Tom Perrotta

A glimpse into parallel lives in a suburban town Tom Perrotta has made recognizably his in novels like ELECTION, LITTLE CHILDREN and this fall's THE LEFTOVERS. Clay wouldn't have said his life was defined by his place on the high school football team's roster, but when he's sidelined by injury, everything, including his sense of self, seems different. And, it's not just that his concussion was bad enough to cause his parents and doctors to worry,...

The new collection from the New York Times bestselling author of The Leftovers and Little Children, featuring stories focusing on Perrotta's familiar suburban nuclear families… Tom Perrotta's first book, Bad Haircut, consisted of linked stories featuring a shared protagonist. Now, nineteen years later, he has written and compiled his first true short story collection. This twelve story book features a group set in Perrotta's trademark suburban setting,...

What would happen if The Rapture actually took place and millions of people just disappeared from the earth? How would normal people respond? The residents of Mapleton use a variety of coping mechanisms in this thought-provoking novel about love, connection, and loss.

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...

Presents twenty of the best works of short fiction of the past year from a variety of acclaimed sources.

Sarah Pierce is a new stay at home mom struggling with the solitude of her new role. Spending every moment with a three year old tests the patience of the one-time English scholar. One day, at a local playground, she interacts with a group of moms and the differences are clear. They embrace motherhood and seem to relish all that their new role brings. One day, Brad, a stay at home dad brings his son to the playground. Sarah is amazed to find these...