What in the World?!: A Southern Woman's Guide to Laughing at Life's Unexpected Curveballs and Beautiful Blessings

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Did you enjoy Morgan’s humor? Why, or why not? How did it add to or detract from your reading experience?

2. What was your biggest takeaway from Morgan’s memoir?

3. Have you seen any of Morgan’s comedy specials? How does What in the World?! compare or relate to her stand-up?

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

1. In What in the World?!, Morgan shows how she has used humor and laughter to get through hard times. Have you ever used humor in a similar way?

2. Morgan talks a lot about timing and the blessing of unanswered prayers. Is there a time in your life when something you wanted didn’t happen? How might it have been for the best?

3. Which of Morgan’s anecdotes did you find most impactful, and why did you connect with it?

4. Are there any moments in Morgan’s story where you would have made a different choice?

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

1. Morgan delves into issues of urban versus rural life and considerations of class. How does her depiction of her upbringing and the class conflicts she dealt with enter into contemporary conversation on the topic?

2. In her narrative, Morgan considers the challenges facing a woman in comedy. Discuss her depiction of gender issues in performance careers and how it builds on recent changes in societal perceptions of gender.

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

1. Consider Morgan as the protagonist of her memoir. How does she grow and change as a person over the course of the text? What setbacks does she face, and how does she overcome them?

2. Discuss the text’s exploration of Morgan and Chuck’s relationship. How does it change over time, and how does this shift emphasize the themes of the novel?

3. Describe the tone of Morgan’s narrative. How does she use humor as a literary device throughout the text? How do Southern idioms work their way in?

4. Describe Morgan’s relationship with her family. How is it different from Chuck’s relationship with his family, and how does this affect their marriage?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Develop a short comedy act based on an anecdotal story from your own life. While doing so, consider Morgan’s own approach to comedy, and use it as inspiration for your own.

2. Morgan stars in her own sitcom and has appeared in a few movies. Develop a pitch for a new role for Morgan. In it, include a sketch of the premise of the new film, special, or series. How does it utilize her talents?