Regime ChangeBook club questions, food & host guide
A cozy book club night for Regime Change by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan. 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 current events but wants a gentle, judgment-free space to process them together
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A behind-the-scenes account of a turbulent year in Washington, told by two seasoned reporters who make the news feel human and immediate. It gives a cozy club plenty to feel, share, and gently unpack together.
Why it works for clubs
- It ties directly to headlines everyone has lived through, so no one comes in cold
- The reporting invites personal reactions about how news lands in our everyday lives
- It sparks warm conversation about how we cope with stressful times
- Two authors offer a layered view that rewards comparing impressions
Themes & mood
Browse all themes →Warm-up questions
- 1 Settle in with your warm drink and tell us: where were you, and how were you feeling, during one of the moments this book revisits?
- 2 Was there a page that made you set the book down, take a breath, and reach for another cup of tea? What was it?
Digging in
- 1 The book lives in a world of constant news. When headlines feel heavy, what small comfort or ritual helps you steady yourself? Did reading this change that at all?
- 2 Haberman and Swan write with a reporter's calm even about chaotic events. Did that steady voice comfort you, or did you crave more warmth? How did it make you feel to be walked through it slowly?
- 3 Which person or moment in these pages stirred the most tenderness or empathy in you, even unexpectedly?
- 4 So much of this story is about people under pressure. When you feel that kind of pressure, who or what do you lean on? Did any relationship in the book remind you of that?
Going deep
- 1 Without giving anything away, how did the overall arc of this year leave you feeling as you closed the book: unsettled, hopeful, thoughtful, or something gentler? What do you think you will carry with you?
- 2 Reading two insiders recount recent history can shift how we hold our own memories of it. Did anything here soften, complicate, or comfort the way you remember living through this time?
On the table
To sip
Warm, low-key Americana and mellow acoustic tunes that keep the room soft and unhurried
Tap a track to play it. Full songs play when you're signed into Spotify.
Run of show
Host tips
- Keep the lighting low and warm, with plenty of blankets and pillows so people physically relax
- Remind everyone up front that this is a judgment-free, feelings-first night, not a debate
- Let silences breathe; the coziest conversations come when no one feels hurried
Bring your comfiest sweater and settle in for a warm, low-key night of comfort food, hot drinks, and gentle conversation about Regime Change.
Trivia
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1
Which two New York Times journalists co-wrote this book?Answer: Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan
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2
What newspaper do both authors report for as White House correspondents?Answer: The New York Times
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3
Maggie Haberman won a Pulitzer Prize in 2018 for coverage connected to which topic?Answer: Reporting on the Trump campaign and administration (Russia investigation coverage)
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4
Haberman wrote an earlier bestselling book about Donald Trump titled what?Answer: Confidence Man
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5
Jonathan Swan became widely known for a candid 2020 interview with Trump that aired on which network?Answer: Axios on HBO
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6
What broad genre does this book belong to?Answer: Political nonfiction / reported journalism
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7
Which presidential term does the book focus on?Answer: President Trump's second term (its first year)
Bookmarks
Rate the book
Print pack
- Question cards for the discussion prompts
- Printable trivia sheet with answers on the back
- Cut-out bookmarks with the original lines
- Fill-in scorecards
- Cozy place cards for the buffet table
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