Introduction

A New York Times Bestseller

“This may be Towles’ best book yet. Each tale is as satisfying as a master chef’s main course, filled with drama, wit, erudition and, most of all, heart.” —Los Angeles Times

“The book spans the 20th century, bringing characters into tableaus of deceit and desire. Beneath his coifed prose Towles is a master of the shiv, the bait and switch; we see the flash of light before the shock wave strikes, often in the final sentence. . . . Table for Two delivers the kick of a martini served in the Polo Lounge.” – The New York Times Book Review

Millions of Amor Towles fans are in for a treat as he shares some of his shorter fiction: six stories based in New York City and a novella set in Golden Age Hollywood.

The New York stories, most of which take place around the year 2000, consider the fateful consequences that can spring from brief encounters and the delicate mechanics of compromise that operate at the heart of modern marriages. Told from seven points of view, “Eve in Hollywood” describes how one of Towles’s most beloved characters, the indomitable Evelyn Ross from Rules of Civility, crafts a new future for herself—and others—in a noirish tale that takes us through the movie sets, bungalows, and dive bars of 1930s Los Angeles.

Written with his signature wit, humor, and sophistication, Table for Two is another glittering addition to Towles’s canon of stylish and transporting fiction.

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Discussion Questions

From the publisher - added by Pauline

1. Towles has said that the title of the story collection came about because “it occurred to me that in most of the pieces, a critical moment involved a pair of family members or strangers facing each other across a kitchen table to confront some new reality in their lives. …It must have sprung from a conviction in my subconscious that our lives can often change materially due to a single conversation at a table for two.” In what ways did you see the characters' lives change after a conversation? Have you ever had a life-changing conversation?

2. The stories in this collection are set in Russia, New York City and LA, and span the 1920s to the golden age of Hollywood in the late 1930s to the turn of the millenium. Which was your favorite setting and why? What details that Towles included stood out to you?

3. Several of the short stories have surprise endings. Which caught you most off guard?

4. “Eve in Hollywood” contains many elements of noir. Did you enjoy the mystery element of this novella? Who did you originally suspect?

5. Have you read “Rules of Civility,” Towles’ earlier novel that introduces the character Evelyn Ross? If so, were you surprised at what happened to Eve in “Eve in Hollywood?” Where had you thought the character would end up? If you haven’t read “Rules of Civility,” did you think the story stood sufficiently on its own?

6. Do you typically enjoy novels or short stories more? If you’ve read any of Towles’ previous full length novels, how did these stories compare?

7. Did you notice any threads that united the stories in “Table for Two”? How did different stories explore themes of family, friendship, trust, ambition, or the consequences of our choices?

8. Did you have a favorite story in the collection? Which one and why?

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