Questions for Discussion

1. Elizabeth felt she had to go to Italy to rediscover who she was. Do you agree with her? Could she have learned the same things about herself and relationships by staying in Cambridge?

2. What challenges did Elizabeth take with her when she relocated to Italy?

3. Why do you think the book was called Off the Autostrada?

4. How was the car used as a metaphor in her dreams and in her everyday life?

5. What do you think will happen to Marco and Elizabeth next? Will they be able to have a relationship that is trusting and intimate? Why do you think so?

6. Did you like Elizabeth’s character in the beginning of the story? Was she a survivor or was she just acting out?

7. Did you ever change your opinion of Elizabeth? If so, when?

8. Do you think Elizabeth and Cola were suited for one another? Do you agree that a relationship would have worked for them if they were both single when they reached their forties? top

Frequently Asked Questions

How autobiographical is Off the Autostrada?
Everything a writer writes is somewhat autobiographical, and I used many of my life situations to create obstacles for Elizabeth. However, Elizabeth is quite fictional. I created the character when I was writing a column for the Bolton Common. There, Elizabeth’s name was Flossie Quattlebaum, and many of her experiences were based quite loosely on what was going on in my life. Both Elizabeth and Flossie are much more outrageous and daring than I am. They have a lot more fun and a lot more heartache. In contrast to their lives, mine is really quite boring.

Is the setting a real place in Italy?
I like to think of the locales in the book as separate characters in their own right. Santa Caterina is not a real place, but I have based some of its descriptions on Castelli that I have visited. Hooker Highway is also very real. There are many of these highways in the back roads of Italy where prostitutes work.

Are the characters real?
No. All of the characters are imaginary. I have used many parts of many people I know to create the personalities of the characters who are in the novel. top