Eleven A Novel [Paperback]

Xavier Ireland is the assumed name of a radio-show host with a devoted following of listeners riveted by the sleepless loners who call in throughout the night to seek his advice. Off the air, he leads a low-key life of avoiding his neighbors, playing Scrabble, and maintaining an awkward friendship with his cohost, Murray. But his life begins to change when he meets a cleaning lady named Pippa, who becomes a constant, surprisingly necessary presence in his life as he starts facing up to his past and discovering solace and redemption in the most unexpected places. British comedian Mark Watson’s North American debut humorously and poignantly explores life and death, strangers and friends, heartache and comfort, and whether the choices wedon’tmake affect us just as powerfully as the ones we do.This reading group guide forElevenincludes an introduction, discussion questions, and ideas for enhancing your book club. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book.

INTRODUCTION 

Late-night radio DJ Xavier Ireland is known throughout London for the poignant advice he gives to restless listeners. But his failure to help in a seemingly inconsequential run-in with a bullied boy sets off a chain of events that affects a cast of interwoven characters, from a bitter journalist to a love-struck barman. Haunted by memories of an accident that led him to leave his friends and family in Melbourne and take on a new identity, Xavier commits tonotgetting involved in the lives of others, save for his late-night callers. Xavier leads a lonely existence of Scrabble tournaments, avoiding his neighbors, and awkward chats with his co-host Murray, until a chance meeting with a cleaning lady named Pippa sets him on a new path. As Pippa tidies his l³Á