The Abstinence Teacher

A Novel

By: Tom Perrotta

Narrated by: Campbell Scott

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 Perrotta's trademark.

Stonewood Heights is the perfect place to raise children: it's got good schools, solid values and a healthy real estate market. Parents in the town are involved in their children's lives, and often in other children's 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 daughter's soccer coach is Tim Mason, a former stoner and rocker whose response to hitting rock bottom was to reach out and be saved. Tim's 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 haven't curled up on the couch with this writer's 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)

©2007 Tom Perrotta (P)2007 Audio Renaissance, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishers LLC

Critic reviews

“Perrotta is that rare combination: a satirist with heart….Those who haven't curled up on the couch with this writer's 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

“Ruefully humorous and tenderly understanding of human folly: the most mature, accomplished work yet from this deservedly bestselling author.” —Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)

Same and Better

If you've read "Little Children" you'll recognize both the form and the content of this book -- but we can forgive the safety of repetition (or the obsessiveness of it) when the works become fuller and truer as they go. And this one does.
If you are ambivalent (or negative) about religion, you'll find the story scratches your itch nicely without being so insulting to the practice that you feel guilty about feeling good. It comes close or course, but Perrota cleverly side steps any sense of lynching by making all of his characters (pro and anti) equally imperfect and tricky to love.

Also Campbell Scott's voice is a huge turn on.

Terrible narration

The story is fine; Perrotta has a knack for great stories. The narrator is trash. Monotonous, boring, disinterested… and you can sometimes hear him inhale or swallow saliva.

Tom Perota is an excellent wordsmith

I really enjoyed the book however The ending felt like a cop out. Nothing was accomplished or resolved. It was however an entertaining way to spend a few hours.

mildly controversial

Two adults struggling with their respective beliefs: The sober drug addict Tim doubts his savior, Jesus, and down to earth, single-mom Ruth is confronted with her teenage daughter's interest in religion and church. Current non-liberal religious tendencies in North America are displayed as well as the typical suburban life.

Perrotta avoids any judgement. He uses a flashlight instead of putting this sensitive subject in the limelight. This approach makes it an easy read. Supporting characters are sometimes cliched but the main characters are well developed and likable.

Excellent narration.

interesting characters

great story, love the depth of character, did not like the ending. wish there would have been more clarity for Reese and Tim, as well as Tim and Carrie

Wonderful reader/ performer

Campbell Scott is a wonderful, subtle, intelligent actor. He alters his voice just enough to bring the characters alive, without ever overdoing it. I loved the novel, but I think Mr Scott is an inspired actor/reader
Annick

Horrible Audio, Great Book

The reader for this audio book is appalling, but the book itself is very good. I read it once before, but I wanted the audio for gym and house cleaning use. I would recommend the book, but definitely not the audio edition.

Not for everyone!

This is a story that is not for everyone. It's well written and I liked how the characters interacted, influenced one another, and evolved. But the parts dealing with the ultra-conservative religious folks were sheer torture for me. And the narrator's voice is so soft and monotoned as to evoke drowsiness. I would have liked a narrator with more variety of tone and voice.

Left me unsatisfied

I thought this book would be interesting contrast between characters with different values. There was minimal development of the characters. The ending was sudden, and left me unsatisfied. Not what I expected.

I'll never do Perrotta again

The book kept me interested the entire time because I was hoping the characters' lives would improve. However, the book stopped suddenly and the characters are worse off at the end than the beginning. I will never do Perrotta again because the end left me feeling like I had wasted my time.