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Election Paperback – January 1, 1998

by Tom Perrotta (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars 835 ratings
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From the New York Times bestselling author of The Leftovers and Tracy Flick Can't Win comes a darkly hilarious novel about a high school election that brings out the worst in everyone—the basis for the film starring Reese Witherspoon!

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 musical, sleep with her English teacher. But another 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 throw in his hat. 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 at 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 power brokers at Winwood High, it doesn’t look as if they need any lessons....
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  1. Print length
    224 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    January 1, 1998
  4. Dimensions
    5.13 x 0.56 x 7.95 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    0425167283
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0425167281
  7. Lexile measure
    870L
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“[A] darkly comic and winning novel.”—San Francisco Chronicle

“Funny, sad, realistic, irreverent, and very readable.”—Library Journal

“Captures the texture of high-school life in a refreshing manner.”—Time Out New York

“Exceedingly funny...sharp observation...a delight.”—The Clevland Plain Dealer

“A neatly written, nimble-witted novel...a good-natured, John Irvingesque portrait of the contemporary world...seamless storytelling.”—The Washington Post

“Perotta is that rare writer equally gifted at drawing people's emotional maps...and creating sidesplitting scenes.”—People

“An American Chekhov.”—The New York Times Book Review

About the Author

Tom Perrotta is the bestselling author of ten works of fiction, including Election and Little Children, both of which were made into critically acclaimed movies, and The Leftovers and Mrs. Fletcher, which were adapted into HBO series. He lives outside Boston.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley (January 1, 1998)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0425167283
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0425167281
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 870L
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 6.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.13 x 0.56 x 7.95 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 835 ratings

About the author

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Tom Perrotta

Tom Perrotta

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Thomas R. Perrotta (born August 13, 1961) is an American novelist and screenwriter best known for his novels Election (1998) and Little Children (2004), both of which were made into critically acclaimed, Academy Award-nominated films. Perrotta co-wrote the screenplay for the 2006 film version of Little Children with Todd Field, for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. He is also known for his novel The Leftovers (2011), which has been adapted into a TV series on HBO.

Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
835 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book enjoyable and appreciate its well-written, masterfully paced narrative. The characters are well-developed, and one customer notes how they "jump off the page." They like the humor, with one review highlighting its hilarious depiction of high school. The story quality receives mixed reactions from customers.

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16 customers mention "Enjoyment"16 positive0 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable and fun to read, with several mentioning they loved the movie adaptation. One customer notes it's a nice complement to the movie.

"...Election" is truly a great achievement. Do yourself a favor: read the novel and see the movie...." Read more

"...It was so enjoyable! I love the dynamic characters and the different perspectives that take you through the story...." Read more

"...This is a great book, and a quick read. You'll find yourself wanting to read or reread his previous books, "The Wishbones," and "Bad Haircut." Read more

"...school, or is in high school, and wants to see a more realistic, absolutely hilarious depiction of high school...." Read more

14 customers mention "Pacing"14 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's pacing, describing it as a well-written, clean, and quick read with a hopping pace.

"Who would ever think that such a modest novel, and such a quick read, could be such a truly great piece of literature?..." Read more

"...I think "Election" is one of those very quick reads that anyone can enjoy...." Read more

"...But there's plenty of fun: the clean writing, the dry humor, the hopping pace as we jump between the characters' points of view..." Read more

"...Election is a very well written masterfully paced book...." Read more

6 customers mention "Character development"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with one mentioning how the narrative shifts among the main characters.

"...The characters jump off the page, which is why the book basically doubled as a screen play for the movie...." Read more

"...It was so enjoyable! I love the dynamic characters and the different perspectives that take you through the story...." Read more

"...the remarkable things about "Election," is that the narrative shifts among the main characters...." Read more

"So easy to relate to his characters and identity with their struggles. Couldn't wait to read. Wish he wrote more often." Read more

5 customers mention "Humor"5 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the humor in the book, with one mentioning it provides a very amusing take on a high school election.

"...The movie embellished the characters and made the story simultaneously more humorous and sinister..." Read more

"...But there's plenty of fun: the clean writing, the dry humor, the hopping pace as we jump between the characters' points of view..." Read more

"...It was a quick and very amusing take on a high school election, made into a movie decades ago with Reese Whitherspoon in the lead role...." Read more

"...school, and wants to see a more realistic, absolutely hilarious depiction of high school...." Read more

9 customers mention "Story quality"6 positive3 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the story quality of the book, with some finding it good while others note it lacks depth.

"...The amazing thing is that both the movie and the novel are great on their own merits...." Read more

"...of narrative from mostly four different characters, the author weaves an absorbing tale about a do-good high school teacher who feels compelled to..." Read more

"...lightness and breeziness of the book, which comes at a cost: the book lacks depth...." Read more

"good story" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Blake Maddux
    5.0 out of 5 stars One of the freshest breaths of air I have ever breathed
    Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2002
    Verified Purchase
    Who would ever think that such a modest novel, and such a quick read, could be such a truly great piece of literature? I read the entire novel [in one day] and the last time I had a smile on my face for so long, I was watching the movie based on this novel. ...
    Granted, the movie is a case study of how a novel can change when put into the hands of a different writer and director. The amazing thing is that both the movie and the novel are great on their own merits. It is impossible to say that you do not like the movie simply because it takes such liberties with the book. ...
    ... one of the movies funniest lines does not appear in the novel (when a colleague and friend of Mr. M. descibes something only he knows about Tracy Flick), and another of the movie's funniest lines comes from Mr. M. (Matthew Broderick), while in the novel it comes from the school's principal. Trust me, it is funnier coming from Matthew Broderick than it would have been coming from the actor who portrayed the principal ... Plus, Mr. M. never gets stung by a bee in the novel. These are among the many gems that the movie has that the novel does not. I will not bother to mention the advantages the novel has over the movie, but there are several.
    What needs to be stressed is the novel's bravery. It deals in no uncertain terms with adultery, soft-core pedophilia, lesbianism, corruption, blind ambition, alienation, loneliness, and, perhaps most importantly, forgiveness. And it deals with these issues through characters who seem so utterly real.
    "Election" is truly a great achievement.
    Do yourself a favor: read the novel and see the movie. Do so in any order, for both are equally great on their own merits. It is a shame, nay, a travesty, that only a few very fortunate people are aware of this book and movie. But as Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon) says in the movie, "If you're going to be great, you have to be lonely." This is a lonely book and movie, but it is a great as it is lonely.
    7 people found this helpful
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  • trainreader
    4.0 out of 5 stars An entertaining little novel made into an even better movie
    Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2008
    Verified Purchase
    Who can read "Election" now and not think about the movie starring Matthew Broderick (as Mr. McAllister a/k/a Mr. "M") and Reese Witherspoon (as Tracey Flick, the high school junior with the crazy ambition)? Through a rotating format of a few pages of narrative from mostly four different characters, the author weaves an absorbing tale about a do-good high school teacher who feels compelled to knock down to size an overly-ambitious student when she runs (uncontested at first) for student body president. The characters jump off the page, which is why the book basically doubled as a screen play for the movie. The movie embellished the characters and made the story simultaneously more humorous and sinister (one of my favorite scenes - the hilarious running dialogue of the difference between "morality" and "ethics" - was original to the movie).

    I think "Election" is one of those very quick reads that anyone can enjoy. Tom Perrotta's characters often are more complex than meets the eye, and I think he subscribes to the philosophy that you can find good and bad in most people.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Jill Monterey
    3.0 out of 5 stars A book that doesn't try very hard
    Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    Many reviewers note the lightness and breeziness of the book, which comes at a cost: the book lacks depth. I can't criticize Perrotta too much on this account because it's pretty clear he wasn't trying for much more than an evening's read.

    The barebones plot isn't terribly momentous, centering on a high school student body election. The characters are sketchily drawn: Tracy is a fatherless little overachiever, her opponent Paul is a mediocre student nudged into the race by a helpful teacher whose intentions go sour, his sister is a rebellious budding lesbian, and the adults are all sleeping around -- in fact one of them sleeps with Tracy. Their purposes align, cross, overlap, and fizzle.

    But there's plenty of fun: the clean writing, the dry humor, the hopping pace as we jump between the characters' points of view (this sounds as though it may cause confusion, but Perrotta separates the voices well and creates suspense), the kids who neatly manipulate adults, the adults who treasure kids while recognizing how silly and cruel they can be, and the general rat-raciness of life.

    Perrotta also includes a few searing or heavy moments, such as the story of a retarded girl who is gang-raped, and a boy who spits in the face of a cheating teacher. These indicate that he was up to more than the trifling movie that was made from the book.

    There are worse ways to pass an evening, and there are better. If you can find it cheap and you like little stories about Middle America, go for it.
    4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Sean Davis
    5.0 out of 5 stars Funny and Political!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 7, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Before I read Election, I saw the film first and in my opinion it was quite funny. The book is funny too don't get me wrong I do like both the film and the book overall.
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  • Seiller Nicolas
    4.0 out of 5 stars Interpersonnal relatioship explained
    Reviewed in France on February 22, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Good written and as usual Smith Perrotta about different characters and their relationship but Athos time on personnal view of each protagonist giving good self menaient of otherwise difficultés to explain interpersonnal relations, well donne!
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  • naomi bir
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great!
    Reviewed in Canada on January 10, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Better than the movie, and the poor teacher and student settle the differences the have, reese witherspoone sucks! The book is a great read tho!
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  • Béran
    3.0 out of 5 stars For teenagers
    Reviewed in France on February 2, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    I appreciated the book although I would recommend it to teenagers rather than to adults. The story is good but deals with teenage issues. I preferred the other novels by the sale author.
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  • tiggrie AKA Sarah
    3.0 out of 5 stars Makes some good points and some biting comments, but overall lacking in depth.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 3, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    As with one or two other disappointed reviewers, I was annoyed and disappointed in the lack of character depth. The book makes some really interesting points, but being so short and relying so much on a reader simply buying in to what he's told, not what's shown (as another reviewer points out, there's no realy evidence why Tracy would be an obvious choice for President, or what makes Mr M. a popular teacher) the whole thing ended up feeling extremely superficial. For a very short book, it was quite a slog; I didn't really empathise with any of the characters; overall, I just felt like it was a let down when it could (should?) have been a fascinating book. It was OK, but just OK. I couldn't see myself re-reading it or recommending it to others, and based on this and The Abstinence Teacher, I won't be jumping at the chance to read any more Perrotta.
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