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.
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
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