This Is Happiness

The weather seems to hold a symbolic place in the story. What does it symbolize and how did that add to the story?

What did you think of Noe’s views on love as a young man? Do you think that this view is colored by the fact that this book is told from his point-of-view as an older man who has lived nearly eight decades and has made many mistakes during his lifetime?

The title of the book is This is Happiness. Why do you think the author choose that title, and in the context of the story what does the title mean?

Since 2014, Williams has begun writing novels set in a fictional village in the west of Ireland called Faha. How well does the author create a sense of place? How important is the setting to this story? Give an example.

“I may be wrong here, but in my thinking hardships had been part of history for so long it had become a condition of life. There was no expectation things could be otherwise. You got on with it, and through faith, family, and character accommodated as best you could whatever suffering and misfortune was yours.” (84) Discuss this quote. Do you agree or disagree? THIS IS HAPPINESS DISCUSSION GUIDE Book Club Collection (630) 232-0780 x366 bookclub@gpld.org 2

This is Happiness is a work of fiction that is written like a memoir. Discuss the author’s choice to write in this style.

What does the loss of faith mean? How is faith addressed in the book and what role did it play?

The character of Christy is someone who, “carried with him the prodigious mythology of himself” (82). What is the role that Christy plays in the story, and what does his character bring to the narrative?

What do you think will be your lasting impression of the book?

Is the ending satisfying? If so, why? If not, why not...and how would you change it