I read 'The Great Gatsby' in high school and was hypnotized by the beauty of the sentences and moved by the story about the irrevocability of lost love. Tom Perrotta on beauty
I have actual dreams of Bruce Springsteen calling me up on stage to wear a bandanna and play rhythm guitar next to Little Steven. Tom Perrotta on dreams
I've been a little bit obsessed with religion, without being a religious person, for about a decade. Tom Perrotta on religion
I think I'm fascinated by the power of religion in our culture. Like a lot of secular, liberal people, I ignored it for a long time. Lately, of course, just from a political perspective, it's impossible to ignore. Tom Perrotta on religion
I don't really distinguish between sympathy and honesty when I'm writing. The two go together - I'm interested in inhabiting my characters, seeing the world through their eyes. Tom Perrotta on sympathy
When I was writing 'The Abstinence Teacher,' I really tried to immerse myself in contemporary American evangelical culture. Tom Perrotta on teacher