This Is Happiness

1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• How did you feel about the retrospective, reflective tone of the novel?
• Was the Irish setting evocative and transportive? How did the author use sensory memories to make the fictional town of Faha come alive?
• Did you relate to Noe and his nonlinear, nostalgic wanderings through his memories? What struggles did you encounter engaging with the story?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• How does the novel highlight the interconnectedness of love, memory, and community? Do any of the residents of Faha remind you of people you cherish?
• Can you identify with Noe’s experience of witnessing a revolutionary change? Has there been a time in your life when you witnessed something historic?
• How is faith, particularly its loss, addressed in the story? What has been your experience with spirituality?
• Reflect on the novel’s title and emphasis on savoring the small moments in life. How do you define happiness?

3. Societal and Cultural Context

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

• How does the author depict the challenges of welcoming modernization while maintaining small-town life? How is change both celebrated and mourned by the villagers?
• What methods does the author employ to situate the story distinctly 1950s Irish culture, specifically in its limited post-war economic opportunities and predominance of Catholicism? 
• How does the story depict the strengths and limitations of Irish society through culture, geography, and climate? In what ways do some of these struggles persist into the present?

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