Introduction

Near a white-sand beach on Cape Cod stands the beautiful home that Grace and Bainbridge Alcott have owned for decades--a time during which Grace has deferred her own opinions and dreams to try to be the perfect mother and the perfect "Mrs. Alcott." But with her husband’s premature retirement and their fortune dwindling, Bain’s solitary decision to put the house up for sale threatens to destroy the fabric of Grace’s life. Now, as she silently battles a terrible illness, Grace must find the courage to confront her husband and family, come to terms with the choices she has made, and salvage what she holds dear.

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Excerpt

BEING MRS. ALCOTT

Prologue: The Present
“Undergarments are like seasonal slipcovers; they need to be replaced every six months.” Her mother, the late Eleanor Montgomery, had issued this directive so many times over the years that it had become a mantra. And Grace remembered it perfectly now. “God forbid an accident befalls you and someone you don’t know should discover you or attempt a rescue.” She’d even received the instruction on her wedding day over three decades before, as she’d been arranging the thin diamond tiara amid her golden curls. That time her mother had leaned forward so that her own handsome face shared the mirror with her daughter’s, opened her chestnut eyes wider than usual, and whispered, “Imagine if there were a stain!” ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

1. A recurring question in Being Mrs. Alcott is whether life unfolds as a result of accidents or choices. How do you think Grace ultimately interprets her own life?

2. There are three marriages featured in the novel: Grace and Bain, Prissy and Kody, and Erin and Marley. Are there any similarities? What does each reveal about the nature of commitment?

3. Few parents would ever admit that they are disappointed in their children. Do you find Grace’s criticisms of her sons realistic? If there is blame to place, do you think Grace, Bain, Hank or Erin is at fault for the family’s inability to communicate?

4. Inheritance in various forms is a complex part of the narrative. Grace ponders genetics and the age-old debate between nature and nurture, wondering what, if anything, her sons have inherited from her. Inherited wealth – or the lack thereof - shapes the relationship between Hank and his parents. What do you think the story reveals about what can and cannot be passed between generations? How do Grace, Bain, Ferris, Erin, and Hank reflect attitudes toward inherited traits or inherited wealth?

5. Eleanor Montgomery stoicism is a point of contention between Ferris and Grace, and yet both siblings keep their personal pain secret in much the same way. Is this Eleanor’s legacy? Is it the same one that Grace passes on to her own children?

6. Prissy’s background differs substantially from the other major characters, and yet part of her appeal is that she’s different. What is her role in the novel? What does she reveal about Grace? Do you find her ultimately sympathetic?

7. How is “clamming” used as a metaphor?

8. The Cape Cod landscape is more than just the setting for this novel. How does it contribute to the feel/tone of the book? How does it illuminate the characters?

9. What is the author saying about the nostalgia of a “family home”? Is it the product of the imagination? Can memories be separate from the place in which they occurred? How do Grace, Bain, and Erin treat their memories – as sores or as solace?

10. Erin, even as an adult and father of his own children, is still heavily dependent upon his parents for financial and emotional support. Is there a time when children ever outgrow the need for a parent? Is Bain’s anger justified or cruel?

11. Grace has deferred to Bain on many critical decisions throughout their life together, and yet she comes to recognize Bain’s tremendous dependence upon her. How do you interpret the last line?

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