The Abstinence Teacher: A Novel (Reading Group Gold)

The Abstinence Teacher illuminates the powerful emotions that run beneath the placid surface of modern American family life and explores the complicated spiritual and sexual lives of ordinary people. It is elegantly and simply written characterized by the distinctive mix of satire and compassion that has become Tom Perrottas trademark. Stonewood Heights is the perfect place to raise children: its got good schools solid values and a healthy real estate market. Parents in the town are involved in their childrens lives and often in other childrens lives too―coaching sports driving carpool focusing on enriching experiences. Ruth Ramsey is the high school human sexuality teacher whose openness is not appreciated by all her students―or their parents. Her daughters soccer coach is Tim Mason a former stoner and rocker whose response to hitting rock bottom was to reach out and be saved. Tims introduction of Christianity on the playing field horrifies Ruth while his evangelical church sees a useful target in the loose-lipped sex ed teacher. But when these two adversaries in a small-town culture war actually talk to each other a surprising friendship begins to develop.. Perrotta is that rare combination: a satirist with heart….Those who havent curled up on the couch with this writers books are missing a very great pleasure.―Seattle Times. Tom Perrotta is a truth-telling unshowy chronicler of modern-day America.―The New York Times Book Review (in a front-page review)