Book Club Night Kit
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone
Lori Gottlieb
Cozy night
A therapist's candid, funny memoir about seeing her own therapist while treating her patients, this book opens up tender conversations about being human together.
Maybe You Should Come Over
Bring your softest sweater and your favorite mug. We're spending a slow evening with Lori Gottlieb, warm soup, and the kind of conversation that feels like a long exhale.
Reading level: Easy
Best for: Clubs that love memoirs, gentle reflection, and conversations that feel like good therapy with friends
Discussion
Warm-up
- 1.What was the cozy little ritual you fell into while reading this (a favorite chair, a mug, a time of day)?
- 2.Was there a passage that made you laugh out loud or smile in recognition? Share the moment if you can.
Digging in
- 1.Lori writes that we often confuse comfort with happiness. What's something that comforts you, and how did the book make you think about it?
- 2.Which of the patient stories stayed with you most warmly, and what about that person felt familiar or tender to you?
- 3.The book treats grief, love, and ordinary worry with the same care. Did reading it shift how you sit with your own small daily feelings?
- 4.Wendell becomes a quiet presence in Lori's life. Who has been a 'Wendell' for you, someone who listened without trying to fix?
Going deep
- 1.The idea of our 'prison of our own making' comes up gently throughout. Without giving anything away, was there a moment in the book that made you want to be a little kinder to yourself?
- 2.By the time you closed the book, what did it leave you wanting more of in your own life: rest, honesty, connection, something else?
On the table & to sip
To eat
Slow-simmered chicken soup with crusty bread
A nurturing classic, echoing the book's theme of being cared for and listened to
Warm apple crumble with vanilla ice cream
Sweet, soft, and a little indulgent, like a session that ends with hope
A simple cheese and fruit board
Easy to graze on while talking, keeps the night low-pressure and lingering
To sip
Honey chamomile tea (no alcohol)
Gentle and soothing, perfect for tender conversation
Hot cocoa with marshmallows (no alcohol)
A childhood-comfort drink that matches the memoir's vulnerable warmth
Spiced mulled wine
Warm, slow-sipping, and conversational
Run of show
7:00
Soft landing
Greet guests with tea or cocoa, dim lamps, let people settle into the coziest seats
7:15
Soup and stories
Serve the soup and bread while sharing the two warmup questions around the room
7:40
Heart of the talk
Move through the theme questions gently, no need to hit every one
8:15
Dessert and depth
Bring out the crumble and ease into the deeper questions over sweets
8:45
Trivia and bookmarks
Play a low-key trivia round and hand out printed bookmarks as keepsakes
9:00
Linger
Refill mugs, let conversation drift, no rush to wrap up
Host tips
- Keep lighting low and warm (lamps and candles over overhead lights) so people feel safe being honest
- Have a 'pass' rule for any question, this book touches real feelings and nobody should feel pressed to share
- Set out blankets or throws on couches, it signals 'stay a while' and matches the vibe of the book
Playlist
Soft, hopeful, lamp-lit folk and piano for unhurried talking
- 01 The Night We Met - Lord Huron
- 02 Saturn - Sleeping At Last
- 03 Holocene - Bon Iver
- 04 First Day of My Life - Bright Eyes
- 05 River - Joni Mitchell
- 06 Landslide - Fleetwood Mac
- 07 To Build a Home - The Cinematic Orchestra
- 08 Vincent - Don McLean
Trivia
- 1.What is Lori Gottlieb's profession outside of writing this memoir? (Psychotherapist)
- 2.In what city is Gottlieb's practice based? (Los Angeles)
- 3.In what year was Maybe You Should Talk to Someone first published? (2019)
- 4.Gottlieb writes a popular advice column for which magazine? (The Atlantic)
- 5.Before becoming a therapist, Gottlieb worked in what industry in Hollywood? (Television and film (entertainment))
- 6.What is the first name of Lori's own therapist in the book? (Wendell)
- 7.The book is structured around stories of how many of Lori's patients, plus Lori herself? (Four patients)
- 8.Maybe You Should Talk to Someone has been adapted into development for what kind of screen project? (A television series)
Bookmarks
Print, cut, and tuck one at every seat, a small keepsake from the night.
“Pull up a chair. The kettle is already on.”
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone
Lori Gottlieb
bookclubnight.com
“Even small feelings deserve a soft place to land.”
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone
Lori Gottlieb
bookclubnight.com
“Listening is a kind of love.”
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone
Lori Gottlieb
bookclubnight.com
Rate the book
Coziness factor☆☆☆☆☆
How much it moved me☆☆☆☆☆
Warmth of the writing☆☆☆☆☆
Made me want to call someone☆☆☆☆☆
Reread potential☆☆☆☆☆
One word for how this book felt: ______________________
A line or moment I want to remember: ______________________
Someone I want to hand this book to next: ______________________
That's a wrap
Thank you for coming
We hope the company was good and the conversation even better. Until the next chapter.