Dedication
Kate Hollis’s ex-boyfriend’s face plasters newsstands and TV, the Internet, and the multiplex. Jake Sharpe is one of the biggest recording stars on the planet, and every song he’s famous for is about Kate and their high school relationship. For more than a decade his soundtrack has chased her—from the gym to the supermarket, from the dentist’s office to the bars. Now thirty-year-old Kate gets the call that Jake has finally landed back in their Vermont hometown for an MTV special. The moment she has been waiting for has arrived.
Dedication is a poignant, humorous tale about modern celebrity obsession and coming of age during the divorce boom. With flawless depictions of the 1980s, a charismatic heroine, and their signature biting wit, McLaughlin and Kraus offer up another lively and hilarious tale of a smart young woman looking for satisfaction in the chaos of contemporary culture.
Dedication is a poignant, humorous tale about modern celebrity obsession and coming of age during the divorce boom. With flawless depictions of the 1980s, a charismatic heroine, and their signature biting wit, McLaughlin and Kraus offer up another lively and hilarious tale of a smart young woman looking for satisfaction in the chaos of contemporary culture.
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Book details:
- Washington Square Press |
- 288 pages |
- ISBN 9781416540144 |
- July 2008
$18.99 List Price
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Reading Group Guide
1. The authors alternate between Kate's present and her past. Why do you think they chose to tell the story this way? Did you find it effective for showing how all the relationships evolved?
2. Discuss Jake's parents. How does his mother's alcoholism affect his life? What about his father's abandonment?
3. Discuss the group of friends Kate and Jake are a part of and how their lives played out. What do you think compelled Kate and Jake to leave town, whereas all of their friends stayed? How has staying vs. leaving affected everyone?
4. Kate's mom had an affair, Jake's dad had an affair, and Jake re-connects with Kate immediately after announcing his engagement to Eden. How does infidelity ricochet down the generations?
5. Why do you think it takes so long for Kate's parents to talk to each other about what has happened? Do you think they blame each other or themselves for the condition of their marriage?
6. Kate "got out of the car" (p. 214) and left Jake just as she always wanted to do. But when Jocelyn delivers the “what if I never left?” note (p. 218), Kate decides to go to him. Why do you think she does? Have you ever given someone a second chance against your better judgment?
7. When Kate is swept into Jake's world, she discovers a lot of absurdity, from the team of assistants to Jake's nakedness before a performance. The authors drew heavily on their own experiences working for celebrities. How does our celebrity cu see more
2. Discuss Jake's parents. How does his mother's alcoholism affect his life? What about his father's abandonment?
3. Discuss the group of friends Kate and Jake are a part of and how their lives played out. What do you think compelled Kate and Jake to leave town, whereas all of their friends stayed? How has staying vs. leaving affected everyone?
4. Kate's mom had an affair, Jake's dad had an affair, and Jake re-connects with Kate immediately after announcing his engagement to Eden. How does infidelity ricochet down the generations?
5. Why do you think it takes so long for Kate's parents to talk to each other about what has happened? Do you think they blame each other or themselves for the condition of their marriage?
6. Kate "got out of the car" (p. 214) and left Jake just as she always wanted to do. But when Jocelyn delivers the “what if I never left?” note (p. 218), Kate decides to go to him. Why do you think she does? Have you ever given someone a second chance against your better judgment?
7. When Kate is swept into Jake's world, she discovers a lot of absurdity, from the team of assistants to Jake's nakedness before a performance. The authors drew heavily on their own experiences working for celebrities. How does our celebrity cu see more
Video
Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus: Dedication
The Nanny Diaries duo introduces a woman who finally has the chance to confront her famous ex and reclaim her past.
Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus: Dedication
