The+Last+Book+in+the+Universe

//The Last Book in the Universe//, Rodman Philbrick, Scholastic Inc., 2000, 223 pages. This book is set in a post-apocalyptic world dominated by the entertainment medium of "mind-probes" - videos that play directly into your brain - which has replaced books entirely. The main character is an adolescent boy named Spaz who received his nickname due to his epilepsy. Because of his condition, he cannot use the metal needles of the mind-probes and is thus placed in a very distinct situation in his society. Just trying to survive in the burned out, broken down world run by gangs, his world is changed by an old man - old enough to remember the times before the mind-probes. With the old man, a young orphaned boy, and a genetically-perfected young woman, Spaz endures an incredibly dangerous journey across rival gang territory to see his dying foster sister. Along the way his world is changed and his eyes are open to the forgotten art of writing. In the end, he learns that everyone has a story that is important enough to be told.
 * Synopsis: **

This book is an excellent narrative of struggles that many adolescents have to go through. The main character is ostracized because of a characteristic he cannot control: his epilepsy. Through the character of the old man, he learns to appreciate his uniqueness and that it is even a benefit to him in many ways, though it may not seem like it at first. The writing style very much fits the story. The reader is allowed to see the thoughts of an adolescent as he processes all of the things that he is learning and the new experiences that he is going through. I think this would be helpful to young readers, because it allows them to identify with some of the struggles that the characters go through, and then to go deeper into seeing how the character deals with his circumstances. The book also touches on bigger issues of the family unit, terminal illness and genetic engineering that young readers may or may not be familiar with. The author seems to be very in touch with the issues that adolescents have to deal with and the level of cognitive development with which many of them approach their issues. The same author wrote //Freak the Mighty//, which I have not read but about which I have heard great things. The book does a great job of advocating the importance of reading and knowledge to young readers. By building up a society in which its ruin is related to its disregard for reading, the author allows the circumstances to display deductively how literature affects society, and the character's thoughts betray his personal discovery of the many ways that the written word are important in his own life.
 * Evaluation: **
 * Author’s view of adolescents and society: **

I would recommend this book highly to anyone willing to listen. I personally love it and believe that it is very well written for the adolescent reader. Through the character of the old man, the author manages to sneak in tidbits of information about authors, poets, and even facts about epilepsy. I felt almost like I was being tricked into learning something and enjoying it! With its simple language and enthralling themes, I think it's a book that young readers could really get into.
 * Recommendation: **