Some Backlist Faves from Dave

Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perrotta

Tom Perrotta's tales of the underside of the suburban veneer never miss. His earlier work (Election, Little Children) are fine movies, but the books are much better.

Religious differences between a divorced mother and a reformed bad boy Evangelical play out in a girls' soccer league. Temptation, human frailty and redemption are in full flower here. Tom Perrotta is subtle, respectful, mischievous and just an all around peerless storyteller.




Deaf Sentence by David Lodge

David Lodge is as close to blue chip as modern novels get. His comedies of manners simply never miss. He has a veteran's eye for character and detail and a flair for dialogue.

Deaf Sentence involves a professor facing permanent hearing loss, a flagging libido and an elderly father newly back in his life.





You Remind Me of Me by Dan Chaon

For someone who just wants to read something like the early John Irving all over again, Dan Chaon fits the bill very well.

The novel centers around two young men who cross paths in the American mid-West and discover a history from birth.

Chaon writes beautiful sentences and has absolute empathy for his characters. I'll read everything he writes.



Dave