The Abstinence Teacher
| Price: |
$29.99 |
| On Sale: |
29/02/2008 |
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Formats:
Trade Paperback
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Ruth Ramsey went too far. She hadn′t noticed the changing climate. A Sex Ed teacher "championing" oral sex!? Not now‚ not in this America...
Cherished by her high school pupils as someone who′d tell it straight‚ after one innocent classroom indiscretion Ruth suddenly finds the curriculum she has taught for nigh on 15 years worryingly out of vogue. It seems these days the kids no longer need teaching; they need telling. As the scandal flares up and attracts the unwelcome eye of the local evangelical Church‚ the appeasing high−school principal forces her into advocating a pro−abstinence agenda in the classroom that is at odds with all conventional wisdom. Jaded though she is by her recent divorce and fruitless search for a new love‚ she is not yet ready to kneel at the altar of sophistry − if common sense is to be sacrificed to Puritanism‚ she won′t let it pass without a fight.
On the other hand‚ it is a syllabus change which Tim Mason‚ recovering addict‚ local football coach‚ and recent convert to the same plaintiff Church‚ should consider a victory. But his new found faith is constantly put to the test by the temptations of his former wayward life‚ forcing him into grand‚ defensive statements of purpose. When he makes the gesture of leading his football team in prayer after a hard−fought victory‚ in which Ruth′s daughter Maggie starred‚ he manages not only to incur the wrathful attention of her mother‚ but to cement his position as the star evangelist of his church − an office he is none too sure about occupying.
′The Abstinence Teacher′ is a cutting portrayal of modern America and the influence of the Christian right from the acclaimed‚ bestselling author of ′Election′ and ′Little Children′. Scathing‚ witty and brilliantly observed‚ it will doubtless confirm Perrotta′s standing as one of the finest chroniclers of American life.
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Critical Praise for
The Abstinence Teacher
Praise for his previous books: ‘Suspenseful, ruefully funny and ultimately generous… an American Chekhov whose characters even at their most ridiculous seem blessed and ennobled by a luminous human aura.’ New York Times ‘Perrotta is like an American Nick Hornby: companionable and humane, lighthearted and surprisingly touching.’ Newsweek ‘Unalloyed reading pleasure…most readers will probably end up standing at the footlights, hooting for an encore.’ New York Times
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Reader Reviews from First Look
As always, Tom Perrotta displays an uncanny ability to create full-bodied characters that feel less like characters in a book and more like vivid reflections of people that we all know. ... With deft hand and satirical eye, Perrotta handles his subject matter with precision, and even when dealing with a topic as divisive as religion, he manages to present different perspectives with supremely delicate touch.
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Tracey (Carindale, QLD)
As always, Tom Perrotta displays an uncanny ability to create full-bodied characters that feel less like characters in a book and more like vivid reflections of people that we all know. ... With deft hand and satirical eye, Perrotta handles his subject matter with precision, and even when dealing with a topic as divisive as religion, he manages to present different perspectives with supremely delicate touch.
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Tracey (Carindale, QLD)
[a] sharp and humorous exploration of a community and it’s values. ... His affection for the suburbs torn asunder politely yet viciously by class and moral values is always apparent, and gives the book true heart in what could in lesser hands be a cheap attack on an easy target. ...The Abstinence Teacher is a fantastically funny and smart read.
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Dion (Oakdale, NSW)
Not just a satire exploring the insidious influence on society of the religious right, but also a ruthlessly funny snapshot of a group of people just like you and me, achingly normal, trying to be happy, trying in different ways to wring a sense of fulfilment and meaningfulness out of their less than fairy-tale lives.
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Marion (Thora, NSW)
Tom Perrotta has written a funny, light-hearted but touching story. This book will delight those of you who struggle with what some do for their faith.
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Michelle (Moana, SA)
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