Introduction

The Truth is a Theory is the story of a friendship of four women, a no-holds-barred camaraderie that ferries them through the adventure of dates and deadlines, husbands and babies, and cradles them through the heartbreak of date-rape, infidelity, and alcoholism. As each of the women grapple with what life has thrown at them, they wrestle with the question: if you ever find the truth, does it heal you or destroy you?

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Excerpt

Chapter 1

Saturday morning
She had to watch. She tried to anchor herself in the kitchen, to hot coffee and the beginnings of a list—mac & cheese, milk—but as the storm door banged shut on her marriage, she dropped the pen and rushed to the glass, to Dana’s broad-shouldered march towards the car. ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

1. Which of the characters did you most relate to? Why?
2. Some readers love Gavin, some hate him. How did you feel about him and why?
3. How did you feel during the date rape scene? What did you think of the way the author portrayed that scene?
4. Readers have been highlighting different quotes that have resonated with them. Do you have a favorite quote? What is it about this quote that speaks to you?
5. At the beginning of the novel, we see Allie’s anxiety and difficulty with stillness and in the end, we see her finally being able to be still. How did you understand her restlessness? How is it that she is finally able to feel more peace within herself?
6. Do you think there is any reason the novel ends just before September 11, 2001?
7. One main theme of the book is that the truth is subjective, a theory that we each create and experience. Do you agree? Did your thoughts about this shift over the course of the novel? Do you see this playing out in your own life?
8. Another theme of the book is about the messages we receive, the internal narratives we have, and the modeling we get from our mothers and how that shapes our own lives. What do you think about this? How does this play out in your own life? Is there a message you carry around that was given to you (consciously or not) by your mother? How has that shaped who you are?
9. Another theme of the book is that we can go through life believing one thing about our histories or about an important person in our lives, or even about ourselves, and find out later that something else is true. Does this resonate with you around something in your own life?
10. We see some of the characters cheat on each other in their significant relationships. How do you feel about infidelity? Do you think it is something that can be forgiven?
11. Over time, we see Allie and Dana showing each other one side of themselves, and increasingly, hiding their more vulnerable side. Have you experienced this in any of your relationships? What are the reasons for doing this, and what do you see as the cost?
12. Is there something in particular from the book--a theme, a character, an idea-- that will stay with you?

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