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Spud #1
Patata
1990. L'anno della liberazione di Nelson Mandela è un anno straordinario anche per John Milton, che ha vinto una borsa di studio e viene ammesso a frequentare un esclusivo collegio maschile sudafricano. John (subito ribattezzato Patata, soprannome inglorioso che allude alla sua goffaggine acerba) viene da una famiglia a dir poco eccentrica e i suoi compagni di dormitorio si rivelano ancora più bizzarri. Così ha il suo bel daffare per adattarsi alla scuola, tra le angherie dei ragazzi più grandi e le complicazioni delle leggi non scritte. Ma è proprio la scuola a regalargli grandi sorprese: le scorrerie notturne dei Furiosi Otto, un professore geniale e anticonformista che gli fa scoprire i grandi libri, e poi i primi amori, la passione per il teatro... Patata vive i giorni complicati della crescita in bilico tra ansia e spavalderia, armato della sua sensibilità, del suo senso dell'umorismo e del suo diario.
547 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
241 people are currently reading
4094 people want to read
About the author
John van de Ruit
9 books201 followersJohn Howard van de Ruit is a South African novelist, actor, playwright and producer. He has been a professional actor, playwright and producer since 1998. He was born in Durban and educated at Michaelhouse, where he stayed in Founders House and from where he matriculated in 1993. He then went on to complete a Masters degree in Drama and Performance at the then University of Natal.
He is best known for his collaboration with Ben Voss on the satirical sketch show Green Mamba which has toured extensively throughout Southern Africa since 2002. His first novel was published in 2005 by Penguin, entitled Spud. The book was a runaway success in South Africa. It won the 2006 Bookseller's Choice Award. The sequel Spud- The Madness Continues... was released in mid 2007. Ruit has also sold the film rights to the book, and shooting will begin in 2008.
He is best known for his collaboration with Ben Voss on the satirical sketch show Green Mamba which has toured extensively throughout Southern Africa since 2002. His first novel was published in 2005 by Penguin, entitled Spud. The book was a runaway success in South Africa. It won the 2006 Bookseller's Choice Award. The sequel Spud- The Madness Continues... was released in mid 2007. Ruit has also sold the film rights to the book, and shooting will begin in 2008.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 630 reviews
February 11, 2008
Fans of Adrian Mole and Georgia Nicholson will appreciate this latest entry in the adolescent teen diary mode. With wacky family members, teen romance problems, and faithful friends, Spud doesn't disappoint the reader. The added benefit is that it takes place in South Africa at the time of Nelson Mandela's release from prison and the end of apartheid. The seriousness of the political situation is a stark contrast to the laugh out loud situations in Spud's life in a private boy's school. I'm looking forward to more episodes in Spud's wacky world.
January 2, 2015
O livro mais engraçado que já li. Se bem que não li muitos livros de humor! O autor conseguiu reproduzir com louvor a atmosfera em torno de um pré-adolescente, com seus problemas, desafios e descobertas. Inegável que dei muitas gargalhadas. Foi perfeito para essas férias de verão.
February 2, 2008
This is a cool book. It is written in the form of a diary of a 14 year old boy living in South Africa. The year is 1990 and it is his first year at an elite private boys boarding school. The hilarity ensues. All of his experiences and thoughts are realistic and although the feeling of the book is comedic, there are more sobering experiences as well. This is a brand new book this year, a hit in South Africa, and the author is coming out with a sequel. I'm definitely interested in seeing what comes next. You don't need to be interested in YA fiction to read this.
December 2, 2008
All the reviews say it's very funny but maybe it's not my type of humor or something because I didn't tjhink it was hilarious.
January 3, 2008
There were points in the book where I had to put it down because I was laughing so hard. Oh man, what a great book to start 2008.
November 25, 2013
I find myself a little torn. There was a lot I didn't like about this book, and they remained unexplained. For example - the realistic, yet horrifying hazing, awkward homoerotic subtext, the disgusting suggestion of a student-teacher relationship, drunk teachers, etc. While I did find myself laughing out loud on more than one occasion, and found the setting [South Africa] and time period [1990] to be intellectually interesting, there was a lot to be found in this novel that made me uncomfortable. Bah.
February 26, 2017
O formato narrativo - escrito em diário - não me apelou, sendo a personagem principal um rapaz de 13 anos. O apartheid é referenciado mas muito subtilmente, o que é uma pena, pois pensava que ia ter mais foco no livro mas este acaba por tornar-se num relato da vida de spud e dos amigos e a família e pouco mais do que isso.
September 7, 2013
I'm pretty seriously surprised this book gets the praise it does.
The level of homophobia is extreme--we cheer for Spud leading on 3 girls, but the gay kids are punished for trying to have a sex life? Let's not forget, too, that all of the characters who exhibit homosexual attraction assault Spud and the others, so, y'know--there's a good message to send young readers. The level of violence, and of highly-sexualized violence in particular, in this book was REALLY shocking.
**SPOILERS**
Gecko's death leads nowhere, and while we could say "sometimes death is for no reason" the rest of this book doesn't function in the dark mode that would lead to this conclusion.
I've never seen a book this happy to send the message to boys, "toughen up!" which is the worst kind if outdated, bullshit masculinity.
I'm keeping the book around to show passages of it to students as great examples of what bad books do, ideologically.
The level of homophobia is extreme--we cheer for Spud leading on 3 girls, but the gay kids are punished for trying to have a sex life? Let's not forget, too, that all of the characters who exhibit homosexual attraction assault Spud and the others, so, y'know--there's a good message to send young readers. The level of violence, and of highly-sexualized violence in particular, in this book was REALLY shocking.
**SPOILERS**
Gecko's death leads nowhere, and while we could say "sometimes death is for no reason" the rest of this book doesn't function in the dark mode that would lead to this conclusion.
I've never seen a book this happy to send the message to boys, "toughen up!" which is the worst kind if outdated, bullshit masculinity.
I'm keeping the book around to show passages of it to students as great examples of what bad books do, ideologically.
August 30, 2014
Thirteen-year old, South African John "Spud" Milton receives a scholarship to attend a prestigious boarding school in 1990 and is excited to escape from his crazy home life. Instead, he becomes part of the Crazy Eight in an equally bizarre, but teenage world dominated by sex, farting, harmful pranks, testosterone. Spud, nicknamed for the slow pace of his pubescent development, develops in many other ways, facing the usual teen pressures, especially when it comes to girls, and his hoped for lead role in the production of Oliver. Inverted Southern Hemisphere seasons and cricket references were a bit confusing. This has been compared to many books/movies: I found it to be a sophomoric version of Dead Poet's Society. My favorite part was the periodic summaries of what the boys did on their school breaks.
May 13, 2016
I am probably the only person in South Africa that dislikes this book. To be honest: if it wasn't for the last bit of the book, I would have given it 1 star.
Yes, there are funny bits and there are bits correlating with my youth (I am in the same age range as the lead character), but to read about a boy waiting for his "balls to drop" while his mates are "wanking of" got irritating after... uhm... well the second time he talked about his "willy" and "balls dropping". Really? How many times must you mention that on a page?
The adventures of the crazy 8, was fun at times, but only so much... Perhaps this book is suited for the younger generation, but after hearing everybody loving this book, obviously I had to read it. I am still wondering why people get carried away about this book - just don't get it.
It's a pitty I already bought no 2 and no 3....
Yes, there are funny bits and there are bits correlating with my youth (I am in the same age range as the lead character), but to read about a boy waiting for his "balls to drop" while his mates are "wanking of" got irritating after... uhm... well the second time he talked about his "willy" and "balls dropping". Really? How many times must you mention that on a page?
The adventures of the crazy 8, was fun at times, but only so much... Perhaps this book is suited for the younger generation, but after hearing everybody loving this book, obviously I had to read it. I am still wondering why people get carried away about this book - just don't get it.
It's a pitty I already bought no 2 and no 3....
February 3, 2018
A funny book with all kinds of sweet, frightening and sad about growing up. Sabin Willett had a character warn me that prep school had more psychopaths than prison. It did not matter. I was hooked by the second page.
"05:00 The neighborhood erupts as Dad fires up his supersonic heat-seeking rose sprayer (which sound like a ski boat hitting a sandbank at full throttle). The machine is so powerful that it blew Wombat's (my grandmother's) Queen Elizabeth rose bush out of the ground on its first tryout. Dad, wearing only his Cricketing Legends sleeping shorts (my Christmas present) and a surgeon's mask to protect himself from the deadly chemicals that he's now spraying into the atmosphere, points his machine at the neighbors' yard and dances like a loon on the lawn in front of my bedroom window. Maybe boarding school won't be so bad after all."
September 27, 2007
This book has been number one on the bestseller list in South Africa for the last couple of years. Now it is number two, only because the its sequel is number one. With a tag line that touts it as the South African Catcher in the Rye and a rave review from my Penguin rep, I knew I had to read it. Told in almost diary form from the perspective of a 14 year old boy (nicknamed Spud by his dorm mates because his balls haven't dropped yet) who has just started boarding school, this book is laugh out loud funny. I wish I could get my hands on the sequel.
July 2, 2011
Funny at times, Spud isn't super lovable. He's average, and maybe that's supposed to make him appealing to the reader. I find his lack of a moral compass disappointing. He is socially conscious, which shows some growth in his character, but his disrespect for girls is disturbing. He reminds me of a slightly older Greg from Diary of a Wimpy kid. There's less substance to this book that I had previously heard.
October 9, 2012
I picked it up because Alexander McCall Smith claimed it was, "South Africa's 'Cather in the Rye'." About a third of the way through I had my doubts he had ever actually read 'Catcher'. Spud is too likable and innocent, although he describes things in a similar matter of fact way. While there is nothing fundamentally wrong with this book, it just did not live up to that claim. It is definitely more appropriate for a boy starting high school. I can see it being a great growing up with the character type of book, as there are several in a series that follows lead character "SPUD" through the woes of high school. Also I guess I was kind of expecting it to focus more heavily on the fact that apartheid had just ended than it actually did. I read "Out of Shadows" which from a jacket read sounds awfully similar. I assure you, they are not.
August 11, 2013
Some amusing bits, some just plain crazy....lots of casual violence...just didn't engage me very much.
May 23, 2022
I’m not usually charmed by tales of male adolescents but Spud is such an endearing character that I couldn’t put this down.
October 13, 2012
I decided to read Spud because it is sort of like my situation. Mainly the school aspect, which is pretty much the entire book. We both go to all boys schools and have to dress in pointless dress codes. Except, I go to a nearby(ish) school and Spud is at a boarding school in South Africa in the 1990s, at the time of apartheid. Other than that, there isn't much more similarity.
I almost want to say that this is sort of like The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I think it's been described somewhere (I can't remember exactly where) as the South African Catcher in the Rye. I haven't read Catcher in the Rye though, so I wouldn't know. I definitely saw similarites, although few, between Spud and the Perks. Spud and Charlie share a similar way of thinking and their situations are closely related, in terms of the fact that they are both learning about themselves and the world around them. Unlike the Perks, which is written in letter form, Spud is written as journal entries. Another small similarity is the fact that they are close to their English teachers. They go over the teachers' houses and have meals with them and their wives, and they are given books which they discuss frequently. I would have to say that Spud is a bit more mentally mature, despite the fact that he is a few years younger than Charlie.
Spud is a thirteen year old boy who comes from a dysfunctional family. His grandmother Wombat is senile, and his parents are crazy and will most likely become senile soon. He wins a scholarship to an elite boarding school for boys in South Africa. Once there, he is a bit homesick and overwhelmed by the new environment, which is expected and perfectly normal. Spud eventually gets into his new life at school and he forms a close bond with his seven housemates, nicknamed the Crazy Eight. Playing cricket and being cast as the lead in the school's play, Spud gets to know more of his schoolmates (and girls through the play). A few times Spud goes home, and there he meets "the Mermaid", the daughter of one of his mother's friends. They start dating and Spud is happy as could be. But when the Mermaid, her real name is Debbie, becomes depressed after her parents' divorce and is relocated to England, he isn't sure what to do. Things become more complicated when Spud forms a relationship with Amanda, a girl in his play. Plus there's a flirtatious girl named Christine involved.
I think this book is a series, but I doubt I will read the other ones. Not because I didn't like Spud, but because I feel it does fine as a standalone book. It was a very funny book, perhaps not quite as funny as I thought it would be. Mainly because the reviews I have read describe it as:
The "funniest book of the year." Julia Paterson, The Citizen
"Achingly funny." Michele Magwood, Sunday Times Lifestyle
*I'm getting these from the inside of the book. And I've also seen some reviews online.
I think the reason I didn't find it super funny was because my sense of humor is very different than a lot of people. But who knows, I haven't read many funny books recently so this might be my funniest book of the year. Also because I've been reading a lot of depressing YA, as well as adult books this year. However, I think it is just as funny as some of the middle-grade humor I read recently, like My Haunted House and Edgar & Ellen (the latter of which is a little bit dark, but in a creepy way, whereas Spud has some dark parts in terms of the struggles South Africa is facing and how he and his friends are affected by aprtheid and the release of Nelson Mandela, etc.)
Definitely add this to your collection of coming of age stories. Spud is a break from more serious YA, and it put me in a good mood upon finishing it, which is one thing I was hoping to get out of it. Also, there is a movie so check that out. I haven't seen it but I might, just to compare it to the book.
I almost want to say that this is sort of like The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I think it's been described somewhere (I can't remember exactly where) as the South African Catcher in the Rye. I haven't read Catcher in the Rye though, so I wouldn't know. I definitely saw similarites, although few, between Spud and the Perks. Spud and Charlie share a similar way of thinking and their situations are closely related, in terms of the fact that they are both learning about themselves and the world around them. Unlike the Perks, which is written in letter form, Spud is written as journal entries. Another small similarity is the fact that they are close to their English teachers. They go over the teachers' houses and have meals with them and their wives, and they are given books which they discuss frequently. I would have to say that Spud is a bit more mentally mature, despite the fact that he is a few years younger than Charlie.
Spud is a thirteen year old boy who comes from a dysfunctional family. His grandmother Wombat is senile, and his parents are crazy and will most likely become senile soon. He wins a scholarship to an elite boarding school for boys in South Africa. Once there, he is a bit homesick and overwhelmed by the new environment, which is expected and perfectly normal. Spud eventually gets into his new life at school and he forms a close bond with his seven housemates, nicknamed the Crazy Eight. Playing cricket and being cast as the lead in the school's play, Spud gets to know more of his schoolmates (and girls through the play). A few times Spud goes home, and there he meets "the Mermaid", the daughter of one of his mother's friends. They start dating and Spud is happy as could be. But when the Mermaid, her real name is Debbie, becomes depressed after her parents' divorce and is relocated to England, he isn't sure what to do. Things become more complicated when Spud forms a relationship with Amanda, a girl in his play. Plus there's a flirtatious girl named Christine involved.
I think this book is a series, but I doubt I will read the other ones. Not because I didn't like Spud, but because I feel it does fine as a standalone book. It was a very funny book, perhaps not quite as funny as I thought it would be. Mainly because the reviews I have read describe it as:
The "funniest book of the year." Julia Paterson, The Citizen
"Achingly funny." Michele Magwood, Sunday Times Lifestyle
*I'm getting these from the inside of the book. And I've also seen some reviews online.
I think the reason I didn't find it super funny was because my sense of humor is very different than a lot of people. But who knows, I haven't read many funny books recently so this might be my funniest book of the year. Also because I've been reading a lot of depressing YA, as well as adult books this year. However, I think it is just as funny as some of the middle-grade humor I read recently, like My Haunted House and Edgar & Ellen (the latter of which is a little bit dark, but in a creepy way, whereas Spud has some dark parts in terms of the struggles South Africa is facing and how he and his friends are affected by aprtheid and the release of Nelson Mandela, etc.)
Definitely add this to your collection of coming of age stories. Spud is a break from more serious YA, and it put me in a good mood upon finishing it, which is one thing I was hoping to get out of it. Also, there is a movie so check that out. I haven't seen it but I might, just to compare it to the book.
October 26, 2014
A close friend of mine has been recommending Spud to me for what seems like forever. Despite often enjoying the same books, I definitely put off reading this book until I realised it had been sitting on my shelf for an age and I was going to have to return it soon.
As soon as I started reading it, other friends told me how wonderful it was and I became a little bit skeptical. It definitely didn’t grab me immediately and I was worried that this had already become one of those books that simply does not live up to its hype.
I couldn’t have been more wrong. Spud soon had me laughing out loud. Boarding school has always been a familiar thing to me. I was a boarder at my current school for three years and the local boys school also has a boarding house. What these boys get up to in the boarding is no secret (nor, I should add, is what the girls get up to!). Although perhaps a little bit crazy, Spud pretty much hit the nail on the head when it comes to hectic (but lovable) boarding life.
Spud is hilarious. It’s a funny book. The humour might not appeal to some people, but I honestly don’t understand how anyone could get through this book without being amused one way or the other. I know that a lot of my friends criticize me for not being amused by some fairly standard gags, but even I found Spud to be funny. As I was reading it I knew that my smiles and giggles (and, not gonna lie, sometimes outright unladylike chortles) were making me seem like a crazy person to all who happened to walk by.
The hilarity comes in the characters (teenage boys – surely that speaks for itself!), the antics they get up to, and Spud’s thoughts. It’s written in a diary format and while Spud is most certainly lovable, some of the things he says can’t help but make you laugh. Just like many teenage boys, he can be a touch clueless at times.
In a nutshell, Spud is a fun book. It’s fun! It’s genuinely enjoyable to read. It’s not difficult to read. It’s not heavy. It’s just fun. Sure, there are definitely issues of Apartheid and racism coming through, but it is mostly a fun read about a teenage boy who is absolutely not equipped for the life that he’s thrown into when he starts his first year at boarding school.
I whole-heartedly recommend this book. You’ll love Spud when he’s with his crazy friends. You’ll him when he’s with his crazy teachers. You’ll love him when he’s with his crazy family. You’ll love him when he’s with crazy girls. And you’ll love him when it’s just Spud, writing in his diary and trying to figure out all of the crazy things life throws at him.
As soon as I started reading it, other friends told me how wonderful it was and I became a little bit skeptical. It definitely didn’t grab me immediately and I was worried that this had already become one of those books that simply does not live up to its hype.
I couldn’t have been more wrong. Spud soon had me laughing out loud. Boarding school has always been a familiar thing to me. I was a boarder at my current school for three years and the local boys school also has a boarding house. What these boys get up to in the boarding is no secret (nor, I should add, is what the girls get up to!). Although perhaps a little bit crazy, Spud pretty much hit the nail on the head when it comes to hectic (but lovable) boarding life.
Spud is hilarious. It’s a funny book. The humour might not appeal to some people, but I honestly don’t understand how anyone could get through this book without being amused one way or the other. I know that a lot of my friends criticize me for not being amused by some fairly standard gags, but even I found Spud to be funny. As I was reading it I knew that my smiles and giggles (and, not gonna lie, sometimes outright unladylike chortles) were making me seem like a crazy person to all who happened to walk by.
The hilarity comes in the characters (teenage boys – surely that speaks for itself!), the antics they get up to, and Spud’s thoughts. It’s written in a diary format and while Spud is most certainly lovable, some of the things he says can’t help but make you laugh. Just like many teenage boys, he can be a touch clueless at times.
In a nutshell, Spud is a fun book. It’s fun! It’s genuinely enjoyable to read. It’s not difficult to read. It’s not heavy. It’s just fun. Sure, there are definitely issues of Apartheid and racism coming through, but it is mostly a fun read about a teenage boy who is absolutely not equipped for the life that he’s thrown into when he starts his first year at boarding school.
I whole-heartedly recommend this book. You’ll love Spud when he’s with his crazy friends. You’ll him when he’s with his crazy teachers. You’ll love him when he’s with his crazy family. You’ll love him when he’s with crazy girls. And you’ll love him when it’s just Spud, writing in his diary and trying to figure out all of the crazy things life throws at him.
August 1, 2014
Spud! Oh boy do I love this book. Really, what's not to like? It's got a little bit of everything. There's a whole lot of humor accompanied by some life themes, classic literature, and some South African history. Almost anyone could find something they like in this book. At first I wasn't too sure how much I would like the diary-style entries, but I ended up loving them. John "Spud" Milton is a hilarious narrator and he handles the tough format well.
What really makes the book are the characters, namely "The Crazy Eight", which consists of Spud, Robert "Rambo" Black, Charlie "Mad Dog" Hooper, Henry "Gecko" Barker, Alan "Boggo" Greenstein, Vern "Rain Man" Blackadder, Simon Brown, and Sydney "Fatty" Smitherson-Scott. The group really lives up to its "crazy" name, what with Mad Dog cooking pigeons, Rambo and Boggo making racy comments left and right, Gecko either sick or injured 90% of the time, Fatty eating everything in sight, Simon and his inability to handle the crazy, Spud's humorous reaction to events, the whole group going on numerous illegal night swims, and last but certainly not last, Vern. Oh Vern! There is no end to the humor that Vern supplies. Spud's deranged cubical mate may just be the best part of the book. Hearing his conversations with Rodger and other various inanimate objects always made me laugh.
However, the Crazy Eight does not allow the other characters to slack off. Spud's father's fight with the neighbor's dogs is always good for a laugh. His mother's constant disappointment with the boys will always make you smile. His grandmother Wombat is nearly as hilarious as Vern. The headmaster, aka The Glock has his moments, and various other teachers help humor the book when things get slow. Even the family dog Blacky has his moments that include his fight with the robot that cleans the pool.
However, despite the humor, this book also has lots of serious themes and moments. This book delves into thoughts on relationships, loss, and friendship in a way that isn't corny. It's a great "coming of age" novel, but I'm sure that you don't have to be a teen to like this book.
This book is a laugh riot that you shouldn't pass up. It may be a little hard to get your hands on it, since it is a South African book, but if you have access to it, I would definitely suggest reading it! Trust me when I say you don't want to miss this one!
Five out of Five stars
See this review, and more like it, here: http://themessengerreviews.blogspot.c...
What really makes the book are the characters, namely "The Crazy Eight", which consists of Spud, Robert "Rambo" Black, Charlie "Mad Dog" Hooper, Henry "Gecko" Barker, Alan "Boggo" Greenstein, Vern "Rain Man" Blackadder, Simon Brown, and Sydney "Fatty" Smitherson-Scott. The group really lives up to its "crazy" name, what with Mad Dog cooking pigeons, Rambo and Boggo making racy comments left and right, Gecko either sick or injured 90% of the time, Fatty eating everything in sight, Simon and his inability to handle the crazy, Spud's humorous reaction to events, the whole group going on numerous illegal night swims, and last but certainly not last, Vern. Oh Vern! There is no end to the humor that Vern supplies. Spud's deranged cubical mate may just be the best part of the book. Hearing his conversations with Rodger and other various inanimate objects always made me laugh.
However, the Crazy Eight does not allow the other characters to slack off. Spud's father's fight with the neighbor's dogs is always good for a laugh. His mother's constant disappointment with the boys will always make you smile. His grandmother Wombat is nearly as hilarious as Vern. The headmaster, aka The Glock has his moments, and various other teachers help humor the book when things get slow. Even the family dog Blacky has his moments that include his fight with the robot that cleans the pool.
However, despite the humor, this book also has lots of serious themes and moments. This book delves into thoughts on relationships, loss, and friendship in a way that isn't corny. It's a great "coming of age" novel, but I'm sure that you don't have to be a teen to like this book.
This book is a laugh riot that you shouldn't pass up. It may be a little hard to get your hands on it, since it is a South African book, but if you have access to it, I would definitely suggest reading it! Trust me when I say you don't want to miss this one!
Five out of Five stars
See this review, and more like it, here: http://themessengerreviews.blogspot.c...
October 9, 2011
From a cultural standpoint, Spud might be too unbelievable to be a 13 going 14 year old boy, but then again, boys, whatever, whoever, wherever they are, have this similar crux of concern. Themes of belonging, madness, and friendship grace through the pages of the book, and all the while, you will laugh with the boys and their ordeals going through an entire year being together in a boarding school.
I appreciate how van de Ruit writes his bildungsroman with wit and wild livery. I admit that through the early pages of the book, you will be baffled with the cast of characters (so take cue and read the dramatis personae listing at the beginning) but you will find yourself digging, egging, turning the pages for more, sympathize with the crazy 8, sway your loyalties with some of the characters, and hoped for it to stretch through (which thankfully does with the introduction of the next 2 books that follows.) It’s also admirable how the author manages to fit all the wackiness of boarding school with the changing political climate of South Africa in the nineties when apartheid was lifted.
Funny how the novel came to be and how simple the language was in use. To be honest, I was hoping for the book to rely mostly on comedy based on wordplay and jokes but van de Ruit samples anecdotes, situations which seemed hard to believe that could happen in a year’s time, situations that ring terribly true for some of us guys, who went through the time identifying with fellow boys.
As the end looms near for the book, the tone gets serious, and some inserted subject matter darkens the feel of the book to some degree. For this, mixed in with light (and comical) adult situations, Spud is best read at the 15-up category.
I appreciate how van de Ruit writes his bildungsroman with wit and wild livery. I admit that through the early pages of the book, you will be baffled with the cast of characters (so take cue and read the dramatis personae listing at the beginning) but you will find yourself digging, egging, turning the pages for more, sympathize with the crazy 8, sway your loyalties with some of the characters, and hoped for it to stretch through (which thankfully does with the introduction of the next 2 books that follows.) It’s also admirable how the author manages to fit all the wackiness of boarding school with the changing political climate of South Africa in the nineties when apartheid was lifted.
Funny how the novel came to be and how simple the language was in use. To be honest, I was hoping for the book to rely mostly on comedy based on wordplay and jokes but van de Ruit samples anecdotes, situations which seemed hard to believe that could happen in a year’s time, situations that ring terribly true for some of us guys, who went through the time identifying with fellow boys.
As the end looms near for the book, the tone gets serious, and some inserted subject matter darkens the feel of the book to some degree. For this, mixed in with light (and comical) adult situations, Spud is best read at the 15-up category.
January 29, 2010
If you are looking for laugh out loud funny this is the book for you. Spud by John van de Ruit is one of the funniest books I have read in a while.
The story comes from John "Spud" Milton who attends an all boys boarding school in South Africa set in 1990. His tale is written by way of journal entries which relate his various adventures, trials and humiliations.
John rooms with a group known at school known as the "Crazy Eight" and they never fail to live up to their name. These 13 year old boys are full of schemes and trouble galore. He deals with feeling home sick, the insecurities of not fitting in and being marked as a lowly freshman. Not only is John dealing with the insanity at school but on his breaks he puts up with his crazy family at home. Which includes his paranoid, bottle loving father, his always on the edge mother and stark raving mad grandmother he calls the wombat.
We follow John through his first year of boarding school where he bonds with his crazy roomies, has his first crush, deals with power hungry upper class men and drunken teachers.
I found this book hilarious, honest and surprisingly tender.
I'm happy to say that this is the first book in a series featuring John "Spud" Milton. I can't wait to catch up with him and the rest of the crazy eight again.
I would reccomend this book for readers 14 and up. It's about thirteen year old boys so know that the topic of sex will be brought up, there is crude humor and some rough language.
Excellent Book! This book is available at the Salmon Public Library.
The story comes from John "Spud" Milton who attends an all boys boarding school in South Africa set in 1990. His tale is written by way of journal entries which relate his various adventures, trials and humiliations.
John rooms with a group known at school known as the "Crazy Eight" and they never fail to live up to their name. These 13 year old boys are full of schemes and trouble galore. He deals with feeling home sick, the insecurities of not fitting in and being marked as a lowly freshman. Not only is John dealing with the insanity at school but on his breaks he puts up with his crazy family at home. Which includes his paranoid, bottle loving father, his always on the edge mother and stark raving mad grandmother he calls the wombat.
We follow John through his first year of boarding school where he bonds with his crazy roomies, has his first crush, deals with power hungry upper class men and drunken teachers.
I found this book hilarious, honest and surprisingly tender.
I'm happy to say that this is the first book in a series featuring John "Spud" Milton. I can't wait to catch up with him and the rest of the crazy eight again.
I would reccomend this book for readers 14 and up. It's about thirteen year old boys so know that the topic of sex will be brought up, there is crude humor and some rough language.
Excellent Book! This book is available at the Salmon Public Library.
October 26, 2012
At last, a South African novel that is just a novel! Someone up there is finally taking note that South Africans are tired of political memoirs and high brow literary offerings that sell 3000 copies and die a lonely death.
Spud leaves its British counterpart, The Diary of Adrian Mole, in the dust. Spud and the Crazy 8 have kept me from my dates with Michael Connolly, Ian Rankin, Ruth Rendell and Adriana Trigiani. And that's a feat. I have laughed out loud, giggled and smiled and shed a few tears. As Bryce Courtenay says, "A good novel makes you laugh. A great novel makes you laugh and cry."
Spud is a great debut novel. It is the new, wickedly funny coming of age South African story! Join John Milton as he navigates his teenage years. Wait in breathless anticipation for his next encounter with his wacky parents. Explore the world of an exclusive Natal boarding school. Meet the Crazy 8. Fall in love with Rain Man, Mad Dog, Gecko, The Glock, The Mermaid and Earhtworm and The Wombat who holds a special place in my heart. Van der Ruit's, John Milton, will take you through a gamut of emotions that few authors are able to achieve. I hope that he continues writing and I'm holding thumbs that Spud 2 will be as inspiring and well written as this novel. Highly recommended.
Spud leaves its British counterpart, The Diary of Adrian Mole, in the dust. Spud and the Crazy 8 have kept me from my dates with Michael Connolly, Ian Rankin, Ruth Rendell and Adriana Trigiani. And that's a feat. I have laughed out loud, giggled and smiled and shed a few tears. As Bryce Courtenay says, "A good novel makes you laugh. A great novel makes you laugh and cry."
Spud is a great debut novel. It is the new, wickedly funny coming of age South African story! Join John Milton as he navigates his teenage years. Wait in breathless anticipation for his next encounter with his wacky parents. Explore the world of an exclusive Natal boarding school. Meet the Crazy 8. Fall in love with Rain Man, Mad Dog, Gecko, The Glock, The Mermaid and Earhtworm and The Wombat who holds a special place in my heart. Van der Ruit's, John Milton, will take you through a gamut of emotions that few authors are able to achieve. I hope that he continues writing and I'm holding thumbs that Spud 2 will be as inspiring and well written as this novel. Highly recommended.
February 3, 2014
I wanted to like this book; with a tagline like "A Wickedly Funny Novel," it should be hilarious, right?
Well, um, it wasn't. I giggled at a couple of things (mostly those involving Wombat, Spud's crazy grandmother), but for the most part, I just felt like the comedy was forced. I only bothered reading this during my lunch breaks; normally if I like a novel that I start at work, I'll take it home. I think it's telling that this book never left my desk (and took 4 weeks to read consequently). Also, who cast the front cover? The description of Spud looked very little like the photographs on the front.
The descriptions of Oliver were pretty fantastic; as someone who spent much of high school in musicals, I recognized the rehearsal scenes. I did really enjoy that aspect of the novel. Also, the vacations home were hilarious.
So, I'm giving this 3 stars for the interesting setting and the occasional moments of mirth. Will I read the next two? Probably not.
Well, um, it wasn't. I giggled at a couple of things (mostly those involving Wombat, Spud's crazy grandmother), but for the most part, I just felt like the comedy was forced. I only bothered reading this during my lunch breaks; normally if I like a novel that I start at work, I'll take it home. I think it's telling that this book never left my desk (and took 4 weeks to read consequently). Also, who cast the front cover? The description of Spud looked very little like the photographs on the front.
The descriptions of Oliver were pretty fantastic; as someone who spent much of high school in musicals, I recognized the rehearsal scenes. I did really enjoy that aspect of the novel. Also, the vacations home were hilarious.
So, I'm giving this 3 stars for the interesting setting and the occasional moments of mirth. Will I read the next two? Probably not.
December 7, 2015
Retiro o que eu disse antes: as últimas 50 páginas do livro são as melhores; não é enrolação, muda a atmosfera do livro total e completamente, e dobrou minha estima por ele. Motivo: é extremamente triste. Pesou, fez um livro meio besta, meio sem propósito, se tornar profundo e bonito. Adorei o final, de verdade - mais que o resto do livro inteiro. Valeu a pena pelas últimas páginas. (principalmente lendo-as ouvindo "Amazing Grace").
Ele se propõe a ser mais engraçado do que realmente é, e, apesar de eu ter rido/sorrido algumas vezes, não diria que é uma comédia fantástica, são aventuras de um guri de 13/14 anos. É um livro "coming of age", de descobertas e micos e bullying. Mas o diferencial do livro é o setting: áfrica do sul em 1990, com o apartheid e o Mandela saindo da cadeia... Interessante o take do Cotoco (branco e privilegiado) nos acontecimentos. Mas o setting também atrapalhou em um aspecto: achei péssima (pra caramba) a representação de homossexualidade. Mesmo que se justifique pelo período na história, achei idiota. Mas bem.
Cotoco me fez pensar bem mais do que eu estava esperando. (Bem mais do que me fez rir).
3.5 estrelas.
Ele se propõe a ser mais engraçado do que realmente é, e, apesar de eu ter rido/sorrido algumas vezes, não diria que é uma comédia fantástica, são aventuras de um guri de 13/14 anos. É um livro "coming of age", de descobertas e micos e bullying. Mas o diferencial do livro é o setting: áfrica do sul em 1990, com o apartheid e o Mandela saindo da cadeia... Interessante o take do Cotoco (branco e privilegiado) nos acontecimentos. Mas o setting também atrapalhou em um aspecto: achei péssima (pra caramba) a representação de homossexualidade. Mesmo que se justifique pelo período na história, achei idiota. Mas bem.
Cotoco me fez pensar bem mais do que eu estava esperando. (Bem mais do que me fez rir).
3.5 estrelas.
January 8, 2010
Spud is starting his first year of boarding school in South Africa during the major political upheaval about aparteid. His family is absolutely crazy and embarassing. Unfortunately, his new house mates are absolutely insane quirky as well. Spud (John Milton)makes new friends, deals with relationship issues, finds out that teachers are people too, and has a wonderful singing career. Since it is about a boys boarding school, sex is an often discussed topic, especially since Spud's nickname is related to his lack of penis maturity.
The best thing about this book is that it is written in the format of a diary. It would be a great example for multigenre. Even though the story is mildly interesting, it reads so slowly. It felt like it took forever to get through this one.
The best thing about this book is that it is written in the format of a diary. It would be a great example for multigenre. Even though the story is mildly interesting, it reads so slowly. It felt like it took forever to get through this one.
November 24, 2010
Loved every page of this book! John van de Ruit has made me rethink the way I feel about South African writers. This book is strong enough to compete with any well known writers' work. Spud is the type of character you cant help but love! Even though he is such a typical boy and makes so many bad decisions, you still cant help but cheer him on. Every member of the crazy eight has a special place in my heart. You can learn so much from different characters and how they handle situations. My fave character would have to be The Guv. Every page he features on just comes to life in a very different and unique way. Its like you can almost hear him talking to you. Hes the lovable teacher we all miss when we think back to our school days. I cant wait to read the next installment!!
February 26, 2008
Definitely not South Africa's Catcher in the Rye, despite the many plot parallels and the blurb making big claims. Still, pretty good. As a parent, I was kind of creeped out by the author's acceptance of a horrible boarding school. Are beatings, uncontrolled bullying, insanity,rampant drunkenness, and affairs with students par for the course in South African schools? Yikes!
Spud is very likeable, though a little too good to be true -- star of the school musical, star cricketer, excellent student -- maybe a little wish fulfillment for the author? Still, the characters are really funny, and the plot builds to a thoughtful conclusion that worked well.
Spud is very likeable, though a little too good to be true -- star of the school musical, star cricketer, excellent student -- maybe a little wish fulfillment for the author? Still, the characters are really funny, and the plot builds to a thoughtful conclusion that worked well.
Read
January 15, 2012Cotoco, O diário (perversamente) engraçado de um garoto de 13 anos, marcou o début do sul-africano John Van de Ruit como escritor. A obra publicada originalmente em 2005 fez muito sucesso, sendo traduzida para vários idiomas e em 2010 a editora Intrínseca traduziu e publicou esse que é o primeiro livro da série que contará com quatro livros, dos quais três já foram publicados: Cotoco (Spud), Spud – The Madness Continues e Spud – Learning To Fly.
Leia mais: http://feanari.wordpress.com/2012/01/...
Leia mais: http://feanari.wordpress.com/2012/01/...
August 20, 2015
The most absurd and glorious book I've ever had the pleasure of reading. 43 days. That's how long I dragged Spud on simply because I didn't want it to end!
There wasn't any facet of life that this book failed to touch. Such colorful, crazy, flawed, unique characters and I feel like I know and understand them all. Brilliant characterization and a marvellous plot.
Definitely, #1 on my list now. Sorry JKR.
I am not reading the sequel for another year, though. I'd like this journey to last a little longer. :)
There wasn't any facet of life that this book failed to touch. Such colorful, crazy, flawed, unique characters and I feel like I know and understand them all. Brilliant characterization and a marvellous plot.
Definitely, #1 on my list now. Sorry JKR.
I am not reading the sequel for another year, though. I'd like this journey to last a little longer. :)
October 6, 2007
The adventures of John Milton “Spud” despite its oddness and quirkiness is able to connect with anyone. Refreshingly original and funny the book has a very South African feel but written in such a way as to delight anyone. With astonishing wit and cleverness, as only a 14-year-old spud can provide, there is not a sentence that will not have you giggling with glee. Every page contains some brilliant weirdness to admire and amuse you.
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