The Leftovers is another fast, quirky walk through disaffected suburbia from author Tom Perrotta. In this book, the world is thrown into chaos when -- suddenly, and with no explanation -- millions of people vanish into thin air. One minute Nora's family of four is sitting down to dinner, and the next she is left sitting along at the table, her husband and two children gone. The event is dubbed "The Sudden Departure" and is compared to the Rapture -- however, many Christians are shaken by the fact that this particular Rapture was not the one they had predicted. Muslims, Jews, Unitarians, and even good old-fashioned heathens are among those taken, leaving those "left behind" feeling lost and confused about how to manipulate what remains of their lives.
As with his previous novels, Perrotta gives us a handful of interrelated storylines and lets us watch as the characters stumble their way in and out of one another's lives. I really enjoyed this book; I thought the concept was creative and the curveballs thrown in at the end kept me on my toes. I would recommend The Leftovers to fans of contemporary literary fiction.
P.J. O'Rourke advises "Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it."
Let Galesburg Public Library staff and friends guide you in finding those books.
I listened to a fascinating podcast interview with Perotta regarding this book. Highlights and a link to the audio can be found here:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.npr.org/2011/08/25/139761867/after-the-rapture-who-are-the-leftovers