Chapters (25)

7. Why is Judy so determined to forge a friendship with Ruth, and why do her attempts fail so miserably?

8. Annie describes Nora as being both delicate and strong: “It was as if the soul of a cat had found its way into the body of a cow” (46). But in times of crisis, such as when the group finds Mrs. Barnacle’s body, Nora’s brave side always wins out. What makes Nora so courageous? Why does Rajiv admire her courage so much?

9. Why does Alvin have such a hard time fitting in? What motivates him to steal?

10. How would you characterize the short excerpts from Ruth’s romance writing that appear in The Perfect Man? What purpose do they serve in the novel?

11. Annie is drawn to both Raj and Lew with an intensity that makes her jealous of their close bond with each other. Which one does she ultimately choose to spend her life with, and what is this decision based on? Why does she have such a hard time picking a name for Baby?

12. As a grown man, Raj recalls that when he was young, he dreamed of being one of Ruth’s characters: “Brutally powerful, morbidly sensitive, he was the perfect man.” Why would Raj aspire to this, and how close does he come to achieving his goal? Why do you think the novel is titled The Perfect Man?

13. In a letter to his brother Gerard, Oliver Travers writes that “transformation is just a fantasy, like Ruth’s romances…” Is Oliver right? Which characters, if any, in this novel reveal themselves to be capable of real and fundamental transformation? Which, if any, are shown to be incapable of such change?

14. Which characters in The Perfect Man have a true moral compass? Which are the most despicable and why? Which are the most honorable and why?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Naeem Murr’s previous novels are The Boy (a New York Times Notable Book) and The Genius of the Sea. A recipient of numerous awards and scholarships for his writing, he has published a number of prize-winning stories, novellas, and nonfiction pieces in literary journals. He was a Stanford University Creative Writing Fellow and was recently awarded a Lannan Residency Fellowship. He has been a writer-in-residence at the University of Missouri, Western Michigan University, and Northwestern University. Born and raised in London, he has lived in America since his early twenties and currently resides in Chicago. Visit the author’s website at www.naeemmurr.com.

ALSO BY NAEEM MURR

The Boy

The Genius of the Sea

COPYRIGHT

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

A Random House Trade Paperback Original