Reading Group Guide
1. On page 25 De Paauw states, “And it’s the woman’s job to nurture.” Explore the irony of a man with such traditional notions of gender, and who is also a misogynist, being involved in the making of the contraceptive pill, which is usually considered a cornerstone of women’s reproductive rights. Are there any other instances of irony in the novel?
2. What do you make of De Paauw’s relentless use of clichés (see “kicked the bucket’’ p 81; “let our hair down” p 98; “that’s the way the cookie crumbles” p 243), considering his pioneering role in the world of business?
3. On page 178 De Paauw says, “I did not recognize myself in Rivka’s description of me.” How does he see himself? How do each of the other principal characters in the novel see him?
4. Do you think De Paauw is a reliable narrator? Explore how his megalomania manifests itself throughout his story, how he justifies his actions, and how that shapes the narrative.
5. Why does De Paauw always refer to Hitler in derogatory terms but never use his actual name? Why do you think he returns again and again to his lack of education? (See page 251, “Not bad for a kid who never finished high school.”)
6. De Paauw often mentions feeling guilt. Does he ever try to assuage his guilt? Compare his reaction toward guilt with Aaron’s reaction. Does Rafael Levine’s description of his experiences during the war (see pages 237–244) complicate how the novel presents guilt? If so, how?
7. Is De Paauw’s description of Rivka, Rosie, and Bertha as “the three Furies, those harpies” (p 286) a display of his misogyny or his guilt?
8. Compare the relationship between Rafael Levine and De Paauw with the relationship between science and capitalist endeavor, as it is presented in the novel.
