The Authenticity Project

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The Authenticity Project begins with Julian leaving a notebook for strangers to write their truths in, yet the novel later reveals that his own entry contains a significant lie. What effect did this revelation about Julian’s dishonesty have on your interpretation of the book’s message about authenticity?

2. Strangers unexpectedly connecting through shared objects—and making connections that transform their lives—is a concept that other novels, like Fredrik Backman’s A Man Called Ove, also explore. How does Pooley’s execution of this narrative device compare to similar books you’ve read?

3. What feelings did the cyclical ending, when Dave finds the notebook after Julian’s death, evoke for you?

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

1. Have you ever felt pressured to meet life milestones on a predetermined timeline like Monica does with marriage and motherhood?

2. Hazard uses substances to numb his emotions, while Alice creates a perfect-looking life on Instagram to hide her unhappiness. What coping mechanisms or distractions do you use when facing difficult emotions?

3. Julian notes that everyone has their own way of escaping the world: Alice hides in social media, Monica cleans compulsively, Hazard self-medicates, and Julian becomes a hermit. Which character’s method of escape resonates with your own tendencies?

4. What aspects of yourself do you find most difficult to share authentically with others?

5. Have you experienced a situation where someone seemed perfect on paper but didn’t feel right in reality, similar to Monica’s relationship with Riley?

6. What unexpected encounters or serendipitous connections have shaped your life in meaningful ways?

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

1. How has social media changed the way we present ourselves and perceive others in contemporary society?

2. Many characters in the book struggle with loneliness despite living in London, a densely populated city. What does this suggest about urban isolation, and how might this reflect broader societal trends?

3. Monica, Alice, and Mary each navigate different societal expectations regarding marriage, motherhood, and career. In what ways do these characters’ experiences reflect or challenge contemporary views on women’s roles?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. The novel is told through 75 short chapters from different characters’ perspectives in close third person. What effect does this narrative structure have on your understanding of and connection to the characters?

2. What purpose does Monica’s Café serve beyond being a physical setting in the novel?

3. What does the green notebook symbolize in the novel, and how does its meaning evolve throughout the story?

4. Julian’s character contains several contradictions: He initiates The Authenticity Project, yet the novel reveals that he’s dishonest; he’s creative but manipulative; and he inspires others yet fails to follow his own advice. What purpose do these contradictions serve in developing the novel’s themes?

5. Examine the novel’s exploration of being “seen” by others. What do characters gain or lose through becoming more visible to others?

6. What might the author be suggesting about authentic connection through the contrasting romantic relationships he portrays in the novel?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you were to write your own entry in The Authenticity Project notebook, what truth would you share?

2. Imagine that Dave finds the notebook after Julian’s death, as the Epilogue suggests. Write a short entry from Dave’s perspective, and consider how his story might connect to those of the previous characters who made entries.

3. If you could add an additional character to the novel, what kind of person would you introduce? How might they challenge or complement the existing group of friends that forms around the notebook?

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