The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet by Reif Larsen
Vintage Books, $30
In spite of the title and the appearance of this book, it is in fact a novel. It's a most unusual format for fiction, containing line drawings on almost every page. The protagonist, 12-year-old genius map maker T.S. Spivet, draws meticulous maps kept in innumerable colour-coded notebooks. The Smithsonian Institute, not realising he is still a child, awards him a major prize.
The author has pulled off a spectacular achievement with a terrifically original, at times hilarious, first novel. And not only is he a delightful writer, he is also a gifted illustrator. Larsen studied at Brown University and has taught at Columbia University. He is also a film-maker and has made documentaries in the United States, the UK, and sub-Saharan Africa. His website can be found at tsspivet.com/
* Graham Beattie is a former publisher who blogs daily about books at beattiesbookblog.blogspot.com
