The Third Gilmore Girl: A Memoir

1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• Using only three words, summarize the impact The Third Gilmore Girl had on you as a reader.
• Summarize the key life lessons Kelly Bishop conveys in her memoir. What, if anything, did you find most inspirational about her story?
• Discuss what you liked most and least about The Third Gilmore Girl. Did the memoir meet your expectations?
• Bishop clarifies that while she craved a life of creative expression, she believed fame was “hardly worth the price of forfeiting your fun and your happiness” (201). Contrast The Third Gilmore Girl with the memoir of a high-profile celebrity such as Matthew Perry’s Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing or The Woman in Me by Britney Spears. How does the comparison highlight the pressures of stardom?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• Bishop describes the profound impact on her when her mom asserted that, instead of being pretty, she would “be very different […] dramatic. And […] have a lot of flair” (31). Did a remark or incident during your own childhood have a similarly formative effect on you?
• The author details many challenging aspects of her life, including her emotionally abusive father, a series of disastrous romantic relationships, her decision to terminate an unplanned pregnancy, and her experience of grief and loss.