What are good book club discussion questions for Pay Attention?

Spoiler-free questions to get the conversation going: Before we start, what is the last thing you scrolled past today that you wish you had not? No judgment, we have all got one; Where did you do most of your reading of this one, and did you have to put your phone in another room to get through it?; The book is called Pay Attention. When was the last time you felt genuinely, restfully attentive to something, and what made that moment possible?; Pakman writes about how technology widens the distance between people. Is there someone you have quietly drifted from because of what the feeds did to one of you, and do you still miss them?; Which part of the book made you exhale with relief, as in finally someone said it out loud, and which part made your stomach drop a little?.

What food and drinks should I serve at a Pay Attention book club?

Food: Slow-simmered tomato soup with grilled cheese triangles, A big shareable snack board of popcorn, pretzels, cheddar, and apple slices, and Skillet cinnamon-apple crumble, served warm from the pan with a scoop of vanilla. Drinks: The Signal Boost (spiked hot cider with bourbon, orange peel, and a cinnamon stick), Static Clear (honey chamomile tea with lemon and a splash of ginger), and Red wine, poured generously and without ceremony.

Cozy night

Pay AttentionBook club questions, food & host guide

David Pakman

#5 New York Times Nonfiction Bestseller 1 week on the list

A cozy book club night for Pay Attention by David Pakman. Includes 8 spoiler-free discussion questions, food and drink pairings, a playlist, and a host guide, ready to print and share.

A club that likes nonfiction about the world but wants to discuss it on a couch, in socks, with second helpings and no scorekeeping

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David Pakman turns the question of why we cannot seem to hear each other anymore into something unexpectedly human, tracing how the tools in our pockets reshape what we believe and who we trust. It is a book that gives a club permission to talk honestly about their own screens, not just the country's.

Why it works for clubs

Everyone arrives already holding personal evidence, which makes the talk flow without prep
It names a shared frustration (feeling pulled apart online) that people rarely get to discuss gently
Short, clear sections mean even the half-finished reader can join in warmly
It invites confession and comfort rather than debate, if the host sets that tone

Themes & mood

Media literacy Attention and focus Divided times Quietly hopeful Modern life

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Reading level

Moderate

Warm-up questions

1 Before we start, what is the last thing you scrolled past today that you wish you had not? No judgment, we have all got one.
2 Where did you do most of your reading of this one, and did you have to put your phone in another room to get through it?

Digging in

1 The book is called Pay Attention. When was the last time you felt genuinely, restfully attentive to something, and what made that moment possible?
2 Pakman writes about how technology widens the distance between people. Is there someone you have quietly drifted from because of what the feeds did to one of you, and do you still miss them?
3 Which part of the book made you exhale with relief, as in finally someone said it out loud, and which part made your stomach drop a little?
4 Pakman makes his living in political media, the very machine he is examining. Did his willingness to point the lens at himself make you trust him more, and how did that land for you emotionally?

Going deep

1 By the time you closed the book, did you feel more tender toward the people you disagree with, or more tired? Sit with whichever one is true.
2 The later chapters move toward what we might actually do. Without spoiling where he lands, what is one small, unglamorous change you could make this month that you would not be embarrassed to report back on?

On the table

Slow-simmered tomato soup with grilled cheese triangles

The most analog comfort food there is, meant to be eaten with both hands and no device. A warm antidote to a book about overstimulation.

A big shareable snack board of popcorn, pretzels, cheddar, and apple slices

A gentle nod to the endless-scroll snacking the book describes, except here the bowl runs out and you have to look up and talk to someone.

Skillet cinnamon-apple crumble, served warm from the pan with a scoop of vanilla

Sweet, slow, and attention-requiring. Dessert that cannot be rushed sets exactly the pace this discussion needs.

To sip

The Signal Boost (spiked hot cider with bourbon, orange peel, and a cinnamon stick)

Warm, spiced, and a little indulgent. A friendly riff on all the noise being amplified, softened into something you can hold in two hands.

Static Clear (honey chamomile tea with lemon and a splash of ginger) No alcohol

The non-alcoholic pick, chosen for quieting the buzz. Serve in mismatched mugs and let people refill themselves.

Red wine, poured generously and without ceremony

A simple house red keeps things low-effort and loosens up a conversation that might otherwise turn careful.

Low-volume, lamp-lit, mostly acoustic. Thoughtful without being sad, the sound of a room where people are actually listening to each other.

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