Last Flight of Poxl West (Torday)

Discussion Questions
1. After Poxl's book is published his relationship with Eli becomes distant. He blames his busy schedule, but do you think there were other reasons why Poxl pulled away from Eli? Do you think Eli comes to understand and accept Poxl's withdrawal?

2. What do you think is the biggest lesson Eli learns from his experience with his Uncle Poxl's memoir in the immediate aftermath? How does that understanding change after years of reflection?

3. What roles does art play in Poxl's life, specifically his admiration for Egon Schiele and William Shakespeare? How do you think Poxl's love of the arts shapes Eli's perception of him?

4. How does Poxl's knowledge of his mother's infidelities affect his view of her? How does it affect his views of his father? Do his judgments change after he begins to suspect their fates? How does he feel about the actions he's taken toward them?

5. Do you think Poxl's parents' relationship affected his own relationships with women? How?

6. Who do you think was Poxl's great love? What role did Francoise serve in his life? Glynnis? Victoria? How does each intimate relationship affect subsequent relationships in this life?

7. Eli says of himself that he was not drawn to learning about his Jewish heritage as a boy. What about Poxl's stories captures his interest? Was Poxl's wartime experience as a Jewish refugee who fights militarily against the Nazi invasion different than other Jewish experiences you've read before? How?

8. How did you feel about the ending? Would you call it happy?

9. Can a memoir ever be considered strictly nonfiction? Or does autobiographical recollection always possess a level of fiction,regardless of the factual foundation?

10. This novel alternates between two coming-of-age narratives: Eli's reflections and Poxl's memoir, inviting comparisons between both their experiences of adolescence? How are they similar? How do they differ? Do you like novels composed of two different stories or perspectives?

11. Half of the novel takes place in 1940s Europe, and the other half in Boston in the 1980s and '90s. Was there a time period or section that you preferred? Why?

12. How does Skylock, as a book-within-a-book, affect your reading? What is your experience of returning to the Eli sections after long periods in Poxl's head?
(Questions issued by the publisher.)

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