The Miles (29 page)

1.
Liam admits to himself that he had felt lost prior to joining Fast Trackers and hopes the club will give him a sense of purpose. How is that sense of purpose defined—fitness, competitive focus, love, or something less tangible? Does joining the club get him there, and, if so, how? Do you get the sense, by the end of the book, that Liam has found what he is searching for?

2.
Throughout
The Miles,
Liam intimates at what running has done for him and how it has changed the shape of his life. In what ways is running a metaphor for the journeys and the purpose that one seeks in life, and where does that journey lead Liam and the running club in this novel?

3.
Monroe and Liam have a best friends' relationship that seems, at times, to border on flirtation and romantic love. As a result, Monroe has a natural jealousy over Liam's relationship to Fast Trackers. What does this jealousy say about their relationship, about the nature of gay male friendship, and about human nature, more generally?

4.
When Liam brings Monroe into his family life, there appears to be a huge disconnect between what his family offers and what Liam feels in return. What tension is at play between Liam and his family, and what do religion, suburbia, and his upbringing symbolize to Liam? What does New York City represent to Liam, and what has city life offered him that is in contrast to all that came before?

5.
What does the finish line represent in
The Miles
? Discuss the various people whom Liam clashes into at the literal finish lines that thread their way through this novel and what each of those instances represents. There is also the ending of the book, which is entitled “The Finish Line”—how has Liam changed from the first finish line in the book to this last one? In both the start and end of the book, Liam is on the outside looking in at the club. Discuss what has changed in terms of Liam as a character, the club as an entity, and the other main characters in the book.

6.
The members at the “inner circle” of the club seem to belittle Gene and talk a lot behind his back. Liam reflects in the book that circles of friends need to have one of their members on the periphery as an outsider to poke fun at. Do you think this is, in fact, true? And if so, is it unique to gay male culture or a truth in any social grouping? Can making fun of friends help groups bond and bring people together and, if so, in what ways?

7.
From the outset of the novel, Didier personifies the un-gettable object that Liam can't stop thinking about or pursuing. Why is it so important to Liam to chase someone who appears so unattainable? Does Liam ever, in fact, “get” Didier? What do you think transpired in their relationship, and do you think it changed Liam? If so, how?

8.
Much of
The Miles
is concerned with effecting change in one's life and moving things forward—running miles, racing faster, finding love, becoming a stronger person. On a literal basis, Riser embodies that transformation most completely. Do you think that his story line is a cautionary tale of these impulses taken to an extreme, or does he represent something different? Do you think that the members of Fast Trackers did all that good friends could do to help him?

9.
Monroe and Gary both function, at different times and in different ways throughout the novel, as father figures to Liam. What does Liam get out of these relationships and what do Monroe and Gary get out of their respective friendships with Liam? How do the relationships differ from one another, and is it significant that these two men end up together? If so, why?

10.
Fast-forward a year in time. Which of the relationships in the book do you think will be stronger, and which do you think may end? Focus specifically on Gary and Monroe; Monroe and Liam; and the “Four Musketeers” of Liam, Gary, Zane, and Mitch.