My Shorts Readers Guide

I’d be honored if your book club wants to get into My Shorts, as odd as that may sound. By choosing my collection of personal essays, you get access to my childhood full of family, love, pain, and laughter.

I am eager to interact with book clubs everywhere on a deeper level and am happy to arrange phone calls, Skype audio/video conferences, or even personal appearances if your group meets in the Denver vicinity. Please contact me to make arrangements: blynkpress@gmail.com.

The discussion prompts below may enhance your group’s conversation about My Shorts.

GROUP DISCUSSION PROMPTS

• Which story in My Shorts had the greatest impact on you and why?

• Many of Brian’s stories juxtapose humor and poignancy. How did that style impact you as a reader?

• What similarities and differences to your own upbringing do you find in My Shorts?

• Discuss Brian’s relationships with each of his family members. How do you think those relationships might have impacted him as an adult?

• Brian writes about struggles with acceptance and rejection. How do you see those themes manifested in My Shorts?

• What aspects of the 1960s scenes and references throughout My Shorts did you connect with?

• Brian uses humor as a storytelling technique in My Shorts. For what purposes is humor used and to what avail?

• Brian referred to his older brother as his hero. How did that relationship evolve across the book?

• My Shorts shares Brian’s vulnerability in revealing long-hidden truths and emotions. What lessons for readers might there be in this?

• Were there any moments in the book that made you particularly uncomfortable? What were they, and why did you feel that way?

• If there were to be a sequel to My Shorts, what would you like to hear more about?