Introduction

Twenty-five years ago, a group of ninth graders produced a Saturday Night Live–style videotape to cheer up their ailing friend. The show’s running time was only ninety minutes, but it had a lasting impact: Becca laughed her way through recovery, and the group?Jordana, Seth, Holly, and Lex?became her supporting cast for life.

On the silver anniversary of Becca Night Live, the friends reunite over the Fourth of July to celebrate Becca’s good health?but nothing goes as planned. The happy holiday card facades everyone’s been hiding behind quickly crumble and give way to an unforgettable three days filled with complex moral dilemmas and life-altering choices. Through humor, drama, and the alternating perspectives of five characters, The Cast explores the power of forgiveness, the importance of authenticity, and the immeasurable value of deep, enduring friendships to buoy us when life plays out differently than expected.

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Excerpt

Too wired to sleep, I crept out of bed and retreated to the living room couch. I grabbed a newspaper from the stack in the wicker basket beside the suede sofa and opened up to the “Hunt” column in the New York Times Real Estate section. Like addicts, week after week Becca and I turned excitedly to it to see how people navigated their search for the ideal home. Would a gorgeous façade reveal a total shithole? Would prospective buyers jump on a sun-flooded, “mint-condition” apartment despite the four-floor walk-up and vents that wafted in Chinese takeout from the restaurant downstairs? It didn’t make a difference whose quest was featured; it was the process of getting to the finish line that fascinated us. It was a quintessential study in human nature and decision making. Anyone could dream, but no one got it all. There was always a compromise, a perpetual give and take. And it was interesting to see where and how people drew their lines.... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

1. Many readers have a had a strong reaction to Nolan's behavior in The Cast. Would you support or reprimand him? Why? What do you feel is an appropriate reaction from Becca to his overall behavior?

2. Jordana is the ultimate friend to Becca and there is tremendous love between them. Yet, Becca chooses to confide in Holly first. Why do you think that is? How do you decide which friends to confide in?

3. Authenticity is a central theme of this book. Which characters do you feel are the most comfortable in their own skin? Which characters do you feel are still hiding behind facades?

4. Many couples find themselves having to compromise or "agree to disagree" at some point in their relationship when not seeing eye to eye on an issue. For Holly and Adam, it's religion. For Lex and her husband (and Seth), it's Lex's passionless marriage. For Becca and Nolan, it's a medical crisis. Have you and your partner ever truly been at odds over a significant issue? How did you resolve it? Are there any issues that you think should never be compromised?

5. This book touches upon the long-term impact of significant childhood experiences. Were there any formative experiences from your childhood that shaped the rest of your life?

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