Book rec

[luzula]

My boyfriend got me a book for Christmas (well, he borrowed it for me at the library) and he really knows me well, because I love this book beyond reason. It's called The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet by Reif Larsen. It's about a twelve-year-old boy who draws scientific maps and pictures and diagrams of everything. He lives on a ranch in Montana, and his dad is a rancher and his mom is an entomologist. A friend of his mom sends in his illustrations to the Smithsonian and various magazines, and they use it for exhibitions and stuff. So then he wins a prize and is invited to talk there, but they don't actually know that he's only twelve years old, and he jumps onto a freight train to try to get to Washington DC.

The books is full of his illustrations and maps and diagrams in the margins. He has a fascinating and deeply geeky way of observing the world around him, but he's still unmistakably a child, and he's an awesome character. Yes, I might possibly identify with him a little. Or more than a little. *g*

Anyway, you should definitely read this book!

Comments

[malnpudl.livejournal.com]

I just bought that book! I heard the author read a 15-minute teaser on one of my favorite public radio podcasts and went straight out and got myself a copy. I'm tremendously intrigued (maps are AWESOME, and the characters are so marvelously quirky), but so far I'm holding off on reading it because I hope to get my book club to put it on our reading schedule for this year.

I'm glad to hear that you liked it enough to rec it so enthusiastically. :-)

BTW, if you are also a fan of maps and geography, I encourage you to listen to this "Selected Shorts" podcast (60 minutes long): http://www.megaupload.com/?d=FRSC5SY3

It's two short stories read aloud before a live audience; both are good, but I am particularly in love with the first one.

[luzula]

Oh, cool! Happy reading.

And thanks for the upload--I'm always glad to get more good stuff to listen to. : )