Describe Dr. Stephen Hawking's role in the novel.

Which Beatles reference makes the greatest impact in the novel? How would you explain their centrality in the Schell household?

How does Mr. A. R. Black's deafness contribute to the storyline?

Which of Oskar Schell's inventions would you most like to see implemented and how would it work?

Which of Oskar Schell's phobias seems the most debilitating and how?

What function does letter writing play in the novel? Do the various writing campaigns share a motivation?

What do Dresden, Hiroshima, and 9/11 share in common? How do they differ?