Reading Questions for Other People's Rejection Letters
Warning: May contain spoilers
Photo: Ben Goldstein/Studio D
1. The author references his first rejection. What was your first rejection? How did it change you?
2. A lot of people contributed letters to this book. Why do you think they were willing to do that? What do you think you would get out of sharing a rejection with the world?
3. What's the most difficult rejection you've ever experienced? What made it so hard? How has your understanding of the experience changed over the years?
4. Which letter in the book resonated most with you? Why?
5. Which of the book's letters would you least like to receive? Or most like to write?
6. Jimi Hendrix was rejected by the Army and went on to become a rock star. What rejections have worked out well for you?
7. How does failure help us to succeed?
8. What decisions have you made because you were afraid of rejection? How has fear of rejection affected your life?
9. In the book, NASA writes a letter rejecting a prospective astronaut for the 15th time. He kept trying and is now an astronaut. What has rejection taught you about perseverance?
10. What rejection letters do you wish you had written in your life?
11. In the book, Eleanor Roosevelt sends a rejection letter to the Daughters of the American Revolution, castigating them for their terrible treatment of African American singer Marian Anderson. What group or cause would you like to reject?
12. What's the most difficult rejection you've ever experienced? What made it so hard? How has your understanding of the experience changed over the years?
13. In thinking about his own fear of rejection, the author wonders what his life would have been like if he had taken more chances. What decisions have you made because you were afraid of rejection? How has fear of rejection affected your life?
14. Has this book given you perspective on your life that you find useful? What ideas are you likely to take or apply from it?
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2. A lot of people contributed letters to this book. Why do you think they were willing to do that? What do you think you would get out of sharing a rejection with the world?
3. What's the most difficult rejection you've ever experienced? What made it so hard? How has your understanding of the experience changed over the years?
4. Which letter in the book resonated most with you? Why?
5. Which of the book's letters would you least like to receive? Or most like to write?
6. Jimi Hendrix was rejected by the Army and went on to become a rock star. What rejections have worked out well for you?
7. How does failure help us to succeed?
8. What decisions have you made because you were afraid of rejection? How has fear of rejection affected your life?
9. In the book, NASA writes a letter rejecting a prospective astronaut for the 15th time. He kept trying and is now an astronaut. What has rejection taught you about perseverance?
10. What rejection letters do you wish you had written in your life?
11. In the book, Eleanor Roosevelt sends a rejection letter to the Daughters of the American Revolution, castigating them for their terrible treatment of African American singer Marian Anderson. What group or cause would you like to reject?
12. What's the most difficult rejection you've ever experienced? What made it so hard? How has your understanding of the experience changed over the years?
13. In thinking about his own fear of rejection, the author wonders what his life would have been like if he had taken more chances. What decisions have you made because you were afraid of rejection? How has fear of rejection affected your life?
14. Has this book given you perspective on your life that you find useful? What ideas are you likely to take or apply from it?
Read O's review
Get more reading guides
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