The Complete Book of Questions: 1001 Conversation Starters for Any Occasion

I got this book to use for a discussion group of Mothers Of PreSchoolers, and found that it works for any group of people. To get familiar with it, I took it on a family vacation. We picked it up while waiting for a craft show to open and three generations of my family had a great time. Plenty of good questions for our ages, 34-82 years old. We enjoyed the book and each other's company and the time went by very quickly. I think it would even be good for my kids, as long as you pull only appropriate questions.

This book was recommended to me by some friends. I keep it on my coffee table and I can't tell you how many people will pick it up and start throwing out questions to others in the room. Not only does it get people talking but it also makes you think about what you might do in certain situations, what your thoughts are on various subjects, etc.

I initially planned to buy this book as a conversation starter. Thumbing through it, something interesting happened. I realized that the questions got me thinking about how I felt; before I knew it, I was learning some interesting things about MYSELF. Coming to terms with who you are and how you think/feel about certain things positions you to have meaningful discussions with others. Needless to say, I continue to enjoy Garry's book.

Question: Do we really need yet another "Book of Questions"?Answer: Definitely YES, if it's this one. This book has 1001 questions, but unlike other books, I feel it has a MUCH broader range of questions. To help you navigate, they've been divided into 10 categories - from Light & Easy (Do you squeeze the toothpaste tube or roll it? What's the advantage of your method?) and Preferences (What's your favorite ice cream brand and flavor?) to Hard-Hitting (What's one regret you live with?) and From the Heart (When was the last time you cried? Why?)Because of the broad range, there are questions that are great ice-breakers for use with strangers or mere acquaintances, as well as "deeper" questions that can be used with closer friends.I should mention the last 2 categories are "Spiritually Speaking" and "Extreme Spiritual Matters." A portion of these questions refer to parts of Christianity (i.e., what do you think of Jesus Christ?) but many of them are about religious beliefs, prayer, God, etc. in general...This book has sparked some great conversations and I've already had to buy extra copies for friends who wanted them.

As a discussion group facilitator, I am always trying to find new tools to help 'bring people out'. This new book by Garry Poole is terrific. He has 10 categories of 1001 questions useful for any group situation - including 'Light & Easy', 'Blast from the Past', and 'Spiritually Speaking'. It is similar to Jerry Jones' '201 Questions' - but offers a bit more for discussion organizers such as myself who could always use new ideas.