It Was an Ugly Couch Anyway

After Elizabeth Passarella and her husband finally decided that it was time to sell their two-bedroom apartment in Manhattan, she found herself wondering, Is there a proper technique for skinning a couch? The couch in question was a beloved hand-me-down from her father--who had recently passed away--and she was surprisingly reluctant to let the nine-foot, plaid, velour-covered piece of furniture go. So, out came the scissors. She kept the fabric and tossed the couch.

We've all had to make decisions in our lives about what to keep and what to toss--habits, attitudes, friends, even homes. In this new collection of essays, Elizabeth explores the ups and downs of moving forward--both emotionally and logistically--with her welcome candor and sense of humor that readers have come to love. She enters into a remarkable (and strange) relationship with an elderly neighbor whose apartment she hopes to buy, examines her own stubborn stances on motherhood and therapy, and tries to come to terms with a family health crisis that brings more questions than answers. Along the way Elizabeth reminds readers that when they feel stuck or their load feels heavy, there is always light breaking in somewhere.

It Was an Ugly Couch Anyway will make readers laugh, cry, and feel a little less alone as they navigate their own lives that are filled with uncertainty, change, and things beyond their control.

This discussion guide was shared and sponsored in partnership with Nelson Books.

Book club questions for It Was an Ugly Couch Anyway by Elizabeth Passarella

Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.

What prompted you to read this book?

When have you struggled with a big change in your life?

What is something that reminds you of a loved one who has passed? In what ways does it remind you of that person?

In what ways did your community or neighborhood celebrate the lifting of the pandemic restrictions?

Why do you think the author’s father never explained to her how the accident had happened?

Why do you think the modern culture is obsessed with appearances and avoiding aging?

In what ways are you proud of your body and what it is capable of?

What do you think the author meant when she wrote, “We are not rewarded for our emotional maturity or patience with material goods”? Do you agree or disagree, and why?

How did you feel about your community during the pandemic? Are you proud of how it handled the challenge? Why or why not?

Was the author’s physical description of Lois what you expected after reading the previous chapters? Why or why not?

It Was an Ugly Couch Anyway Book Club Questions PDF

Click here for a printable PDF of the It Was an Ugly Couch Anyway discussion questions

“Elizabeth’s wit and writing style are as pure as they are delightful. Readers can expect to feel as if they’re on a rainy-day cafe date with a best friend and will enjoy this honest, funny, and candid trip through stories of a life lived one unpredictable but silver-lined day at a time.” —Bunmi Laditan, author of The Honest Toddler, Dear God, and Help Me, God, I’m a Parent

“It Was an Ugly Couch Anyway is a delight—wise, funny, beautifully written. I devoured it in a day. And cried a little, for a couch I never sat on. I loved this book.” —Julia Claiborne Johnson, author of Be Frank with Me and Better Luck Next Time

“I love reading anything Elizabeth writes because, well, she’s hilarious, and I really admire that in a person. But there’s another aspect of Elizabeth’s writing that’s on fine display in It Was An Ugly Couch Anyway: a grounded, sincere tenderness that anchors every bit of her humor. Whether she’s writing about marriage, health, faith, work, or a complicated real estate transaction (I don’t mean to be dramatic, but I experienced secondary stress), Elizabeth opens the door to her very real life and rolls out the proverbial welcome mat as she shares her stories. The end result is a book with so much heart that it’s going to feel like home to the people who are lucky enough to read it. What an absolute gift.” —Sophie Hudson, bestselling author and co-host of The Big Boo Cast

“It’s rare to find a book that’s illuminating and very funny, but this essay collection is both. Crack it open for a deep dive into the insanity of Manhattan real estate, and stay for Elizabeth’s clear-eyed and deeply humane insight into modern life in all of its complexities.” —Shannon Reed, author of Why Did I Get a B?

“A buffet of honesty, humor, and quirkiness that borders on chaos, Elizabeth Passarella’s writing gives us permission to cherish the strange experiences and honest mistakes that make us human. This book is a heckuva ride and I devoured every word.” —Shannan Martin, author of Start with Hello and The Ministry of Ordinary Places

“Elizabeth Passarella’s collection of essays is a delightful mix of contradictions, like the author herself: a devout Christian with an unholy real estate obsession; a devoted mother who can’t wait for her alone time; a journalist who walked away from a job at a big-time media company; a native Southerner who has wholeheartedly adopted the most liberal corner of New York City as her own. But above all, Passarella’s memoir is about a woman’s fierce determination to find a home for her family (and at a good price too), without losing her humanity, in the building she loves. As her neighbor, I was rooting for her all the way.” —Paula Derrow, editor of Behind the Bedroom Door