Sometimes you see a book and just think, that book looks special. This is what happened here, the book just jumped out at me from the shelf.

Mr Larsen, I have high expectations.

From the amazon description.

Book Description
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.

Hmmm.. I honestly don't know what I think of this book. In some ways it is interesting and unique, the little sketches and asides make the book a fun read. but really I feel the author in some ways missed an opportunity to write a truely special book. I felt the narrative of the main character didn't ring true for the voice of a twelve year old no matter how gifted.

I may well be being overly harsh, I just expected more.

I would be very interested in seeing the opinions of others.

As this is a quite unique book and I am really curious to see how others react to it I am sending it out on a ring. here's the batting order:

mrbaggins1 - South Africa
karen07814 - UK
mafarrimond - UK
rudifun - UK
Shimmy-crazy - UK
dakini6 - US
collectorkerri - US
2of3Rs - US
tokorua - AUS
sherlockfan - NZ
bookmaniac70 - Bulgaria
mizuchy - Romania
Back home.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Off it flies to the next hosts of the football world cup.

Bon voyage!

Arrived today in the land of the hairy-feeted. I'm looking forward to this one but it needs to go into the reading queue. I'll keep you posted on my progress as I am VERY behind in my reading.

Thanks for sharing Marko

Starting this today. I'm on holiday and at at home and it seems such an interesting read that I stalled on it a bit to read when I can do justice to it

I also have mixed feeling about this one - it is an interesting read mainly for the maps and drawings throughout - The story does not ring true - it's a mixture between a child's obssesive fantasy world and science. Still worth a read. Thanks for sharing Marko and have a peaceful New Year, Contacting next in line to send it on.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Released by surface mail to Kareno7814 whose next in line. Enjoy.
Thanks for sharing Marko

wwwwwwwwwwwwwwoooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww, I don't even know you yet I know you have STYLE
thank you
I had had a bad morning and then this arrived, Major Smiles is in the building.


I wasn't sure when I finished this one whether or not I liked it. I kept wondering if it was a YA book. The illustrations are quirky but seemed to be almost a gimmick. I'm not at all sure the format could be succesfully repeated. So then I moved on to the story itself. It seemed very basic almost as thought if you took out the diagrams the story would struggle to stand alone. Long, drawn out but equally quite engaging.
The author clearly has great imagination but would I buy another of his books? Possibly not.

Thank you for letting me have a read though and now travelling to Flintshire

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

over to you

The book has arrived safely today. I will read asap.

Took some time to read due to the numerous lengthy margin notes and delightful illustrations. I really enjoyed the book - an unusual 12 year old but somehow believable.

I was a bit disappointed by the last few chapters though

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Sending on.

Struggling with this one so have PM'd next reader and will skim-read the rest (ie skip all the illustrations and sidebars).

I live with someone with Aspergers Syndrome so I thought this book would be interesting but have found that I can't cope with reading that level of detailed thought process as well as hearing it everyday! I think it is probably a good introduction to the condition though as it shows examples of the myriad of information processed that then becomes distraction or obstacle to 'regular' life. The way the mapping is a self-soothing, almost OCD, coping mechanism needed by a brain that absorbs so much so fast. You can imagine how as a baby/toddler the social stuff would come so far down the priority of learning when just getting through the day's data is such a struggle.

Sorry this arrived in the middle of getting back from holiday and moving house so I've only just got round to registering it. It looks fantastic though can't wait.

This book arrived when i was in the midst of moving--it was packed and unfortunately not unpacked til months later. Sorry to all!! In any case, i actually thoroughly enjoyed this book. T.S. is a great protagonist, and i thoroughly enjoyed the look into his very meticulous little mind, whether it reads as a believable child or not. I did find myself wanting more of the story from Dr. Clair's journal, but the story within a story device was used very well here, adding history and dimension to the characters. Thanks for including me in this; will ship as soon as i hear from collectorkerri.

The book finally surfaced in my mailbox today; I think it was mixed up with some other books at dakini6's house and just got mailed recently. I will read and send on ASAP.

What a weird little book, and I mean little metaphorically, as it cost me $17 (!!!) to send this doorstop to the next participant. I did enjoy reading it; the way T.S.'s mind worked was fascinating and the story interesting. As others have said, though, I'm not sure he was believable as a child, no matter how gifted.

The book is on its way to sherlockfan. 2of3Rs asked to be skipped, and initially I could not find the BookCrosser tokorua. Apparently this BookCrosser changed his/her username to Monki-ies recently. So he/she should still be contacted about the book before it returns to marko167.

4th June to 10th June seems like quite a fast trip from the States. I was a trifle surprised when I examined the book as I have no recollection of joining the list but must confess that this is not the first time I've been suprised when I open a parcel.
I'm a bit snowed under with books right now but will get onto it a.s.a.p.
I'll try to sort out the situation with tokorua / monki-ies so the book can travel there if s/he still wants it.
marko167 as you are likely the only person who can edit your entry with the circle listing would you be so kind to find out for sure if 2 of3Rs wants to read it, and perhaps change the name if tokorua has changed name.

Monki-ies is in the process of moving to Ghana and when I contacted her about a different book she did not have an address as yet.
I will check with bookmaniac70 as it is quite a large book and I don't want to post it if by chance she has since found it.
It is a fascinating book with so much to read and follow. Not really a quick read though, however, the grandson for whom I purchased a copy is delighted with it.
Very sorry I've had the book far too long but that was partly waiting to hear from Marko167 whether 2of3Rs still wants it and waiting to hear from tokorua Aus who is now Monki-ies Ghana.
Bookmaniac70 is usually very quick to respond so it should be able to move on immediately once I hear from her.
Marko167 you started off saying that the "book looks special" and I'd totally agree with you about that. So pleased you sent it off on a bookring thank you. I wonder what Reif Larsen is up to these days.

This well travelled book arrived safely in Sofia. Thank you for sending, Sherlockfan!

Despite some reservations I had prior to taking this book, I quite enjoyed reading it. I liked the voice of the 12-years old boy, his high sensivity and analysis. It was interesting to see the adults through his eyes. Somehow the writer managed to convince me in the reality of his personality, no matter how unbelievable was the whole story of travelling to Washington. Although the design and the idea of the book is unusual, the plot relies upon well-known and well-used structure of a boy`s initiation. Spivet`s travel to Washington is a classical example of running from home in an attempt to reassert oneself and find one`s true place into the family. Most of the events which happen to him during this travel, sound quite as a childish imagination. Another shortcoming was the unfinished story of Emma which led to nowhere in the plot.
The novel is not perfect but the mind of the boy is clear and pure, and I lived with his fears and expectations. Perhaps "The Selected Works" is indeed more an young adult book and regarding it as such would give it the credit it deserves.

11/26- Sent second PM to mizuchy.

Sent back to marko167.

After two and a half years on the road, the book is safely home.

Many thanks all for keeping the faith and interesting comments.

M.