The Other Americans

To what extent can Salma’s addiction to pills be blamed on her upbringing and her parents’ expectations?

War leaves a lasting imprint on Jeremy’s psyche. How does he navigate the various traumas leftover from his time in Iraq?

Not all characters have English as a first language. How do languages affect the way in which the characters relate to one another?

Driss and Beatrice have an affair, but she exists on the periphery of the story. How does she influence the lives of Driss’ family after his death?

Religion is important to some characters and meaningless to others. Does religion provide a comfort or a distraction in the context of the novel?

Nora notices the differences between living in a big city versus living in a small town. How do these differences affect her emotional state?

The wide, vast expanse of the desert is found in America and Morocco. To what extent do you believe the desert unifies the two cultures? How does it separate them?

Nora has her nesting turtle doves and A.J. has his dogs. How do the characters’ relationships with animals reflect their relationships with people?