Austin Chapter
Reader's Guide
January 2006
Name All the Animals
Alison Smith
Alison Smith's close-knit Catholic family is the very picture of contentment—right up until the day her 18-year-old brother is killed in a car accident. In Name All the Animals, Smith walks readers through the breakdown and breakthroughs of her family in the days and years that follow...
- What do you find symbolic about the halved, abandoned house in the prologue?
- What is the title's significance?
- How would you describe Alison and her family in the book?
- How does Roy's death affect the family ties?
- What does Alison learn from Mary Elizabeth, Susan, Terry?
- What are your thoughts about Alison's learning to drive?
- To what part of the memoir did you relate?
- Did the book change your perception(s) of anything?
The Story Circle Network is a national not-for-profit membership organization made up of women who want to explore their lives and their souls by exploring their personal stories. If you would like to learn more about the Network and its activities, please sign up for our free email newsletters!
