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Selected Works Of Ts Spivet

3.87 of 5 stars 3.87 · rating details · 4,087 ratings · 1,108 reviews

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 conversations normal- is interrupted and a wild cross-country adventure begins, taking T.S. from his family ranch just north of Divide, Montana, to the muse...more

Published October 1st 2009 (first published January 1st 2009)

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Aug 19, 2011 Tim rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: humor, formative, prodigy-narrator

This book has great shelf appeal. It's got a gazillion illustrations ostensibly by our first-person narrator, a 12-year-old cartographer and technical illustrator from Montana—in bygone days he would be a naturalist—living with an entomologist mom, a bronco-busting dad, a sister older than her years, and the memory of a dead brother. The prose reveals a quirky character and rewards slow going.

But here's the problem: I'm only a couple dozen pages in and there are mistakes. It could be the problem...more

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Dec 07, 2012 Raina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Raina by: Samrat

Shelves: adult, funny, graphic-novel-travelogues, j, quirky-kids

T.S. is a prodigy of cartography. He is only twelve years old, and he sees his whole world through the lens of mapping. He creates maps of movement, sociological phenomena, all of the possible moves from the starting position in Cat's Cradle... The possibilities are literally endless. All of his maps feature technical drawings so precise and aesthetically pleasing that he regularly publishes his maps in magazines like Smithsonian and Science.

He does all this from a ranch in Montana. His dad is...more

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Mar 20, 2012 Cheryl in CC NV rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

note that this is oversize, because of all the maps, diagrams, etc., in the margins - which definitely enrich the story so don't skip them...

The main character isn't even in puberty yet, but he 'maps' every aspect of his life, and has developed such skill in draftsmanship that the Smithsonian, not realizing he's a kid, invites him to Washington. He's innocently self-centered, and while smart enough to know his parents have their own lives, opinions, etc., he doesn't really take them into account...more note that this is oversize, because of all the maps, diagrams, etc., in the margins - which definitely enrich the story so don't skip them...

The main character isn't even in puberty yet, but he 'maps' every aspect of his life, and has developed such skill in draftsmanship that the Smithsonian, not realizing he's a kid, invites him to Washington. He's innocently self-centered, and while smart enough to know his parents have their own lives, opinions, etc., he doesn't really take them into account as he decides what to do about this invitation. The margins are full of selections from his notebooks. Definitely a book aimed at patient adults (and shelved in the adult section at my library), but so far it's clean enough for clever teens.

Ok done. Dang this is hard to review. I absolutely loved the first two thirds or so. The premise, the character development, the insights, the unfoldings of the backstories, the first part of the Big Adventure... all was brilliant and enchanting. But the adventure in Chicago was too much, and then the book delved into metaphysical nonsense. Ok, I get that the kid is learning that adults are people too, and heroes are flawed, etc. But I don't get what made the author think we'd enjoy reading about such misbehavior and stupidity, after spending so much time with the young genius. How sad will his life become now, really. How sad, and angry, am I, about the mean trick Larsen pulled on me.

But still, there are quotes I feel compelled to share - first two from before Chicago:

Writing of maps & charts in general:
"... the representation was not the real thing, but in a way this dissonance was what made it so good: the distance between the map and the territory allowed us breathing room to figure out where we stood."

Writing of a female scientist entering the male-dominated field:
"She was not to be dismissed - she would not slink quietly into the shadows to make way for the fat old men and their cigars."

In Chicago:
"In all directions, the tall buildings cut off the view to the horizon: it felt as if the structures were giant theatrical flats placed strategically to block my line of sight, so that I might forget what the rest of the world looked like. This is all there is, the buildings called out to me. "

Near the end:
"I suddenly had an idea of how adults can hold on to a feeling for very long periods of time, loong after the event is finished, long after cards have been sent and apologies made and everyone else had moved on. Adults were pack rats of old, useless emotions."

I know the boy has to grow up - but why can't he still be the kind of person who charts "Variations on Pea Anger Ovals" rather than one who joins a cabalistic secret society?
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May 06, 2010 Amanda rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

There are some books that touch me more than others, some characters that I love to love and love to hate.

But nothing and no one has made my heart ache the way this book has. In this book, Reif Larsen has created a story so beautiful in its simplicity and at the same time, filled with layers and layers of complexity. This book reminds me of ancient artifacts, items handled with loving care through time, to be held in your hands with reverence and wonder that something can last so long and be so...more There are some books that touch me more than others, some characters that I love to love and love to hate.

But nothing and no one has made my heart ache the way this book has. In this book, Reif Larsen has created a story so beautiful in its simplicity and at the same time, filled with layers and layers of complexity. This book reminds me of ancient artifacts, items handled with loving care through time, to be held in your hands with reverence and wonder that something can last so long and be so important.

The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet is a journey, both personal and literal. T.S. Spivet, the plucky 12-year old cartographer, sets off on an adventure across the country to get to the Smithsonian to give a speech. We, as readers, journey through T.S.'s mind and life, and the journey is wondrous. We come in contact with his family, his ancestors, the strangers he meets, and the places he sees. And we come to know T.S., which is perhaps, one of the most rewarding parts of this book.

T.S. is a twelve year old mapmaker, raised on an isolated Montana ranch. He views the world through the eyes of a map maker, wishing to chart and depict everything he sees. And he does. His sidebars show us his diagrams of Gracie shucking corn, of his father's facial expressions, of the amount of 12 year old boys pinching honey nut cheerios at the same time. His take on the world is refreshing, seen through the analytical eyes of a scientist with the curiosity of a young boy and the heart of a lonely one. I love T.S. because he has an artless way of viewing life, analyzing it, confused when it doesn't add up, but nevertheless smiles and enjoys it. He never gives into his fear, always facing everything as it comes. He puts himself on a train, faces threatening hobos, and the sea of 783 eyes that all claim to know more than him. His bravery amazes me, his wit amuses me, and his loneliness breaks my heart. I felt simultaneous tugs of sadness and ruefulness at his map of loneliness, complete with earbuds and a caption that says you're not alone. He has an insight into the little rituals of our reality that makes me want to laugh and cry.

We journey with T.S., through his past with the diary of his ancestor, Emma Osterville Engelthorpe, and through the ditry bowels of Chicago to the revered halls of the Smithsonian. Once there, T.S. questions the world as we know it, raising questions and showing the pompous scientists that this little boy has more wisdom than they even know. He makes some of the most profound observations and with the simplicity and beauty that only children achieve. He learns about celebrity and thingymabobs and his father and mother, he learns about secret societies and homesickness.

This book is a rich experience, from start to end, and one of my favorites. For the first time in my life, I deliberately lingered over a book, savoring the words Larsen puts on the pages. Each character and moment is lovingly handcrafted and really shows a depth to writing that so few authors achieve. I didn't do the book any justice at all, but it truly is a glorious book to be read again and again.

Several months later, 1st ReRead: Amazing. This book could never disappoint me. The second time around, I'm discovering tiny magical details, making new connections, and enjoying it all over again. (less)

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Sep 25, 2009 Andy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2009, illustrated

It's true, there's very little else like this. An oversize, square hulk of a book chronicling the cross country journey of TS Spivet as he heads to the Smithsonian to collect a scientific award. All at the tender age of 12.

His insights into the oddities of everyday life and adulthood are punctuated, diverted and embellished by an ongoing collection of maps, technical diagrams, footnotes, and sketches on almost every page that are a joy to behold.

It's the novel equivalent of a low-fi indie come...more

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Apr 17, 2013 Martin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The illustrations in the margins are ingenious, yes, and I don't believe I've ever held a prettier book in my hands. From the cover, the drawings, the colors, it's amazing.

And now to the hard part.

I feel like this book had a lot of potential. It started off amazingly, it picked up great momentum once our hero got on the train.... and then it wasted 1/3 of the book a side-story of Emma and her life, which I thought was completely unnecessary and had no place in the book. If the pages of this sto...more

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Feb 07, 2010 Peter added it · review of another edition

I started this book ravenously--Science! Youth! Grief!--then I lost momentum. Then I fell into it again--Adventure! Bloodshed! Secret Societies!--then I became cynical about it. (One character says, “Grief, youth, science… People are so goddamn predictable. I should write a book about how to suckerpunch people into caring.”) When I finally finished it, I put it down with a fair respect for both its accomplishments and its shortcomings.

Here’s the hook: 12-year-old cartographer genius Tecumseh Spa...more

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Apr 22, 2009 Anne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Here we have one of the most unique and extraordinary debut novels I have ever come across, the author Reif Larsens is a 27 year old American and this novel caused one of the biggest bidding wars by publishers in history - resulting in a £1m price tag for the publishers.

First let take a look at the actual book itself. Mine is a proof copy, so not quite the finished article but it's going to be one of those eye-catchers that will jump from the bookshop shelves at people. The book is wider than th...more Here we have one of the most unique and extraordinary debut novels I have ever come across, the author Reif Larsens is a 27 year old American and this novel caused one of the biggest bidding wars by publishers in history - resulting in a £1m price tag for the publishers.

First let take a look at the actual book itself. Mine is a proof copy, so not quite the finished article but it's going to be one of those eye-catchers that will jump from the bookshop shelves at people. The book is wider than the average and almost every page is detailed with line drawings, maps, diagrams and extras to the text - all completed by the author himself.

The story is of T S (Tecumseh Sparrow) Spivet. He is something of a child prodigy, just twelve years old and already a genius mapmaker. TS lives on a ranch in Montana with his scientist Mother, his cowboy Father and his older sister Gracie. His brother Layton died earlier in the year in an incident with a shotgun - but nobody talks about Layton.

TS maps out his life with his incredible drawings - he doesnt just map places, he maps everything - the first map of the book is a diagram instructing 'how to read this book' - he maps out facial expressions, how food is prepared, areas of the house and the ranch - just about everything.

TS receives a phonecall from the Smithsonian Institute, telling him that he has won a much coveted scientific prize - a prize much sought after by famous scientists all over the world. The Smithsonian dont know that TS is only twelve, and he decides not to tell them, but to travel across America to accept his prize.

So begins the journey. TS leaves the ranch with his precious belongings, without telling anyone and begins his journey across the country. He manages to stowaway on a freight train and spends much of the journey holed up in a new Winnebago that he christens and has conversations with.

TS had stolen one of his mother's notebooks as he wanted to take a piece of her. During his journey he reads the notebook, which turns out to be a history of his family, especially about his great grandmother Emma - one the first female scientists in America.

The journey is full of adventure and experience and eventually TS reaches his destination - to be thrust in the world of celebrity and stardom - but this comes at a price, and whilst TS is super intelligent, he is still a child and wants and needs his childhood pleasures.

This is a compelling and extraodinary read - TS is a wonderful character, although at times, it is very hard to believe that he is only 12. His take on life, his explanations of happenings and the added dimension of the illustrations throughout the book are unique.

I particularly enjoyed the story of his ancestors, and how the interest in scientific things came about - this is a story within the story and adds another dimension to the whole novel.

I was a little disappointed by the ending - I felt that the author knew TS's story had to be wrapped up neatly, but wasnt quite sure how to do it - so comes the introduction of a strange cult-like sect, with some great characters, but it doesnt quite fit.

In all, a satisfying and very different read.
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Jun 23, 2011 Ori rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was really excited to see this in the basement of the Brookline Booksmith for just $5. I'd seen it a few months earlier and knew the general story/hype (it's not often that an author gets a 6, let alone 7 figure deal for a book, particularly a first book).

I bought it toward the end of February and read the first 35 pages in a white-heat, captivated by the precocious narrator and his amazing "maps," both of the land, and of the habits of his family member. I particularly loved "Father Drinks Wh...more I was really excited to see this in the basement of the Brookline Booksmith for just $5. I'd seen it a few months earlier and knew the general story/hype (it's not often that an author gets a 6, let alone 7 figure deal for a book, particularly a first book).

I bought it toward the end of February and read the first 35 pages in a white-heat, captivated by the precocious narrator and his amazing "maps," both of the land, and of the habits of his family member. I particularly loved "Father Drinks Whiskey with a Sensational Degree of Regularity."

I read a few more pages, and then heavy fatigue set in. There were several reasons:

1) The 12 year old narrator is just a little too smart (and perhaps autistic). Don't get me wrong: I love novels with alienated gifted-and-talented narrators, with Hal from Infinite Jest probably taking the cake, but for some reason I just wasn't as convinced by T.S. I could never quite shake the feeling that I was reading the work of an extremely intelligent slightly older person trying to impersonate an extremely intelligent younger person. This wasn't universal throughout the book, sometimes it was totally convincing, but the gaps were disconcerting.

2) T.S.'(s) maps are great and punctuate the book like footnotes. Little arrows stemming from the text indicate to the reader that a map is relevant to a particular section, and while these are initially cute, following all of them can be fatiguing, both on the eyes, and in how they slow down the progress of the plot.

3) While there are plenty of sublime moments, at times the writing seemed to drag on. I was significantly more taken with T.S.' maps, and a part of me wishes that there had been significantly more maps, and significantly fewer words.

Ultimately, I'm torn about how to rate this book. In the program where I teach there's endless debate about how to grade pieces of writing. On the one hand, there's the technical execution crowd: an unoriginal essay may receive a higher grade than a particularly thoughtful one if it demonstrates solid follow through. I more often find myself in the camp that wishes to award higher grades to papers that may not work out perfectly, but make an original argument.

And so it is with this novel. On the one hand I feel it could have been executed better, but on the other it's such an original piece with so many bright moments that I can't help but be kinder in my assessment.

At one point the narrator speculates that true success of a book should be measured in how re-readable it is (or something to that effect). I can't quite imagine wanting to reread this book from start to finish, but over the last month or so since I've finished it I have found myself flipping through to find a particular map, and so I get the impression this is a book that is more likely to rise in my esteem than go down.

This is Reif Larsen's first book. I feel the ending left considerable avenues to continue the story of T.S. Spivet and I'd love to see a sequel in which he enters puberty and perhaps "navigates" his first romance. Regardless, Larsen is an author I'll be looking out for in the future and will, despite reservations about his first book, pounce on his second, particularly if I can find in the bargain bin for $5.
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Aug 25, 2009 Jacob rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2008-2009

When the Smithsonian decides to award genius cartographer T. S. Spivet the presitigious but little-known Baird Award, they are completely unaware that young T. S.--short for Tecumseh Sparrow--is actually a twelve-year-old prodigy addicted to mapping everything, from family dinner conversations to Loneliness on the streets of Chicago. The Smithsonian also doesn't know that T. S. has no way of getting to Washington, D.C. from his family's Montana ranch, but that doesn't stop him from hopping a tra...more

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Dec 06, 2011 Jane Snyder rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I would give the first section of this book 5 stars; I loved the story of T.S. and his family. But once T.S.'s train ride began, I was annoyed at the suddenly strange fantasy of the continuing tale. We were taken from a sensitive, smart and humorous story about T.S.'s dysfunctional family, about whom I REALLY cared, to a science fiction-like ride across the country that often made no sense to me. I also had no interest in Emma, and think in retrospect the title should be The Selected Works of T...more

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Mar 31, 2013 Robert Risher rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I struggled with a rating for this book because I found the story to be thoroughly fascinating and well-deserving of 5 stars through much of its journey, right up until it just...ends. I came across a few unfavorable reviews at some point during the reading process, and I didn't understand at the time. The story is a bit of a labor to finish due to its constantly referenced diagrams and anecdotes of common interactions, which I could see causing distress for some individuals, but it was still th...more

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Jul 21, 2012 Muselmu rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: entwicklung, gegenwartsliteratur

"Es war nichts Ungewöhnliches für mich, dass ich mitten in der Nacht aufwachte, und mein Bett war voller kartographischer Gerätschaften, als ob Nachtgespenster versucht hätten, meine Träume zu kartieren."

„Die Karte meiner Träume“, der Debütroman von Reif Larsen, erzählt die Geschichte von T. S. Spivet. T. S. ist 12 Jahre alt und lebt mit seiner verschrobenen Familie auf einer Ranch in Montana, mitten im Nirgendwo.
Während Gracie die typische große Schwester ist, die man keinem Zwölfjährigen wüns...more "Es war nichts Ungewöhnliches für mich, dass ich mitten in der Nacht aufwachte, und mein Bett war voller kartographischer Gerätschaften, als ob Nachtgespenster versucht hätten, meine Träume zu kartieren."

„Die Karte meiner Träume“, der Debütroman von Reif Larsen, erzählt die Geschichte von T. S. Spivet. T. S. ist 12 Jahre alt und lebt mit seiner verschrobenen Familie auf einer Ranch in Montana, mitten im Nirgendwo.
Während Gracie die typische große Schwester ist, die man keinem Zwölfjährigen wünschen möchte, verbringt sein raubeiniger Vater die Zeit damit, sich um die Ranch zu kümmern und in alten Western zu schwelgen und seine Mutter, eine Insektenforscherin, jagt schon seit Jahren dem Tigermönch hinterher, einem Käfer, von dem sie selbst nicht weiß, ob er existiert. Und dann wäre da noch Layton, T. S.‘ jüngerer Bruder, der sich vor kurzem durch einen Kopfschuss das Leben nahm.
Doch auch T. S. ist nicht gerade das, was man sich unter einem „gewöhnlichen“ Jungen vorstellt. Seine Freizeit verbringt er damit, alles, was ihn umgibt zu dokumentieren, zu kartographieren und penibel genau festzuhalten. Als ihm für seine Zeichnungen ein berühmter Wissenschaftspreis verliehen werden soll, begibt sich T. S. auf eine abenteuerliche Reise nach Washington.

Bevor ich meine Meinung zum Inhalt des Buches kund tue, möchte ich ohne große Umschweife die liebevolle Aufmachung loben. Auf jeder Seite bedeckt der Text nur etwa zwei Drittel der Seite, der übrig bleibende Rand ist oftmals mit abschweifenden Erklärungen und Vorgeschichten oder den Zeichnungen und Diagrammen bedeckt, die T. S. auf seiner Reise anfertigt. Auf fast jeder Seite gibt es etwas Neues zu entdecken!
Die Geschichte selbst hat mich sofort in ihren Bann gezogen. Der Schreibstil passt perfekt zu T. S.‘ Persönlichkeit und seinem etwas verschrobenen Charakter. Mal nüchtern sachlich, dann wieder kindlich, naiv und verspielt lesen sich die Seiten fast von alleine weg. Manchmal wünscht man sich beinahe, zwischen die Zeilen zu schlüpfen und diesen kleinen Jungen einfach mal in den Arm zu nehmen.
Alle Figuren sind mir sofort ans Herz gewachsen und ich habe bis zur letzten Seite mit gefiebert, wie es denn nun ausgeht, denn absehbar ist die Handlung überhaupt nicht und die größte (und fast auch die schönste) Überraschung gibt es noch auf den letzten sechs Seiten.
Ein Buch, das ständig zwischen subtiler Trauer und beneidenswerter Unbekümmertheit schwankt und mich persönlich verzaubert hat.
Auf jeden Fall für alle zu empfehlen, die mal wieder eines dieser „besonderen“ Bücher lesen wollen!(less)

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Jun 05, 2012 Shelton TRL rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: case-of-curiosities

Within the first two pages of this book, you will understand why it sits on this shelf! Run - don't walk - to the nearest copy, read it (I dare you to put it down!), then visit the website http://www.tsspivet.com/ for more cool ways to experience this wonderful tale! T.S. is a wonderful character, the lanugage of the book is captivating, and the sense of place is powerful. You WANT to know how this one turns out . . .

Two quotes:

“I had trouble listening to adults who didn't really mean anything...more

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Jun 01, 2012 Matt rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a really well-designed book-- with lots of sidebars etc that are all deployed in clever and fun visual ways to develop and illustrate the story of 12 year old prodigy mapmaker TS Spivet. It's one of those books that you look at and wonder about and ooh over. Unfortunately, I felt the reading experience not as satisfying as the visual experience.

It starts out strong-- isolated genius boy who feels cut off from his family (brusque rancher dad and distracted scientist mom) and who is suffer...more

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May 25, 2012 Denzil Pugh rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

There has been recent discussion about what the media calls "The Great American Novel." A book that somehow defines the American experience, that pulls everything together and demonstrates what it means to be alive in this particular country at this time in history. My answer to those debaters would be To Kill a Mockingbird by Lee, or Robert Penn Warren's All the King's Men. The book that I am reviewing is definitely not one of these, but bears a remarkable resemblance to Warren's brilliant nove...more There has been recent discussion about what the media calls "The Great American Novel." A book that somehow defines the American experience, that pulls everything together and demonstrates what it means to be alive in this particular country at this time in history. My answer to those debaters would be To Kill a Mockingbird by Lee, or Robert Penn Warren's All the King's Men. The book that I am reviewing is definitely not one of these, but bears a remarkable resemblance to Warren's brilliant novel about Louisiana politics.

I say this not in respects to the plot line, which is basically a boy going from Montana to Washington DC to accept an award from the Smithsonian. An award, they suspect, which is being given to a college professor, not a 12 year old. T.S. Spivet tells of his cross country journey in his notebook and illustrates it throughout, drawing out every detail of his travels. This includes the aspects for which is it like Warren's book. In AtKM the main character sees the cows chewing grass by the side of the road, or sees the lighted windows from the car he is driving, and wonders about the lives of those people. He details the omniscience of the cow, the all knowing cow, as it watches the world go by, uncaring, just as the cow does not care. T.S. notices the pedestrians walking the streets of Chicago and tabulates who is walking with whom, and of those walking alone, how many have earphones listening to music. He makes decisions about life as skillfully as any sociologist would. That is the meat of the book, the treasures which should be gathered from its pages. A highlighter or pencil is highly recommended. The margin notations are golden observations about life.

I did find the ending to be a little slow, as the book, as in life, is more interesting during the journey than in the end destination. But the reaction he has to Washington DC is appropriate, as it ties everything together. I do wonder though, about his core principle, that everyone has a map of the universe in their minds, and the journey of life is trying to map it all into understanding. Do we know as much as the Cow standing beside the road? And is the cow more fortunate for, knowing everything, not caring anything about it? Or is the struggle what our journey is all about.

If you read the reviews from the online bookstores, they basically echo my feelings, a great book with a few flaws.
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Mar 20, 2012 Stephen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Appropriately enough, this book was better for the journey than the arrival. I don't mean to get hung up on the scoring, but as I was reading it I though it would end up as a 4.5. but as it was concluding it felt more like a 3-3.5. Overall, I think its initial ambition and its innovativeness demands a 4.

Our hero, T.S. Spivet, is a 12-year old living on a farm in Montana, who is a very precocious and accomplished map-maker. Well, he calls them maps, but really they are any systematic diagram - es...more Appropriately enough, this book was better for the journey than the arrival. I don't mean to get hung up on the scoring, but as I was reading it I though it would end up as a 4.5. but as it was concluding it felt more like a 3-3.5. Overall, I think its initial ambition and its innovativeness demands a 4.

Our hero, T.S. Spivet, is a 12-year old living on a farm in Montana, who is a very precocious and accomplished map-maker. Well, he calls them maps, but really they are any systematic diagram - essentially he uses "maps" to encompass anything that would be called "infographics". I prefer T.S.'s terminology. His accomplished diagrams draw the attention of the Smithsonian, who wish to award him a prize - so he sets off for Washington.

The book is oversized, and it needs to be, as the margin of most pages contains either examples of T.S.'s drawings, or his asides (or both). I found these pretty delightful, and they complimented the story very well. They certainly made the book an involving and lengthy read.

My issue with the book is that it sets up so much promise of this wunderkinder map maker travelling across the States, but that kinda peters out, in a jarringly perfunctory fashion (as far as something can peter out jarringly). And as it does so, slightly fantastic elements start to creep in. Secret societies, things verging on the paranormal. Not that they weren't enjoyable, but the earlier sections needed no such embellishments to keep them compelling and for me these elements detracted from the rarefied, contemplative atmosphere of the first part of the book. Once Larsen started to introduce more characters the book became much more mundane. It kinda felt like he lost faith (or possibly interest), and moved on to a resolution as quickly as possible. And in the final analysis, there actually wasn't a huge amount of plot.

That said, my depth of disappointment was due to my heightened expectations from how good the earlier parts of book were. And even as things plodded on to its perfunctory denouement there was still plenty of T.S.'s maps and personality to enjoy.

A couple of interesting points:
I bought this from a comics shop (Gosh! since you ask). This book isn't comics, but the illustrations are a bit more integral than a traditional illustrated story.
I really wonder what an ebook version would be like. Does it exist? [Apparently not]

(I'm also disappointed that the UK paperback cover is not available to be selected on Goodreads. I liked the illustration a lot).

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Mar 01, 2012 Wendy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is one of those books that is going to stay with me with for awhile. It wasn't perfect, but any problems I had with it are far outweighed by the delights to be found in its pages. I fell in love with the protagonist's voice. He's an eccentric, brilliant, 12 year old cartographer. He attempts to map the world and his experience of it, especially the baffling complexities of life, loss, loneliness and connection. The illustrations and maps that break out of the text are fantastic. So is a lot...more

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Feb 17, 2012 Jon Huff rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I bought this on a whim at a bookstore. I'm always up for something a little different and experimental and the premise sounded interesting. I don't think the format is quite as earth-shatteringly original as some people believe but there's a lot of fun to be had in the interplay between the text and the illustration that allows this to be more then just a book-selling gimmick and have a real resonance in the story.

I definitely came to care about the main character. Sometimes this was in spite...more I bought this on a whim at a bookstore. I'm always up for something a little different and experimental and the premise sounded interesting. I don't think the format is quite as earth-shatteringly original as some people believe but there's a lot of fun to be had in the interplay between the text and the illustration that allows this to be more then just a book-selling gimmick and have a real resonance in the story.

I definitely came to care about the main character. Sometimes this was in spite of how the book presented him. The knowledge T.S. exhibits and the insight he has into the world around him seems to vary depending on the needs of the story and what the view the writer wants to espouse at any given moment. There are times when these shifts prevent the reader from fully connecting with T.S. because he feels less like a human being and more like a writer's creation. But more often then not I was willing to overlook these rough moments because I was enjoying myself too much.

Like many books about a journey, the build-up ends up being more exciting then the payoff, but the ending has it's share of other pleasures. I think this might effect some reader's enjoyment of the book. The journey itself seems to be given relatively short shrift. T.S. really only makes two stops on his journey to the east. Much of the journey is spent on the back story of a distant relative. I will admit at first I found this a bit of an intrusion. I was far more interested in T.S. and his journey then this new set of characters that are introduced. But soon I was drawn into this secondary story, and of course by the end you realize that you're not REALLY reading a new story at all. In fact, much of the emotional resolution that readers might be looking for at the end of the book takes place here.

There are times when the tone of the book suddenly shifts - it gets a bit broader or darker then you might expect - but as long as you are willing to hold on a bit tighter during these moments you'll come through relatively unscathed and the world of the book is painted in broad enough strokes that these moments don't feel completely out of place.

The book is actually a fairly easy read as you're going through it, however it does require that the reader make some connections for themselves. Not to worry though as there are plenty of pretty obvious clues along the way. The ending does feel rushed, but in some ways it mimics the whirlwind of activity that awaits T.S. in the east very well. The ending felt a bit abrupt and left me with a lot of questions. But after a bit of reflection the pieces came together and I realized that most of them are answered, though perhaps not definitively, throughout the book.

I don't think this book would be to the tastes of every reader. It can be a bit precious and clever and the author's not afraid to take a moment and step-up on a soap box. Some people will find these more irritating than others. For me, I'm okay with these elements as long as the story stays interesting and I think "The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet" succeeded in that area. Although not perfect, there's a lot to admire about the book and ultimately I thought it was a journey well worth taking.(less)

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Feb 14, 2012 Kim rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-club

This book initially appears to be a standard book with some kind of story printed on the pages. What's a bit different is that there are wide margins and lots of drawings and notes in the margins. I've seen books with stuff in the margins before, and often the margins are interesting, but not meaty. They're a distraction from the main event, so at first I was trying to skip the stuff in the margins thinking I would come back to it later. However, just as I made that decision, there was a margina...more

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Dec 30, 2011 Dasia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Basically what happens is that a twelve-year-old genius, T.S. Spivet, is obsessed with mapping the achingly ordinary world around him, until it stops being quite so ordinary – he wins a major scientific prize and has to decide whether to stay on the dry Montana ranch he calls home, or somehow travel two thousand miles across the country to claim his place among the scientists he so reveres.

Guys, it was so good.

You know what I loved? The experimentation with sidenotes and illustrations. I litera...more

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Aug 17, 2011 Elaine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: z-763, year-2011

Genre: Literary Fiction
Publication Date: 2009
Number of Pages: 374
Geographical Setting: Divide, Montana, and a journey across the U.S.
Time Period: Contemporary

Three Words or Phrases Best Describing this Book: Child prodigy narrator, closely observed, poignant

Plot Summary: T.S. Spivet is a genius; cartography is his specialty. At 12, T.S. likes to make sense of the world around him through detailed maps of places, actions, items, expressions and thoughts. When the Smithsonian Institute calls T.S....more Genre: Literary Fiction
Publication Date: 2009
Number of Pages: 374
Geographical Setting: Divide, Montana, and a journey across the U.S.
Time Period: Contemporary

Three Words or Phrases Best Describing this Book: Child prodigy narrator, closely observed, poignant

Plot Summary: T.S. Spivet is a genius; cartography is his specialty. At 12, T.S. likes to make sense of the world around him through detailed maps of places, actions, items, expressions and thoughts. When the Smithsonian Institute calls T.S. to let him know he has won a prestigious award, he’s not going to let the fact that they think he’s an adult with a Ph.D., rather than a kid from Montana with a seventh-grade education, stop him from making the cross-country trek to accept it. Along the way, T.S. tries his hand at the hobo lifestyle by stowing away on a train, experiences a big city for the first time, and must find his way out of a few spots of trouble. All the while, he has time to reflect on the world around him, as well as review a journal his mother wrote about his great-great-grandmother’s experiences as a scientist. Over the course of his journey, T.S. comes to realize that, despite his best efforts at analysis, there are some parts of life and the world that logic and maps simply can’t explain.

Appeal Characteristics: Analytical protagonist, character-centered, charming, contemplative, descriptive language, detailed drawings and diagrams, dual plot lines, earnest, engrossing, haunting, humorous, informative, sophisticated, sympathetic main character, thoughtful, unhurried, well-researched

Personal Notes: (CONTAINS MILD SPOILERS) I really enjoyed most of this book, and loved the original format of having the margin notes and maps to complement T.S.’s narration (the arrows from passages in the text helped a lot with the flow, so I knew exactly when to interrupt my reading of the main section to turn to the margin notes). I really felt like I could get a sense for the character and his thoughts, and felt his need to make sense of his world. The passages in which T.S. talked about his brother and his possible role in Layton’s death are particularly heartbreaking, and show how much he needs to find answers as a part of his own form of grieving. Despite the straightforward, almost emotionless way in which he brings up the incident in the barn, the frequency with which his thoughts turn to Layton reveal his true feelings of regret and love for his brother. Yet, his way of looking at the world can also be quite funny, with astute observations and drawings that reveal his curiosity for virtually anything, such as the length of men’s shorts over time or his mother’s tendency to cause toasters to explode. His quirky family – a scientific mom obsessed with finding the mythical tiger monk beetle, a cowboy father of few words whose dedication to his land is a throwback to ranchers of an older generation, and an older sister who wishes she just had a normal family – seemed a little one-note initially, but as T.S. grows to learn more about them, the reader, too, begins to see signs of more layers. I thought the ending got unnecessarily complicated – I would have liked it just as much, if not more, without the mysterious society component, and the closure-minded part of me would have liked to have seen his reunion with his mother as well. But overall, I thought this was a really solid and entertaining read, with a wonderful main character.(less)

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Jul 13, 2011 Alyssia Cooke rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a book that intrigued me when I saw it in Waterstones, although had it not been on a buy 3 for 2 deal I probably wouldn't have spent the RRP price of £12.99. I think it intrigued me because it seemed like a more adult version of 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time', which I had enjoyed. Although the main character does not seem to be autistic, he makes sense of life in a similar way, but instead of using numbers it's drawing maps. Plus, the front cover of the book is amaz...more

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May 26, 2011 Pam rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

http://iwriteinbooks.wordpress.com/20...

Twelve year old T.S. Spivet has been living in Montana over the duration of his short life. His father is a rancher, a caricature of a western cowboy, while his mother is the obsessive, intellectual scientist, devoting her life to seeking out the rare, some might say nonexistent, Tiger Monk Beetle. His siblings are the boy and girl versions of two-dimensional ranch life, one aspiring to be a cowboy, himself, the other, longing for things far away, like her...more http://iwriteinbooks.wordpress.com/20...

Twelve year old T.S. Spivet has been living in Montana over the duration of his short life. His father is a rancher, a caricature of a western cowboy, while his mother is the obsessive, intellectual scientist, devoting her life to seeking out the rare, some might say nonexistent, Tiger Monk Beetle. His siblings are the boy and girl versions of two-dimensional ranch life, one aspiring to be a cowboy, himself, the other, longing for things far away, like her dream of walking down the red carpet, somewhere, anywhere.

Needless to say, aside from distracted and spaced out interactions with his mother, T.S. has never had what you or I might call, intense intellectual stimulation. This aside, his genius is hard at work in the corners of the ranch (and everywhere else), mapping various people, places and things. Dinner conversations, migration paths and facial expressions come to life under his talented pen.

A dream pieced together by lofty aspirations and things that will never come, is suddenly realized when T.S. picks up the phone and finds, on the other end, the Smithy. Oh, yes, the one and only Smithsonian. They would like to present him with the coveted Baird Award. Realizing his true potential, far away from ranch land and Girlpop, T.S. packs his bags and heads East on one of, what is I am sure, my favorite travel bit in literary history.

Though the book, as a whole, is almost entirely impossible to describe, the story is a familiar one of belonging, self-discovery and dreams realized (though, not always with the end we had in mind). There is a bizarre talent in Larsen’s writing that embodies the voice of a tenured, Smithsonian scholar, a sleazy, middle-aged politician and a wide-eyed, and twelve-year-old ranch kid cum Mapboy. There is such a close weave of all of these separate approaches and paths to life that the story seems to be told from inside of a head bearing all these voices, rather than via a simple pen to paper.

It’s not as complex as it seems (though, if you’re not one for tangential footnotes, this might not be your bag, baby) but, rather, just the right amount of complex. I have no idea why this book didn’t get a huge, standing ovation when it came out, though, maybe I have a few ideas. It’s a little bit quirky, a little bit oddball and, of course, there are the footnotes. Those slight oddities aside, this is really an incredible book along the lines of Eggers and Pynchon that needs to be read or at least tasted. My only frustration is that Larsen has no other books….yet.(less)

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Apr 21, 2011 Phyllis rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Reif Larson has written a book that's a perfect read for the nonlinear thinker. It comes with sidebars and seemingly-offtopic notes and illustrations, lots of illustrations. The narrator, a 12-year-old-genius cartographer and illustrator, is invited to accept an award at the Smithsonian Institution, which is unaware of the intended recipient's age. He decides to travel to D.C. to accept the award, without informing his parents or sister and without telling the Smithsonian that he's underage. His...more

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Apr 14, 2011 Danica rated it 2 of 5 stars

Well, what do you know. After a string of bedazzling reads (Crowley, Dunnett, and Murray), my disillusionment with contemporary lit continues apace.

A twelve year old genius cartographer with a quirky and symbolic name has blah blah adventures on a train en route to picking up a prize at the Smithsonian which he is too young to have honestly qualified for (meaning: misinformation was entered on the official application form. mothers were mislead. important people were lied to!) and for which he h...more

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Mar 19, 2011 Llalan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: newish-fiction, wanderlust

I actually argued with someone about this book before either of us had even read it. My opponent was in a kerfuffle because he believed the book too "clever," and therefore was getting all this (A LOT of) attention from publishers for the wrong reasons: it was gimmicky, not well-written or -composed. (Please still bare in mind that neither of us had read it yet, and perhaps I was the only one to have actually held it in my hands.) I, too, argued that it was "clever," and but not in the cloying a...more

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Mar 03, 2011 Beth rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What starts off as an interesting book with a unique style and premise quickly becomes annoying.

The mix of drawings and text was interesting. I found it extremely difficult to believe, however, that someone 12 years old would have had the time to finish the huge quantities of complicated material he was supposed to have created. Even geniuses have limits.

In the classic tradition of condescending literature written by rich white males, all of the educated/intelligent characters are written with...more

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Aug 13, 2010 Nan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Much to love about this one, which I did not expect (feared it would be another MFA Creative Writing product with the attendant issues). T.S. is a completely charming 12 year old who is a genius at cartography, and the book follows about a week of his life as he travels across the country to win an award.

What sets it apart are the digressions, on every page, complete with a map of some kind - the toasters his scientist mother has destroyed, the patterns of conversation around the dinner table,...more

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Jul 09, 2010 Harkinna rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is one of those books I read about and instantly wanted…and then every time I would go to buy the book I would get cold feet…so I waited some time to get this one. (Obviously before the year of making do and our re-discovery of the library.)

The book chronicles the 12 year-old, T.S. Spivet as he decides to ride across the country from Montana to Washington, DC to accept an award at the Smithsonian. You see, T.S. is a very accomplished chart and map maker, even at 12. The book is filled with...more

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About Reif Larsen

Reif Larsen (b. 1980) is an American author, best known for The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet.
Larsen is a graduate of Brown University and Columbia University. Living in New York.

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“Outside, there was that predawn kind of clarity, where the momentum of living has not quite captured the day. The air was not filled with conversation or thought bubbles or laughter or sidelong glances. Everyone was sleeping, all of their ideas and hopes and hidden agendas entangled in the dream world, leaving this world clear and crisp and cold as a bottle of milk in the fridge. ” — 17 people liked it

“I had trouble listening to adults who didn't really mean anything that they said; it was as if their language poured into my ears only to drain right out a little spigot in the back of my head.” — 17 people liked it

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