Reading Groups

SUGGESTIONS FOR ENGAGING THE BOOK

Reading The Not So Big Life as a group requires a different process than you might be used to.  We have compiled some suggestions based on reader feedback.  Here's some thoughts they've shared with us:

"Rather than examining fictional characters in imagined circumstances, our book club took a month to examine ourselves and our lives...The Not So Big Life offers something for everyone from the most pragmatic book club member to the most idealistic member...We recommend reading the book in its entirety and selecting one exercise to complete and share with your book club. Then continue with the other exercises in order at your own pace. It will be a wonderful and rewarding journey."

"If a book for introspection or 'self help' is destined to be on the book club calendar, then The Not So Big Life is the book to choose. It can turn the self help skeptic enough degrees to open the mind and it keeps the self help connoisseur wide eyed. There is enough breadth and depth for everyone and, at the very least, lends itself to lively discussion."

"Choosing The Not So Big Life for our book club was a diversion from the genre we typically read. The discussion that this book generated was rich beyond measure. The people in our club that would typically not choose to read this book were the very ones who spoke volumes. The book opened up a series of topics that will be referred to for many years. This is one book to be used as a reference and written in!"

FORMAT

Although it is possible to read The Not So Big Life quickly, most people find that they need more time to allow for processing and fully engaging the exercises.  We suggest that your group read the first 3 chapters, and then discuss how you would like to approach the book. Some possibilities are:

1. Assign the book several months in advance of a discussion date, asking members to begin reading and taking notes.  Readers will then have as much time as they need, and not feel hurried to finish before they are ready.
2. Consider doing a chapter from the book per month, devoting the entire first meeting to general overall discussion, and 15–20 minutes of subsequent meetings to each chapter after that.

CONSIDERATIONS

This book is very personal, and generates discussion less about the content of the book or writing style of the author, and more about the reader’s process in engaging it.

1. Some people may be uncomfortable with personal discussion in a group setting, or you may find some who are skeptics of the “self-help” genre.  However, this discomfort and skepticism can act as a wonderful catalyst.  Encourage people to talk as openly as possible.
2. Keep the discussion to an open-ended inquiry.  Although it can be difficult to reside in ambiguity, you will find that holding the question without striving for an answer brings the discussion to a new level.

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1. What chapter or section from the book stood out for you, and why?
2. What Exercise or Your Turn stood out for you?  What did you experience in engaging it?
3. Did you have an “aha” while reading the book?  Explain.  What is an “aha”?
4. What exercise(s) or principle(s) from The Not So Big Life were you already practicing in your life before reading the book?
5. How did the book help you understand on a new level something you already knew?
6. Which exercise(s) or principle(s) did you find most difficult?  How did you work with this difficulty?
7. Did the book catalyze any changes in your life, or give motivation for change?  If so, explain.
8. If you could take one tool from the book and give/teach it to others, what would it be?  Why?
9. How do you typically handle stress?  How has that changed since reading the book?
10. What impact, if any, has the book had on your relationships?
11. If you were to re-read the book, or make a recommendation to a friend, how would you approach it?

YEAR-END RITUAL

When you read the book, you’ll learn that one of the most important tools for growth is something Sarah calls the Year-End Ritual.  Consider doing this exercise together at the end of each year.  It’s a way for your group to continue to reap the benefits of approaching life in a Not So Big way for the long haul. For information, see our Chapter 11- Year End Ritual Resources.

To download a full .pdf copy of these Suggestions, see Group Suggestions. If you'd like a separate .pdf copy of the Questions only, see Group Questions.

We look forward to hearing about your group's experiences. Please let us know if you have ideas that others might benefit from. Use the Contact function below for e-mail if we can assist, or engage the Community Forums. Enjoy!