The Friday Afternoon Club: A Family Memoir

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The Friday Afternoon Club is subtitled “A Family Memoir.” What, if anything, did you already know about the Dunne family before reading this book? What new insights did it give you about the Dunnes, and did it alter your opinion about any of its members?

2. The first part of the book details the author’s early experiences and growing up among the Hollywood and Manhattan elite; the second part deals with the more tragic and gruesome experience of his sister’s murder. How did you feel about the range of subject matter covered over the course of the book? Did it feel jarring, or did the anecdotes and themes blend together well?

3. The celebrity memoir is a subgenre that has found renewed popularity in recent years. Have you read any others, especially those offering a glimpse into Hollywood? How does this book compare to others in this category, in your estimation? What distinguishes it from them?