Discussion questions for Beautiful Ruins

“Beautiful Ruins”  by Jess Walter

1. What does the title, Beautiful Ruins, refer to and how does it capture the essence of the novel?

2. At the beginning of the story, Pasquale Tursi is waiting “for life to come and find him.” Is Dee Moray the “life” he was waiting for? Do you think most people wait for life—like a movie—to begin? Why?

3. Most of the novel’s characters—Alvis Bender, Dee Moray, Shane Wheeler, Claire Silver, Pat Bender, even Richard Burton—have dreams. What would life be like if we didn’t have dreams? What happens when they don’t come true?

4. Americans pride themselves on the “American dream.” What does this term mean to you?

5. How would you characterize Michael Deane?  When we meet him, Michael Deane seems like a parody of a Hollywood producer. What are the driving forces that propel his actions and how do they confound our expectations?

6. In Hollywood, everything happens because of the pitch. Have we become a nation of individuals pitching to each other? How would you pitch your life story to someone?

7. In the present day, the elderly Pasquale shares the story of his first meeting with Dee, describing it as “the moment that lasts forever.” Why is this so for Pasquale?

8. Years later, Alvin tells Dee, “All we have is the story we tell. Everything we do, every decision we make, our strength, weakness, motivation, history and character—what we believe—none of it is real; it’s all part of the story we tell. But here’s the thing: It’s our goddamned story!” What about life—your own or someone you know—is real? How much do we control in our lives? What happens when we let other people tell our story for us?