Scott Gummer’s debut novel is a smart suburban satire that paints an unforgettable portrait of fathers who coach like Patton, mothers who drink like fish, and the children caught in the middle.
An uproarious and poignant satire of American suburbia and youth sports gone wild
When Ben and Jili Holden must move from Manhattan with their three children back to their small hometown of Palace Valley, California, they are forced to reconcile the parents they’ve become with the dreams they once had. After reluctantly stepping up to coach his son’s Little League team, Ben is challenged to finally come to terms with the long shadow of his father, a legendary high school baseball coach who is beloved by generations of players, yet largely a stranger to Ben.
Ben and Jili struggle to connect with their technology-addicted children and grapple with issues of marital fidelity—both at home and in the hotbed of sexual tension that is the Little League park. Among an unforgettable cast are Del, a tyrannical coach; Liza, Ben’s unrequited high school crush; and Cyn, the sultry thong-wearing team mom with the serpent tattoo. Parents Behaving Badly offers a field-level view of the insanity of youth sports today and roasts the lunatic parents and overzealous coaches who all too often ruin it for the kids.
