The Leftovers

One day in the pleasant town of Mapleton U.S.A, and in fact all over the world, people simply disappear. Is this the rapture predicted in the bible prophecy? If so why are Buddhists, Hindus and Jews also missing? The Garvey family Laurie, Kevin and their almost grown children, Tim and Jill, are at the center of The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta. Its three years after the so-called “sudden departure.” Laurie Garvey has drifted into a cult named the “guilty remnant.” Son Tom has joined a group led by a guru who hugs everyone. Daughter Jill, deserted by her mother, is drifting aimlessly through high school. Father Kevin Garvey, always one to look on the bright side, has become the mayor of Mapleton.

The book poses the question “How do ordinary people react to extra-ordinary unexplained events?” The author implies that in times of real trouble extremisms wins over logic. The book can also be read as a metaphor for the social and political sundering of American society after 9/11.