What would you do if you found a bunch of old love letters? Would you try to locate the family and return the letters? Do you think you would take it any further?
What do you think the author must have encountered during her eleven-year journey to turn these love letters into a book?
Can you share any family experiences where you might be in possession of love letters from a relative? Have you read them? If not, why?
When was the last time you received an actual written letter? Do you think the art of letter writing has changed, or even evaporated today? Do you secretly wish there was no other way to communicate other than letters and the telephone?
With no other way to communicate, Donald and Mardy had to wait for weeks to discover news about each other. Who do you think this was especially hard on, Donald or Mardy, and why?
How do you feel about the progression of Donald and Mardy’s love story? Do you think their relationship was fast-tracked because of the war?
From your reading, what do you think were the biggest sacrifices Donald and Mardy had to make for the war effort besides being separated from each other?
How do you think Mardy handled being essentially a single-parent for the first few years of their baby’s life? Why do you think it was important for her to keep working during the first few months of her pregnancy?
How do you think Mardy felt living with her parents while Donald was away?
What did you think of Donald’s constant declarations of love for Mardy? Was he too lovesick, or possessive of her? How do you think Mardy felt about this? Do you think this was a common occurrence for servicemen at that time?
Donald was unable to tell Mardy exactly where he was or what he was doing combat-wise because of the censors. How good do you think he was at giving her hints as to what was going-on, and do you think if he could, he would have told her or spared her the details to protect her?
Have you seen any of the movies Donald and Mardy mentioned in their letters and if so which ones and what was your take on them? How has movie making changed over the years from the seeming innocent to the anything-goes? Which do you prefer?
Many of you may be familiar with Donald and Mardy’s song: As Time Goes By. Why do you think they chose this particular song as their own? What do the lyrics mean and how do they fit in with this time in our history?
What emotions were brought forth in you while you were reading these love letters? Can you talk about a loving relationship in your life, whether it is parents, grandparents, or even your own?
Despite all the obstacles in their way, Donald and Mardy’s love story survived all the way through to their deaths. Why do you think this is so? How does this speak to their personalities and will to keep their relationship alive during such a tumultuous time?