An Absolutely Remarkable Thing (Green) - Discussion Questions

Discussion Questions
1. Upon seeing Carl for the first time, April says, "And here I am, hardened by big-city life and mentally drained by hours of pixel pushing, not even giving something so magnificent a second glance." Have you ever found yourself in a situation where being jaded prevented you from noticing or acknowledging something special?
 
2. What do you think we can all do to stay more present in these moments?What do you think it is about New York City that bars its denizens from noticing something strange, like Carl? And what does it say about April  that she was the only one to stop and notice?

3. Andy remains a constant in April May’s life, while Maya, Miranda, her parents, her agent and assistant, and many others float in and out of it throughout the book. Do you see Andy as a good friend or an enabler? What effect does he have on April’s actions?

4. Are there people in media and entertainment that April May reminds you of? How are their journeys similar to or different from April May’s journey? How do they handle stardom and how might April May have learned from their experiences, good or bad?

5. Though Robin suggests that April stay in a stable relationship as she navigates her burgeoning fame, why do you think April ends her relationship with Maya? What are the motivating factors there?

6. When pondering what Carl is, Miranda brings up Occam’s razor. What do you think of the notion of Occam’s razor—that the simplest solution tends to be the correct one? Recall a time where Occam’s razor made sense in your life.

7. What is the significance of the Sherman photography that April stops to examine, and how does it equate to the power that the owner of the photograph, the talent agent Jennifer Putnam, wields?

8. What are the different ideologies of the Dreamers and the Defenders? Can you find any real-world implications of each group’s beliefs and actions?

9. Throughout An Absolutely Remarkable Thing we see the impact that social media has on April’s life and the lives of the people who love her. Is social media a big part of your life? How do you represent yourself online? Have you made any specific personal choices with regard to social media?

10 Of all the issues Hank Green explores—the price of fame, the struggle to connect with our fellow humans, the hope (and perhaps fear) of life beyond our earth—what do you think An Absolutely Remarkable Thing is ultimately about?
(Questions issued by the publisher.)

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