The Hopefuls (35 page)
Authors: JENNIFER CLOSE
I owe so much to my editor, Jenny Jackson, and my agent, Julie Barer. Both offered encouragement, wise notes, and patience with each draft of this book, and I'm honored to have such brilliant women on my team.
I am (as always) incredibly grateful for the support and kindness of my family. Thank you to my wonderful parents, Pat and Jack Close; my brothers, Chris and Kevin Close; Susan Close; the adorable Ava and John Henry Close; and Scott and Carol Hartz.
Many people were gracious enough to share their stories and experiences of working on campaigns and in the administration with me. Thanks to Peter Newell, Kenny Thompson, Casey Breitenbeck, and Bobby Schmuck for putting up with my strange questions and helping me figure out the right career paths for my characters. And while I'm at it, thanks to all of the great people from Obama-world who have adopted me into the groupâyou are all so much nicer (and much less annoying) than the characters in my book.
I am indebted to Steve Brown, who took time from his busy schedule to explain everything I needed to know about the Railroad Commission and Texas Politics.
Moriah Cleveland is an amazing writer-friend, and I'm so appreciative to her for always being my first reader and offering edits and e-mails to help me along the way.
No place feels like home until you find true girlfriends. Thank you to all of the MuttonsâAmy Cogan, Chrissie Graham, Emily Hines, Megan Hughes, Theresa Lepow, Stephanie Schott, and (DC transplant) Mary Colleen Bragiel for helping to change my mind about this place. In the DC game of highs and lows, the time I got to spend with all of you was my high. My low is obviously that everyone keeps moving away. Come back, please!
I wrote much of this book while thinking of Brandon Lepow, which is part of the reason that Jimmy shares Brandon's hometown, job at Facebook, love of colorful socks, and incredible charm. If I ever really tried to model a character after Brandon, no one would believe that one person could be so kind, generous, and funny. DC was lucky to have you and better because you were here. You are so missed, my friend.
It is a privilege to work with the talented and lovely team at Knopf and Vintage. Many thanks to Sonny Mehta, Paul Bogaards, Ruth Liebman, Nicholas Latimer, Chris Gillespie, Julie Kurland, Emma Dries, Helen Tobin, Brittany Morrongiello, Danielle Plafsky, Andrea Robinson, and Alex Houston. I'm especially grateful to Kelly Blair, who worked tirelessly to design this perfect and beautiful cover.
Wrigley Close-Hartz is the best office mate I could ask for and having him curled up under my desk while I write makes my days so much better.
Finally, a huge thank-you to Tim Hartz, who always offers love, support, and calming words when I need them the most. I couldn't have written this book without you answering every question that I shouted downstairs, responding to midday texts about my characters, offering ideas and anecdotes, and reading passages for immediate feedback. I'm so happy that you're my husband.
Jennifer Close is the best-selling author of
Girls in White Dresses
and
The Smart One.
Born and raised on the North Shore of Chicago, she is a graduate of Boston College and received her MFA in fiction writing from The New School in 2005. She worked in New York in magazines for many years. She now lives in Washington, DC, and teaches creative writing at George Washington University.
An Alfred A. Knopf Reading Guide
The Hopefuls
by Jennifer Close
The questions, discussion topics, and reading list that follow are intended to enhance your reading group's discussion of
The Hopefuls
, the timely and entertaining new novel by Jennifer Close, best-selling author of
Girls in White Dresses
.
Discussion Questions
1.
Who are the “hopefuls” in the title?
2.
In the Washington, DC, of the novel, most people are from elsewhereâaway from home and family. How does this contribute to the intensity of their relationships?
3.
On
this page
, Matt tries to cheer up Beth about their move to DC: “ âWe're here,' he said. âAnd home is wherever we're together.' ” Beth doesn't quite buy it. Why not?
4.
As a spouse who's not particularly interested in politics, Beth feels like an outsider. What should she have done to find her own tribeâor does that seem impossible in the atmosphere the novel describes?
5.
Personal identity is one of the themes running through the novel. In DC, Beth struggles to find her sense of self. She considers it a matter of circumstance, but things are no better in Texas. Has she brought this about somehow?
6.
The theme of friendship also weaves through the story. Is Beth a good friend? Who is a better friend to her, Ash or Colleen?
7.
On
this page
, Beth says, “Matt's jealousy no longer surprised me. I'd figured out that DC was a city that was crammed full of jealousy, that there was, in fact, a hierarchy of jealousy among the people we spent time with.” Why does she believe DC to be more rife with jealousy than anywhere else? Do the people in Texas prove to be less inclined toward the sentiment?
8.
When Beth learns that both Ash and Colleen are pregnant, she doesn't react well. Why not? How does her ambivalence about motherhood factor into this?
9.
“[The Dillons] were just so lucky, so charmed. Everything was working out for them, life was unfolding exactly as it shouldâand most of the time, it seemed like it was all happening without any effort on their part.” (
this page
) Why does Beth feel this way? In what ways is she right, and how is she wrong?
10.
Matt is better informed and more insightful than Jimmy, yet Jimmy's charisma makes him a better politician. What point is the author making about this?
11.
When Beth meets The Dozens, how does it change her perception of Ash?
12.
The Dillons follow traditional gender roles when it comes to parenting. What is the reader meant to think about this? Does having well-defined roles help or hinder the Dillons' relationship?
13.
When Matt pulls away from Beth during Jimmy's campaign, does that set in motion what came after? How might things have gone differently?
14.
On
this page
, Colleen tells Beth, “ âI mean, every person expects something from the other one when they get married.' ” What point is she making? Do you agree?
15.
If Matt hadn't interrupted, what do you think would have happened between Beth and Jimmy?
16.
Beth isn't sure whether or not Jimmy has told Ash what happened. Given how he's been portrayed in the novel, why does she think he would have?
17.
Colleen proves herself to be a straight-talking friend. On
this page
, she points out to Beth, “ âYou're always letting things happen to you. You just wait to react. Do something.' ” Does Beth take her advice?
18.
Close introduces each section with a quote from a president or first ladyâuntil the final one, which opens with this quote from Dylan Thomas: “Washington isn't a city, it's an abstraction.” What does it mean?
19.
Discuss the final section of the novel, the postscript set in DC. Was it the ending you expected?
Suggested Reading
The Aviator's Wife
by Melanie Benjamin
The Astronaut Wives Club
by Lily Koppel
The Senator's Wife
by Sue Miller
This One Is Mine
by Maria Semple
Madam President
by Nicolle Wallace
Adulting: How to Become a Grown-up in 468 Easy(ish) Steps
by Kelly Williams Brown
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