Book Club for Introverts discussion

Let's discuss! Please try to keep your comments related to the listed chapters to avoid spoiling it for others.

Just started the book tonight. It’s so sad. My heart aches for people who are lonely and don’t fit in. The fact that he created a fictitious family underscores how awkward his life is. I can only hope that things evolve into something more positive.

How depressing... i had a few chuckles but overall just sad that he is all alone.

I just got the book yesterday and read the first four chapters tonight. I’m enjoying it so much so far that I’m going to keep on going!

So far I’ve enjoyed the style of writing and the humour is great, too. I grew up in the UK and can kind of identify with the situation. I have a couple of friends from school who are a bit like Andrew. I’m not in touch with them much now, because we live so far apart. I visited one of them last year when I was ‘home’ for my dad’s funeral. He seemed happy enough, but we never really talked about it.

Anyway, sorry, I digress. What struck me the most was the job that Andrew has. I wonder if he ever sees, or thinks about, what seems to be the irony of it all. He almost has the potential of ending up dying alone, just like those he deals with in his job. He has his sister, but they don’t seem that close. Maybe it’s too depressing for him to think about.

I’m looking forward to reading on and also reading what others have thought so far.

I got a laugh at how his family came to be and how he “loses track sometimes”.

I am sad about how lonely he seems to be and hope things start to turn for him.

Gadzhi wrote: "Just finished first four chapters and the sad thing about Andrew is that he suffers because of his lifestyle... but I also found some connections to how my life looks, I have a family and I’m obvio..."

Not weird at all. I think that because most in this group are introverts, we can identify with spending time alone and being ok with it... I personally NEED that time. I do wonder if Andrew is alone by choice or if life drove him to this point.

And no worries about the personal observations. That's one of the joys of reading for me!

I feel sorry for Andrew! I'm wondering how his "family" will end up playing out throughout the book. The fact that he felt the need to keep that going is really sad. i agree that as introverts, we can empathize with his underlying feelings.

Im really enjoying the book so far even if I do feel bad that his family is made up. It did get a few laughs from me when I found out how his family came to be.

This was just the type of beginning to hook me. Not sure what that says about me, but the descriptions of his loneliness, his rather unique career, and his "oops I invented a family and I'm going to go with it" blunder totally got me right in the feels. It's at that intersection of grief, human longing, solitude, and humor that I really enjoy reading, especially when it's this well written.