Everything I Know About Love

1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• What do you think is the core message about the value of friendships and the pursuit of romantic love? Does Alderton prioritize one or the other? How did this make you feel?
• Does Alderton’s candid, funny tone help you relate to her story? What is its narrative effect, and how does this tone impact Alderton’s journey toward self-actualization? Did humor and candor make the harder experiences more accessible?
• How does the book’s non-linear structure complement Alderton’s casual, candid approach to life’s challenges? How does this differ from other memoirs that deal with growing up and realizing self-love? Consider, for example, a memoir like Wild, which follows a clear, linear journey. How does Alderton’s structural approach influence you as a reader?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection 

Connect the book’s themes and characters to personal experiences and perspectives.

• How do the experiences in the text align with your own experiences with romantic and platonic love? Did Alderton offer any insights that made you reassess either your friendships or your romantic relationships? If you look back on your life so far, have you valued one kind of love more, or have you been balanced in your need for both?
• Alderton’s matter-of-fact approach to her experiences with body image and disordered eating opens the topic of growing up in a society that often applies pressure to conform.