The One & Only

The One & Only

by Emily Giffin

432 pages· 2014· ISBN 9780345546890

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About
In her eagerly awaited new novel, beloved New York Times bestselling author Emily Giffin returns with an extraordinary story of love and loyalty—and an unconventional heroine struggling to reconcile both.

Thirty-three-year-old Shea Rigsby has spent her entire life in Walker, Texas—a small college town that lives and dies by football, a passion she unabashedly shares. Raised alongside her best friend, Lucy, the daughter of Walker’s legendary head coach, Clive Carr, Shea was too devoted to her hometown team to leave. Instead she stayed in Walker for college, even taking a job in the university athletic department after graduation, where she has remained for more than a decade.

But when an unexpected tragedy strikes the tight-knit Walker community, Shea’s comfortable world is upended, and she begins to wonder if the life she’s chosen is really enough for her. As she finally gives up her safety net to set out on an unexpected path, Shea discovers unsettling truths about the people and things she has always trusted most—and is forced to confront her deepest desires, fears, and secrets.

Thoughtful, funny, and brilliantly observed, The One & Only is a luminous novel about finding your passion, following your heart, and, most of all, believing in something bigger than yourself . . . the one and only thing that truly makes life worth living.

Discussion questions for The One & Only

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  1. 1

    Shea's identity is deeply intertwined with Walker, Texas, and its beloved college football team. How does this strong sense of place and passion shape her early life, and what happens when that foundation begins to inevitably shift?

  2. 2

    The description refers to Shea as an "unconventional heroine." In what ways did you find Shea to defy typical expectations, and how did her unique perspective influence your understanding of the forms love and loyalty can take?

  3. 3

    When an unexpected tragedy strikes, Shea's comfortable world is upended, prompting her to question her life choices. Have you ever experienced a similar moment where a significant event compelled you to re-evaluate your own path or safety net?

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