Special Topics in Calamity Physics

Special Topics in Calamity Physics

infobox Book |
name = Special Topics in Calamity Physics
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption =
author = Marisha Pessl
cover_artist =
country = United States
language = English
series =
genre = Novel
publisher = Viking Press
release_date = 2006
media_type = Print (Hardback & Paperback)
pages = 519
isbn = ISBN 0-670-03777-X
preceded_by =
followed_by =

Special Topics in Calamity Physics (2006) is a novel by American writer Marisha Pessl. It is the author's debut novel. The book was first published in August 2006 by Viking Press, a division of Penguin Group. The book received many positive reviews and was named one of "The 10 Best Books of 2006" by the "New York Times". Some negative reviews, including one in "The Guardian", accused the text of being overly stylized and Pessl of having "a tin ear for prose." [ [http://books.guardian.co.uk/reviews/generalfiction/0,,1873420,00.html "Too cool for school,"] Peter Dempsey, "The Guardian", September 16, 2007] A movie version is in the works and is rumored to be produced by Scott Rudin.cite web|url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117957117.html?categoryid=13&cs=1/,/|title=Variety article about movie|accessdate=2007-01-25] The film will be directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, the writing-directing team behind "Half Nelson".

Plot

The book is narrated by Blue van Meer, a brilliant young student who travels around the country with her father, a dashing professor of political science. Most of the book's business transpires in Blue's senior year of high school, as she attracts the interest of Hannah Schneider, the film teacher at her school, and is adopted into a clique of students close to Schneider known as the Bluebloods. Although foreshadowed in the opening paragraphs, it is not until midway into the book that Hannah Schneider dies, seemingly by suicide. Blue is left to determine why.

References

External links

* [http://calamityphysics.com/main.htm Book Website] *
* [http://www.specialtopics.co.uk/ Penguin Books podcast of a complete reading of "Special Topics in Calamity Physics"]
* [http://www.calamityphysics.com Viking Press's web page about "Special Topics in Calamity Physics"]
* [http://www.salon.com/books/review/2006/08/04/pessl/index_np.html Salon.com's review of "Special Topics in Calamity Physics"]
* [http://www.metacritic.com/books/authors/pesslmarisha/specialtopicsincalamityphysics Special Topics in Calamity Physics Reviews] at Metacritic.com
* [http://www.nytimes.com/ref/books/review/20061210tenbestbooks.html "The 10 Best Books of 2006"]
* [http://www.slate.com/id/2155104/ "Precocious Realism"] an extremely detailed review in Slate


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