READERS GUIDE

Questions and Topics for Discussion

1. Although Theo’s individual circumstances were unique to her family, every divorce situation features similar challenges. What do you think were the challenges Theo faced that most people also share when going though divorce? How do you think her situation reflected the universal feelings of people who are getting divorced? How did her feelings differ?

2. How might the narrator’s experience resonate with women who haven’t been through a divorce?

3. Kirkus Reviews says that How to Sleep Alone in a King-Size Bed is “[n]ot another slick how-to” and that “Women going through the pain and turmoil of separation and divorce will appreciate Nestor’s candor and wit.” Do you think men going through divorce would appreciate this book too?

4. The narrator’s mother plays a prominent role in her story. What challenges might her mother have faced as a divorcee in her day? Do you think the author’s own divorce changed her relationship with her mother?

5. Many states require divorcing parents to attend a “What about the kids?” seminar. What do you think Theo got out of her experience with the one she attended? Do you think these seminars are helpful?

6. Why do you think the author is drawn to Markos? Are there people in your life who have kept a hold on your heart?

7. Ultimately, the relationship between Theo and Markos does not work out. Does this breakup give you insights about the conditions under which a couple, once they’ve broken up, can ever get back together?

8. One of the most emotional moments in the book occurs when Theo travels to Mexico to visit the town where her sister was raised after their parents divorced. How did your opinion of their parents change after reading this chapter? How did your opinion of Theo change? Why is reading the letter from the narrator’s sister Kathy a turning point for the narrator?

9. The narrator begins to claim the king-size bed for her own by sleeping in different spots on the bed. What are some things you have done to reclaim yourself after a relationship ends? What did you discover about yourself in doing so?

10. What does the narrator ultimately learn about herself (or others) that she might not have learned if she’d remained married?