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The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet
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The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet Hardcover - 2009

by Reif Larsen

A brilliant, boundary-leaping debut noveltracing twelve-year-old genius map makerT.S.Spivet's attempts to understandthe ways of the world

When twelve-year-old genius cartographerT.S. Spivet receives an unexpected phone call from theSmithsonian announcing he has won the prestigiousBaird Award, life as normal-if you consider mappingfamily dinner table conversation normal-is interruptedand a wild cross-country adventure begins, taking T.S.from his family ranch just north of Divide, Montana,to the museum's hallowed halls.

T.S. sets out alone, leaving before dawn witha plan to hop a freight train and hobo east. Onceaboard, his adventures step into high gear and hemeticulously maps, charts, and illustrates his exploits,documenting mythical wormholes in the Midwest,the urban phenomenon of "rims," and the pleasures ofMcDonald's, among other things. We come to see theworld through T.S.'s eyes and in his thorough investigationof the outside world he also reveals himself.

As he travels away from the ranch and hisfamily we learn how the journey also brings him closerto home. A secret family history found within hisluggage tells the story of T.S.'s ancestors and theirlong-ago passage west, offering profound insight intothe family he left behind and his role within it. As T.S.reads he discovers the sometimes shadowy boundarybetween fact and fiction and realizes that, for all hisanalytical rigor, the world around him is a mystery.

All that he has learned is tested when he arrivesat the capital to claim his prize and is welcomed intoscience's inner circle. For all its shine, fame seems morehighly valued than ideas in this new world and friends arehard to find.

T.S.'s trip begins at the Copper Top Ranch and thelast known place he stands is Washington, D.C., but hisjourney's movement is far harder to track: How do youmap the delicate lessons learned about family and self?How do you depict how it feels to first venture out onyour own? Is there a definitive way to communicate theebbs and tides of heartbreak, loss, loneliness, love? Theseare the questions that strike at the core of this veryspecial debut.


Summary

Discover The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet for iPad.


A brilliant, boundary-leaping debut novel tracing twelve-year-old genius map maker T.S. Spivet's attempts to understand the ways of the world

When twelve-year-old genius cartographer T.S. Spivet receives an unexpected phone call from the Smithsonian announcing he has won the prestigious Baird Award, life as normal-if you consider mapping family dinner table conversation normal-is interrupted and a wild cross-country adventure begins, taking T.S. from his family ranch just north of Divide, Montana, to the museum's hallowed halls.

T.S. sets out alone, leaving before dawn with a plan to hop a freight train and hobo east. Once aboard, his adventures step into high gear and he meticulously maps, charts, and illustrates his exploits, documenting mythical wormholes in the Midwest, the urban phenomenon of "rims," and the pleasures of McDonald's, among other things. We come to see the world through T.S.'s eyes and in his thorough investigation of the outside world he also reveals himself.

As he travels away from the ranch and his family we learn how the journey also brings him closer to home. A secret family history found within his luggage tells the story of T.S.'s ancestors and their long-ago passage west, offering profound insight into the family he left behind and his role within it. As T.S. reads he discovers the sometimes shadowy boundary between fact and fiction and realizes that, for all his analytical rigor, the world around him is a mystery.

All that he has learned is tested when he arrives at the capital to claim his prize and is welcomed into science's inner circle. For all its shine, fame seems more highly valued than ideas in this new world and friends are hard to find.

T.S.'s trip begins at the Copper Top Ranch and the last known place he stands is Washington, D.C., but his journey's movement is far harder to track: How do you map the delicate lessons learned about family and self? How do you depict how it feels to first venture out on your own? Is there a definitive way to communicate the ebbs and tides of heartbreak, loss, loneliness, love? These are the questions that strike at the core of this very special debut.

From the publisher

A brilliant, boundary-leaping debut novel tracing twelve-year-old genius map maker T.S. Spivet's attempts to understand the ways of the world When twelve-year-old genius cartographer T.S. Spivet receives an unexpected phone call from the Smithsonian announcing he has won the prestigious Baird Award, life as normal-if you consider mapping family dinner table conversation normal-is interrupted and a wild cross-country adventure begins, taking T.S. from his family ranch just north of Divide, Montana, to the museum's hallowed halls. T.S. sets out alone, leaving before dawn with a plan to hop a freight train and hobo east. Once aboard, his adventures step into high gear and he meticulously maps, charts, and illustrates his exploits, documenting mythical wormholes in the Midwest, the urban phenomenon of rims, and the pleasures of McDonald's, among other things. We come to see the world through T.S.'s eyes and in his thorough investigation of the outside world he also reveals himself. As he travels away from the ranch and his family we learn how the journey also brings him closer to home. A secret family history found within his luggage tells the story of T.S.'s ancestors and their long-ago passage west, offering profound insight into the family he left behind and his role within it. As T.S. reads he discovers the sometimes shadowy boundary between fact and fiction and realizes that, for all his analytical rigor, the world around him is a mystery. All that he has learned is tested when he arrives at the capital to claim his prize and is welcomed into science's inner circle. For all its shine, fame seems more highly valued than ideas in this new world and friends are hard to find. T.S.'s trip begins at the Copper Top Ranch and the last known place he stands is Washington, D.C., but his journey's movement is far harder to track: How do you map the delicate lessons learned about family and self? How do you depict how it feels to first venture out on your own? Is there a definitive way to communicate the ebbs and tides of heartbreak, loss, loneliness, love? These are the questions that strike at the core of this very special debut. Now a major motion picture directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and starring Kyle Catlett and Helena Bonham Carter.

Details

  • Title The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet
  • Author Reif Larsen
  • Binding Hardcover
  • Edition 1st/1st
  • Pages 400
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Penguin Press, New York
  • Date 2009-05-05
  • Illustrated Yes
  • ISBN 9781594202179 / 1594202176
  • Weight 2.05 lbs (0.93 kg)
  • Dimensions 9.3 x 7.6 x 1.6 in (23.62 x 19.30 x 4.06 cm)
  • Ages 18 to UP years
  • Grade levels 13 - UP
  • Library of Congress subjects Adventure fiction, Humorous fiction
  • Library of Congress Catalog Number 2009006277
  • Dewey Decimal Code FIC

Media reviews

“Two predictions about The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet: readers are going to love it as much as I did, and few if any will have experienced anything like it. I'm flabbergasted by Reif Larsen's talent, and I was warmed by his generosity. Here is a book that does the impossible: it combines Mark Twain, Thomas Pynchon, and Little Miss Sunshine. Good novels entertain; great ones come as a gift to the readers who are lucky enough to find them. This book is a treasure.”—Stephen King

About the author

Reif Larsen's first novel, The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet, was a New York Times bestseller and has been translated into twenty-seven languages. A Montana Honor book, The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet was a finalist for the IndieBound Award, was short-listed for the Guardian First Book Award and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, and was released as a film in France and the United States.
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The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet
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The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet

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The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet
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The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet

by Reif Larsen

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The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet
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The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet

by Reif Larsen

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The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet

by Reif Larsen

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