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Reading Group Guide

Discussion Questions

Dancing Naked at the Edge of Dawn

1. What does Meg discover about the bonds between generations, including the women in her family and also between Tomas and his father? What is the best way to determine whether to continue a legacy or break from tradition?

2. What enabled Aunt Marcia to build such an unconventional and rewarding life for herself? Do you believe that the freedoms enjoyed by her niece's generation are secure?

3. Discuss the various members of Meg's support team–especially Elizabeth, Jane, and Dr. C. Are they an unlikely group? How do their approaches to comfort compare?

4. The men Meg thinks of most often are her son, her husband, and her father. In what ways do they influence her understanding of herself?

5. In the novel's epilogue, the poem by Chesnay Susan Thomas offers a beautiful vision of allowing a true self to emerge. If you were to encounter the infamous dancing dogs, which one would you choose? How would you describe your freedom dance?

6. What common circumstances do the women of The Elegant Gathering of White Snows and Dancing Naked at the Edge of Dawn share? What is the ultimate source of their pain? What ultimately heals them?

7. Compare the settings of the novels. What escapes from suburbia are presented?

8. Would you characterize Kris Radish's storytelling approach as realistic, fanciful, or both?

9. Which character's awakening resonated most with you?

10. If you were to experience the Women Walker Effect or participate in a Reverse Bridal Shower, what burdens would you release? What new directions would you explore? Would you need companions, or do you perceive self-discovery as a solitary process?

Dancing Naked at the Edge of Dawn
by Kris Radish

  • Publication Date: December 28, 2004
  • Genres: Fiction
  • Paperback: 328 pages
  • Publisher: Bantam
  • ISBN-10: 0553382632
  • ISBN-13: 9780553382631