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Every book Tom Perrotta recommended on podcasts
Tom Perrotta appeared on The Book Review podcast to discuss the evolution of his literary characters, his writing process, and his specific recommendations for contemporary fiction. During the discussion, Perrotta strongly advised readers to pick up Kate Atkinson's novel Life After Life before diving into its companion book, A God in Ruins, recommending that the former be read first to fully appreciate the literary experience. Alongside these recommendations, Perrotta reflected extensively on his own bibliography, tracing the journey of his famous character Tracy Flick from his earlier novel Election to his later standalone sequel, Tracy Flick Can't Win. He noted how the original novel and its film adaptation initially framed Tracy as a villain viewed through a specific cultural lens, whereas the sequel reimagines her as an introspective, middle-aged woman navigating life during the middle of the MeToo reckoning. Perrotta also compared his narrative approaches, discussing how he maintained a polyphonic, multi-narrator oral history style across different projects to examine the complex inner lives of his characters at varying stages of their personal and professional journeys.
Books recommended by Tom Perrotta
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A god in ruins
A god in ruins by Kate Atkinson is a companion novel and sequel to Life After Life, following the life of Teddy Todd during and after the London World War II Blitz era.
Recommended“I would seriously recommend reading Life After Life before reading a God in Ruins”
Where to get it
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Life After Life
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson is a celebrated novel that follows protagonist Ursula Todd as she repeatedly dies and is reborn across different eras of the twentieth century, most notably the Second World War.
Discussed“so the book is a companion book to Life After Life which is acting 's Masterpiece”
Where to get it
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Election
Election by Tom Perrotta is a satirical novel about high school politics, ambition, and the messy realities of adolescent and adult life.
Discussed“but the the other big change I think and this this is where the book actually begins is that people who have read election will know that Tracy had a sexual relationship with a high school teacher and in the book election and movie election she doesn't seem to have a lot of regrets”
Where to get it
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Leaving the Atocha Station
Leaving the Atocha Station by Ben Lerner is a critically acclaimed contemporary novel that follows an American poetry fellow in Madrid as he navigates art, language, alienation, and the aftermath of the 2004 Madrid train bombings.
Discussed“I'm thinking of books like Carl oen asgard's uh my struggle I'm thinking of Jenny alul Department of speculation Ben learner leaving the Atocha station books with a single narrator”
Where to get it
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My Struggle
My Struggle by Karl Ove Knausgård, translated by Don Bartlett, is a monumental six-volume autofictional masterwork that meticulously details the ordinary details, emotional triumphs, and domestic struggles of the author's everyday life.
Discussed“I'm thinking of books like Carl oen asgard's uh my struggle I'm thinking of Jenny alul Department of speculation Ben learner leaving the Atocha station books with a single narrator”
Where to get it
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Tracy Flick Can't Win
Tracy Flick Can't Win by Tom Perrotta is a satirical novel that catches up with the famously ambitious protagonist of Election as she navigates the complexities of middle age and professional stagnation.
Discussed“but when Tracy flick can't win starts it's right in the middle of the me too Reckoning and she's reading a lot of stories in the paper about women who who were taken advantage of by Bosses and mentors and teachers”
Where to get it
Books Tom Perrotta wrote
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Perrotta on the Return of Tracy Flick | The Book Review | 2024-07-18 | 6 |
| Inside The New York Times Book Review: ‘A God in Ruins’ | The Book Review | 2024-07-18 | 8 |