|
Website |
|
Read an interview with Tony Parsons:
Interview
|
|
Of
Note... |
|
 Discussion
Questions:
- Why did Harry have the one-night-stand?
- Is this the only reason his marriage broke up?
- Harry's self-esteem is crushed because Gina no longer thinks he's
special. Why is it so important to him to be special?
- Is Gina fair in not giving Harry another chance? Where does grace
fit into this?
- Throughout the book Harry is learning what love means. He
concludes, "love means knowing when to let go". Is this a good
definition for love?
- Harry is romantic about love; Gina is cynical. Where do you see
these two viewpoints held, often at the same time, in our current
culture? What is your own perspective?
- Harry's father fought in the war. Today's wars are in the divorce
courts. Does today's generation 'need' a war to find identity and to
grow up?
|
|
Current Selection
- July 2002
Man and Boy
$12.00
From the online
Belief, Culture and Learning
Information Gateway
The man is Harry
Silver, almost 30, a TV producer and happily married to Gina. Happily
married, that is, until Harry reaches 30, buys a red MG, has a one-night
stand with a colleague and Gina leaves him and goes to Japan. The boy, their
Star Wars obsessed 4-year-old son Pat, is left with Harry in charge. Harry
and Pat's lives are completely turned around as they face the daily
challenges of eating and keeping clean. Harry surprises himself as he grows
into the role of responsible parent. He meets another single parent, Cyd,
and they try to work out what shape modern families should take. Gina
returns with her new partner and they begin legal proceedings for custody of
Pat. Harry has to work out that love means 'learning when to let go'.
The relationship between Harry and his dad is an equally important
father-son relationship, and the book explores how Harry's view of his
father changes with his own experience of fatherhood, as well as with the
shadow of terminal illness that looms over the family.
|