Election

A brilliantly funny novel from the author of ‘The Abstinence Teacher’ and ‘Little Children’, made into an acclaimed film starring Reece Witherspoon and Matthew Broderick.

Tracy Flick wants to be president of Winwood High. She’s one of those ambitious girls who finds time to do it all: edit the yearbook, star in the school musical, sleep with her English teacher. Staunch idealist, Jim McAllister (aka ‘Mr M’) thinks the students deserve better. So he persuades Paul Warren – a well-liked, good-hearted jock – to run as well. But that puts Paul’s sister, Tammy, in a snit. So she runs too, on an apathy platform – before starting a real campaign…to get herself kicked out of school.

The idea was to educate the students of this suburban New Jersey school in the democratic process and the American way. But with all the sex scandals, smear campaigns and behind-the-scenes powerbrokers at Winwood High, it doesn’t look as if they need any lessons…

Reviews

‘As J D Salinger most expertly showed, a certain kind of wit – honest, nervous and brave – often offers the only shield, however flimsy, against the true heart of adolescence. Perrotta captures this humour…“Election” provides those gratifyingly exact and telling portraits of the kids themselves. Solid plotting will guarentee that the reader really does want to learn who wins when the ballots are finally counted.’ New York Times Book Review

‘Captures the texture of high-school life in a refreshingly unromantic way’. Time Out New York

‘A neatly written, nimble-witted novel…a good-natured John Irvingesque portrait of the contemporary world…seamless storytelling.’ Washington Post

‘A darkly comic and winning novel.’ San Francisco Chronicle

About the author

Tom Perrotta is the author of several works of fiction, including ‘Little Children’, ‘Joe College’ and ‘Election’. He lives outside Boston, Massachusetts.