Book Club Friends Discussion Guide For:
The Madness of Crowds by Louise Penny
The Madness of Crowds is Book #17 of the Chief Inspector Gamache series
You’re a coward. Time and again, as the New Year approaches, that charge is leveled against Armand Gamache.
Published: 2021
The Madness of Crowds Discussions
Please note that all discussions may contain spoilers.
Gamache makes his feelings about Professor Robinson’s message clear from the beginning of the novel — so why does he save her life? If you were in his position, what would you have done?
During the shooting at the lecture in Three Pines, Gamache uses his body to shield Abigail Robinson from danger.26/03/2024What are some other examples of reinventions and second chances in this novel?
One important setting in The Madness of Crowds is the Auberge. Formerly the haunted Old Hadley House, the Auberge has been lovingly renovated by Marc, Dominique, and Carol Gilbert, into the luxury inn and spa it is today.27/03/2024Why does Louise include the story about Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson in the novel? How does it relate to the events in The Madness of Crowds?
Gamache and Vincent Gilbert talk about a story involving Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson: After Thoreau is arrested for protesting an injustice, Emerson visits him in prison and says, ‘Henry, what are you doing in there?’ And Thoreau replies, ‘Ralph, what are you doing out there?’28/03/2024What does the “Asshole Saints” label mean? Do you think either of them deserve it?
Throughout the novel, villagers refer to both Haniya Daoud and Vincent Gilbert as “Asshole Saints.”29/03/2024Do you think Reine-Marie made the right decision regarding the hidden monkey symbolism? Why or why not?
In Reine-Marie’s work helping the Horton family catalogue their late mother’s belongings, she discovers hidden monkey symbolism everywhere. What begins as a quirky puzzle turns into a much darker discovery, and Reine-Marie must decide whether or not to share what she’s found with the family.30/03/2024The spirit of the Three Pines community
Identify a passage or scene that embraces the spirit of Three Pines in The Madness of Crowds. What does the phrase or scene mean to you? How does it inspire you?02/10/2024The humour of Louise Penny
What’s your favourite passage or scene that demonstrates Louise’s humour in The Madness of Crowds?03/10/2024An insight into human nature
Identify a passage or scene that demonstrates an insight into human nature in The Madness of Crowds. Discuss the quote or scene and what it means to you or how it has impacted you.04/10/2024A historical detail of interest
In The Madness of Crowds, did you pick up on any historical or geographical details of interest? Tell us about it and what you appreciated learning about in The Madness of Crowds.05/10/2024An enticing food moment
Tell us about your favourite food moment in The Madness of Crowds! Has the food in this book inspired you to try a new dish or bake/cook something new?06/10/2024Discussion of The Wisdom of Gamache phrase chosen by Louise Penny
Discuss The Wisdom of Gamache phrase chosen by Louise. What does this phrase mean to you? How does it inspire you?08/10/2024Detecting The Wisdom of Gamache
Sleuth work: The Wisdom of Gamache in The Madness of Crowds: Identify phrases in this book that embrace Gamache’s approach to life. ONLY comment with the phrase! Discussion of the selected phrase will take place next week after Louise reveals her phrase.01/10/2024
Characters are listed in alphabetical order. Any new additions will be listed on the bottom row, along with credit to the contributor.
*Note: New entries may take up to five minutes to appear.
Food mentioned in order of appearance. Any new additions will be listed on the bottom row, along with credit to the contributor.
*Note: New entries may take up to five minutes to appear.
Three Pines
Published on Book Club Friends with permission from Louise Penny.
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Want to know more about Ruth Zardo’s Poetry?
“I’m so happy I made, by some miracle, Ruth a poet. Again, contrast. The embittered elderly poet, with such insight into the human heart (sometimes filled with frost), and human condition. Later in the series, as you might know, we find out who hurt her once, ‘so far beyond repair…”
“I wish I could take credit for the poetry, but the fact is, the poetry is mostly from two works…Margaret Atwood’s Morning in the Burned House…and a privately published book by the late Marylyn Plessner.” ― Louise Penny
Louise also credits Leonard Cohen, Stevie Smith, Ralph Hodgson, Mike Freeman, Liz Davidson, Robert Service, and W.H. Auden for poetry quoted in her books.
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Lady Mink: A Sort of Requiem
&
God Be In My Head
by Marylyn Plessner
from Vapour Trails
Three Pines Poetry Sources
Morning in the Burned House
The Essential Leonard Cohen
All the Poems: Stevie Smith
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