The Abstinence Teacher

A Novel

De: Tom Perrotta

Narrado por: 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

Reseñas de la Crítica

“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)

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.

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.

now what?

I really enjoyed the story, and I love that this author isn't afraid to make his characters human and flawed. I was just so disappointedthat the story just stopped so abruptly in the middle.

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.

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