Tom Perrotta

Thomas R. Perrotta is a highly acclaimed American author and screenwriter, best known for his insightful portrayals of suburban life. Perrotta was born in Garwood, New Jersey, where he spent his childhood. He is the son of an Albanian-Italian immigrant mother who worked as a secretary and an Italian immigrant father who worked for the postal services. After his mother quit her job to become a stay-at-home parent, Perrotta and his siblings were raised in a close-knit family that valued education and hard work.

Perrotta's love for reading and writing began at a young age, and he was heavily influenced by authors such as John Irving, J.R.R. Tolkien, and O. Henry. He pursued his passion for writing at Yale University, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in English, and later at Syracuse University, where he earned his Master of Arts in Creative Writing/English. It was during his time at Syracuse that he studied under Tobias Wolff, who influenced Perrotta's writing in the areas of moral seriousness and comic writing.

Perrotta has written nine works of fiction, including "Election" and "Little Children," both of which were made into Oscar-nominated films. His novel "The Leftovers" was adapted into a critically acclaimed, Peabody Award-winning HBO series. His work has been translated into numerous languages, and he has established himself as a leading voice in contemporary American literature. Perrotta is married to Mary Granfield, and they live together in Belmont, Massachusetts.