Ladder of Years cover

Ladder of Years

by Anne Tyler

FORTY YEAR OLD DELIA GRINSTEAD IS LAST SEEN STROLLING DOWN THE DELAWARE SHORE, WEARING NOTHING MORE THAN A BATHING SUIT AND CARRYING A BEACH TOTE WITH FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS TUCKED INSIDE. TO HER HUSBAND AND THREE ALMOST GROWN CHILDREN SHE HAS VANISHED WITHOUT A TRACE OR REASON. BUT FOR DELIA, WHO FEELS LIKE A TINY GNAT BUZZING AROUND HER FAMILY'S EDGES WALKING AWAY FROM IT ALL IS NOT A PREMEDIATED ACT BUT AN IMPULSE THAT WILL LEAD HER INTO A NEW, EXCITING AND UNIMAGINED LIFE.

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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?