore love in its many forms. What truths about relationships are woven throughout The Family Man and previous Lipman works that you have read? What makes her wit unique?

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