by Louis Begley
For what reasons did Schmidt as an undergraduate try to cheat the shop girl in Cambridge? Why does he now remember that story, and the one about Laverna Daly, whom he recruited and bedded as a young partner? How do these recollections inform his view of his son-in-law’s behavior?
Do you think Mansour has encouraged Carrie and Jason’s relationship? If so, how do you explain his motivations?
How does Schmidt react to Charlotte’s reconciliation with Jon? How does he react to Jason and Carrie’s coming together? What can we learn by comparing his reactions to these two developments? Where do they leave Schmidt?
In the last few chapters, what change occurs in the way Schmidt views Carrie? And what corresponding change do you detect in his view of himself? How would you describe the transformation his life undergoes?
What was your reaction to Schmidt’s final meeting with Charlotte in the novel? How much has been resolved between them? In what ways have this father and daughter each found substitutes for the other?
In the conversation with Louis Begley preceding these questions, the author suggests the title may be understood in at least three ways and leaves it to the reader to decide. In what sense do you understand Schmidt to be delivered?
How do you imagine the life ahead of Schmidt?
A Ballantine Book
Published by The Ballantine Publishing Group
Copyright © 2000 by Louis Begley
Reader’s Guide © 2001 by Louis Begley and The Ballantine Publishing Group, a
division of Random House, Inc.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright
Conventions. Published in the United States by The Ballantine Publishing
Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York, and distributed in
Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto.
Ballantine is a registered trademark and the Ballantine colophon
is a trademark of Random House, Inc.
Ballantine Reader’s Circle and colophon are trademarks of Random House, Inc.
www.ballantinebooks.com
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2001118324
eISBN: 978-0-307-75773-9
v3.0
