A monk swimming cover

A monk swimming

by Malachy McCourt

In 1952, the author left behind a childhood of poverty in Limerick, Ireland, to head for the promise of America. He carved out a place for himself in New York City: in the saloons, on the stage, and on television. Eventually he found he had not left his memories as far behind as he had thought, having no choice but to turn and face his past.

Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?