Literature

media type="youtube" key="V_0keUuf40c" height="344" width="425" __The Selected Works of T.S. Spive__t, by Reif Larsen My first "heavy" read of the summer! This is the type of book I can totally immerse myself in. The author has put an incredible amount of effort into the development of the main character and his environment. T.S. Spivet in a 12-year-old map-making Wunderkind who, after initially hesitating, decides to ride the rails from Montana to Washington, D.C. to receive an honour from the Smithsonian. The entire book is filled with sidebar illustrations and notes, which enrich the narrative and give us more insight into T.S., and, at times, provide a flow for the main narrative while the main character explores a separate story of his ancestors On a cautionary note, although the story is whimsical, it isn't particularly a happy one. Based on his observations, I suspect T.S. has Asperger's, and often felt like I wanted to reach out and warn him to stop! Still, I can wholeheartedly recommend this book. Also, __The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time__, and __The Life of P__, for similar themes and/or plot patterns. - Shona

__The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane__, by Katherine Howe The is a framed narrative, bouncing back and forth between the Salem Witch Trials and a young History grad student in the present day. Great premise, unfortunately the writing is stilted and awkward at times. I couldn't get into it at all, and gave up on it long before my usual 100-page discard time-line. Too many great books waiting to be read! - Shona