{"product_id":"abstinence-teacher-9780312363543","title":"Abstinence Teacher","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Abstinence Teacher\u003c\/i\u003e 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. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eStonewood 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. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \"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.\"--\u003ci\u003eSeattle\u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003e Times\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"Tom Perrotta is a truth-telling, unshowy chronicler of modern-day America.\"--\u003ci\u003eThe New\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci\u003eYork Times Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e (in a front-page review)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTom Perrotta\u003c\/b\u003e is the author of several works of fiction\u003ci\u003e: Bad Haircut\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Wishbones, Election\u003c\/i\u003e, and the \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling \u003ci\u003eJoe College\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eLittle Children\u003c\/i\u003e. \u003ci\u003eElection and Little Children\u003c\/i\u003e were made into critically acclaimed movies. \u003ci\u003eThe Leftovers \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eMrs. Fletcher\u003c\/i\u003e were both adapted into HBO series. He lives outside of Boston.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"St. Martin's Griffin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50543546073362,"sku":"9780312363543","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_e0eaae0d-3080-462c-8fea-f5e0781592e3.jpg?v=1731511206","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/abstinence-teacher-9780312363543","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}