Mama's bank account cover

Mama's bank account

by Kathryn Forbes

This story about a Norwegian immigrant family, set in early twentieth century San Francisco, is a refreshing account of children growing up in a closely-knit extended family, with parents who impart strong values by example. Each chapter reads like a short story, but the book is a unified whole narrated by the eldest daughter, who is the author of this tribute to her mother. (The plot is the basis of the play and screenplay I Remember Mama by John Van Druten.)

Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?