Book Club: This is Where I Leave You & Giveaway

Summary: The death of Judd Foxman’s father marks the first time that the entire Foxman clan has congregated in years. There is, however, one conspicuous absence: Judd’s wife, Jen, whose affair with his radio- shock-jock boss has recently become painfully public. Simultaneously mourning the demise of his father and his marriage, Judd joins his dysfunctional family as they reluctantly sit shiva-and spend seven days and nights under the same roof. The week quickly spins out of control as longstanding grudges resurface, secrets are revealed and old passions are reawakened. Then Jen delivers the clincher: she’s pregnant. This Is Where I Leave You is Jonathan Tropper’s (One Last Thing Before I Go) most accomplished work to date, and a riotously funny, emotionally raw novel about love, marriage, divorce, family, and the ties that bind-whether we like it or not. -- Plume

Remember when I received this little goodie box in the mail? 

Last night, my book club finally met to discuss THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU by Jonathan Tropper. I absolutely loved this novel (both times I read it), and I couldn't wait to share  to share it with my friends. I wasn't alone in my admiration of this book -- all of my friends loved it too!

Because THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU is near and dear to my heart, I thought I should host an event "worthy" of this book. We had an absolute crazy weekend, but I managed to throw together a pretty decent feast if I do say so myself. We had the Barefoot Contessa Old-Fashioned Apple Crisp with vanilla ice cream, pumpkin cream puffs, a variety of cheese and crackers, fresh berries, and a delicious Layered Hot Artichoke and Feta Dip. We also had mint iced tea and wine!

I had the discussion questions available just in case we needed them, but we had no problem finding things to talk about. This guide includes a great interview with the author along with ten thought-provoking questions. Some of the themes we focused on include family dynamics, parenting, love, marriage, tragedies, sibling rivalry, resentment, selfishness, and forgiveness. It was also interesting to discuss Judd's recurring dream sequences although I'm not entirely sure any of us were one hundred percent sure what they meant!

If I'm being honest, my book club tends to get off track quite a bit when we discuss our monthly books. However, our conversation for THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU was really, really good. In fact, we discussed THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU for over two hours and that's a really long time for us. We covered almost all of the topics in the discussion questions, and we managed to have a great time sharing wacky experiences with our own families. I think that's one of the reasons that this book is so perfect for book clubs -- it reminds us of our own families... and makes us feel more normal!

I planned on taking pictures of my group discussing the book or even a group photo of us holding the book, and I totally forgot! So all I have is this picture of me with the book!

Of course, we can't wait to see This is Where I Leave You in the theaters; and fortunately, we don't have to wait very long. This is Where I Leave You is in theaters September 19th -- just a few more days; and this movie is getting some terrific reviews. With a cast that includes Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Adam Driver, and Jane Fonda, there is no doubt that the acting will be a treat. Here's a little more about the movie:

The dramatic comedy “This is Where I Leave You” is directed by Shawn Levy, and based on the hilarious and poignant best-selling novel by Jonathan Tropper. It features a starring ensemble cast including Golden Globe winner Jason Bateman (“Arrested Development”); Golden Globe and Emmy Award winner Tina Fey (“30 Rock”); and two-time Oscar® winner, multiple Golden Globe honoree and 2013 Emmy Award nominee Jane Fonda (“Klute,” “Coming Home,” HBO’s “The Newsroom”). 

When their father passes away, four grown siblings, bruised and banged up by their respective adult lives, are forced to return to their childhood home and live under the same roof together for a week, along with their over-sharing mother and an assortment of spouses, exes and might-have-beens. Confronting their history and the frayed states of their relationships among the people who know and love them best, they ultimately reconnect in hysterical and emotionally affecting ways amid the chaos, humor, heartache and redemption that only families can provide—driving us insane even as they remind us of our truest, and often best, selves.

Genre: Dramatic Comedy
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
Starring: Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Adam Driver, Rose Byrne, Corey Stoll, Kathryn Hahn, Connie Britton, Timothy Olyphant, Dax Shepard and Jane Fonda
Directed By: Shawn Levy
Screenplay By: Screenplay by Jonathan Tropper, Based on the novel "This Is Where I Leave You" by Jonathan Tropper
Produced By: Paula Weinstein, Shawn Levy, Jeffrey Levine; Executive Producers Mary McLaglen, Jonathan Tropper

Official Links
Visit the official website
Like This is Where I Leave You on Facebook
Follow @wbpictures on Twitter and Instagram
#TIWILY #TIWILYbookclub

*****

Giveaway alert: I have a $25 Visa gift card for you to see the film in theaters along with a copy of the book. To enter, just fill out the form below before September 28th at 11:59 p.m. EST. I will randomly select and notify the winner the following day. This contest is open to those of you with U.S. addresses only. Good luck!


Post sponsored by Warner Brothers.