Scott mcclanahan books

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Book Club and Reader Guide: Questions and Topics for Discussion
1. Is there value in treating chapters 1-3 as periphery material to the rest of the book? If so, why?

2. How is the character of Ruby established and developed in chapters 2 and 3?

3. Does the direct statement of the theme, “Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick,” help or hinder the development of the narrative. What do you think McClanahan is trying to say about the passage of time? What are some other themes explored in the work?

4. What effect do the chapter transitions and titles have on the progression of the novel?

5. In what ways does Crapalachia explore the idea of entrapment? Explain.

6. How does Crapalachia work as a biography of place versus an artistic memoir of Scott McClanahan’s life?

7. What is the significance of repetition in the novel? For example, Bill’s constant retelling of the story of the Greenbrier Ghost.

8. Is Scott a trustworthy narrator? Why or why not? How does the Appendix and Notes section support or undermine the narrator?

9. Uncle Nathan’s Cerebral Palsy makes it difficult to speak, however Scott gives him a fair amount of dialogue. What does the role of family play in the creation of this speech and to what degree do you believe narrator Scott used his imagination in order to give words to this man?

10. Examine the role of family within the text. How does it function in the setting of Crapalachia? Do you think families are just a thing someone is born into, or can they be created?

CREDITS (The New Classics Edition):
Cover design: Eric Obenauf.
Cover photos: Pigeon/Dove: State Archives of North Carolina Raleigh. Motorcycle couple: The U.S. National Archives.
Author photograph: Courtesy of the author.

FORMAT: The New Classics Edition ("Horizon" cover)
The New Classics edition features an original introduction by Nico Walker.
LIST PRICE: $17.95
PAGES: 184
PRINT ISBN: 9781953387479
DIGITAL ISBN: 978-1-937512-12-5
RELEASE DATE: 10/15/2024
SIZE: 5.5" x 7.5"

FORMAT: Original Paperback Edition (painting cover; sold out)
LIST PRICE: $16.00
PAGES: 172
PRINT ISBN: 9781937512033
DIGITAL ISBN: 978-1-937512-12-5
RELEASE DATE: 3/1/2013
SIZE: 5.5" x 7.5"

AUDIO BOOK: Recorded Books, narrated by Scott Sowers. Listen to a preview on the website of Recorded Books.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE:
FRENCH: Editions Cambourakis.
GERMAN: ars vivendi verlag.
ITALIAN: Pidgin Edizioni.
PORTUGUESE: Cutelo Edições.
SPANISH: Fulgencio Pimentel.