GenX Journeys

GenX Book Club: The Celebrants by Steven Rowley


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The GenX Book Club is back! Paul, Del, and Suzanne reunite to discuss The Celebrants β€” a touching, funny, and deeply relatable novel about lifelong friendship, midlife rediscovery, and the pact to celebrate each other before it's too late.

In this episode, the crew dives into the book's themes of connection, mortality, and resilience β€” and why it feels especially relevant to Generation X. Along the way, they share laughs, personal stories, and a few tangents (including Paul's triumphant Marine Corps Marathon finish πŸ…).

πŸ“š About the Book: After the sudden death of a college friend, five classmates make a pact: whenever one of them feels lost, the others will gather for a "living funeral" to remind them how much their life still matters. Years later, as they hit their 50s, the group reunites again β€” proving that it's never too late to reconnect, forgive, and start over.

πŸ’¬ In This Episode:

  • The unique premise of "living funerals" β€” and why it hit home for Gen X

  • What the book says about friendship and second chances

  • Our favorite scenes (no major spoilers!)

  • The power of celebrating people while they're still here

  • How The Celebrants could make a perfect Netflix series

  • A few side trips: marathons, reunions, and even Ouija boards πŸ‘»

More from the GenX Book Club Crew

πŸ“– Suzanne Mattaboni (Author of Once in a Lifetime) πŸ”Ή Get her book anywhere books are sold, including Kindle Unlimited and onceinalifetimenovel.com πŸ”Ή Visit her at suzannemattaboni.com πŸ”Ή Follow Suzanne:

  • πŸ“· Instagram: @suzannemattaboni80s
  • 🐦 X: @suzmattaboni
  • πŸ“˜ Facebook: Suzanne Mattaboni

πŸŽ™οΈ Del Roehling (Host of 80s at 8 on 91.1 WEDM FM) πŸ”Ή Tune in to 80s at 8 for all your favorite throwback tunes πŸ”Ή Get your daily dose of '80s news on the 80s at 8 Facebook page

πŸ’‘ Connect with GenX Journeys

🌎 Website: GenXJourneys.net πŸ“© Email: [email protected] πŸ“Ί YouTube: @GenXJourneys πŸ“· Instagram: @GenXJourneys 🐦 Twitter/X: @Returntothe80s πŸ“˜ Facebook: GenX Journeys πŸŽ₯ TikTok: @GenXJourneys

🎧 Subscribe to the GenX Journeys Podcast on: βœ… Apple Podcasts βœ… Spotify βœ… iHeartRadio βœ… Podbean βœ… PlayerFM

πŸ’‘ Whether you're a die-hard '80s fan, a nostalgia lover, or just someone who enjoys a great book club discussion, this episode is packed with fun, wisdom, and plenty of throwback vibes.

πŸ“’ Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and share with fellow GenXers!

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GenX JourneysBy Paul Stroessner

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