Reader’s Guide

How to Climb
the Eiffel Tower

Elizabeth Hein

a reader’s guide

Discussion Questions for How to Climb the Eiffel Tower

  1. When we first meet Lara, her only friends are the characters in her books. Are there any fictional characters that you consider friends?
  2. Lara and Jane ease each other through their cancer experiences, yet they met entirely by chance. How do you think their experiences would have been different if Jane and Lara had not run into each other several times?
  3. Lara suffers from severe social anxiety. Although she is the best analyst in her department and has been there for seven years, no one in the office knows her. She further distances herself from her co-workers by not learning their names. Instead, she gives them nicknames like Garlic Breath, Short Red Head, Bald Guy, and Pathetic Dog Owner. Why do you think she objectifies her co-workers? (Hint: Elizabeth Hein addresses this question on her writer’s blog at scribblinginthestorageroom.wordpress.com.)
  4. When you first met Garlic Breath and Pathetic Dog Owner, did you think they would be working for Lara by the end of the novel? Why do you think Lara wanted them on her team?
  5. Lara’s mother knew about Lara’s inheritance all along. Why do you think she stayed with Dale? Do you think Dale knew that Lara was a wealthy girl when he was abusing her? Would it have changed anything?
  6. Several young men show interest in Lara, but she is not interested in any of them. Why do you think she found Sebastian attractive?
  7. The opportunity to be part of a team changes the way Lara sees herself in relation to other people. How has being part of a team changed the way you look at yourself?
  8. Many times, cancer survivors will say that their experiences have given them wisdom and insight. What experiences in your life have left you wiser? Was that knowledge worth the suffering you endured to acquire it?
  9. This book is titled How to Climb the Eiffel Tower and yet the actual Eiffel Tower doesn’t appear in the book. What roll do you think the Eiffel Tower plays in the novel? What does it represent? (Hint: Elizabeth Hein addresses this question on her writer’s blog at scribblinginthestorageroom.wordpress.com.)
  10. While in a waiting room, Lara and Jane form the beginning of what turns out to be a beautiful friendship. Have you ever made any waiting room friendships? Elizabeth Hein is collecting waiting room stories. You can share yours at: elizabethhein.com.

For more discussion questions, an interview with the author, and a “Clubbing Guide” made especially for book clubs, visit Elizabeth Hein’s official author page at lightmessages.com/elizabethhein.

Questions for How to Climb the Eiffel Tower

  1. When we first meet Lara, her only friends are the characters in her books. Are there any fictional characters that you consider friends?
  2. Lara and Jane ease each other through their cancer experiences, yet they met entirely by chance. How do you think their experiences would have been different if Jane and Lara had not run into each other several times?
  3. Lara suffers from severe social anxiety. Although she is the best analyst in her department and has been there for seven years, no one in the office knows her. She further distances herself from her co-workers by not learning their names. Instead, she gives them nicknames like Garlic Breath, Short Red Head, Bald Guy, and Pathetic Dog Owner. Why do you think she objectifies her co-workers? (Hint: Elizabeth Hein addresses this question on her writer’s blog at scribblinginthestorageroom.wordpress.com.)
  4. When you first met Garlic Breath and Pathetic Dog Owner, did you think they would be working for Lara by the end of the novel? Why do you think Lara wanted them on her team?
  5. Lara’s mother knew about Lara’s inheritance all along. Why do you think she stayed with Dale? Do you think Dale knew that Lara was a wealthy girl when he was abusing her? Would it have changed anything?
  6. Several young men show interest in Lara, but she is not interested in any of them. Why do you think she found Sebastian attractive?
  7. The opportunity to be part of a team changes the way Lara sees herself in relation to other people. How has being part of a team changed the way you look at yourself?
  8. Many times, cancer survivors will say that their experiences have given them wisdom and insight. What experiences in your life have left you wiser? Was that knowledge worth the suffering you endured to acquire it?
  9. This book is titled How to Climb the Eiffel Tower and yet the actual Eiffel Tower doesn’t appear in the book. What roll do you think the Eiffel Tower plays in the novel? What does it represent? (Hint: Elizabeth Hein addresses this question on her writer’s blog at scribblinginthestorageroom.wordpress.com.)
  10. While in a waiting room, Lara and Jane form the beginning of what turns out to be a beautiful friendship. Have you ever made any waiting room friendships? Elizabeth Hein is collecting waiting room stories. You can share yours at: elizabethhein.com.

For more discussion questions, an interview with the author, and a “Clubbing Guide” made especially for book clubs, visit Elizabeth Hein’s official author page at lightmessages.com/elizabethhein.