Product Description

It's 1990. Apartheid is crumbling, Nelson Mandela has just been released from prison and thirteen-year-old Spud Milton is about to start his first year at an elite boys-only boarding school. Cursed with embarrassingly dysfunctional parents, a nutty granny and a dormitory full of strange characters, Spud has his hands full trying to adapt to his new home. With only his wits and his diary, he takes readers on a rowdy boarding school romp full of illegal midnight swims, catastrophic cricket matches, ghostbusting escapades, girls and disastrous holidays. South African comedian John van de Ruit invites the reader into the mind of a young boy whose eyes are being opened to love, friendship and complete insanity!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #31543 in Books
• Published on: 2008-05-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

Review
Funny, fast-paced and wonderfully observant (The Daily News )

Some rave reviews from South Africa:

Achingly funny (Sunday Times Lifestyle )

Once you pick it up it's almost as if the pages turn themselves (Metrobeat )

About the Author
John van de Ruit was born in Durban, South Africa. He went to the University of Natal where he completed a Masters degree in Drama and Performance. Since 1998 he has been a professional actor, playwright and producer, winning numerous awards. Spud is his first novel.

Customer Reviews

Courtesy of Teens Read Too
SPUD has been compared to THE CATCHER IN THE RYE, but I see it more as a twisted Harry Potter minus the magic and the nasty, evil villain. It is boarding school at its craziest and best.

Even though it is set in South Africa, and I'm guessing that most of its readers will not have attended boarding school, teens everywhere will be able to relate to the trials and tribulations of main character John "Spud" Milton.

Through Spud's diary, the reader gets to follow the antics of The Crazy Eight. Their wild adventures include the infamous "night swims," porn magazines and videos, attempts to break the school farting record, and investigations into the mystery of the school's resident ghost. All their schemes and pranks are done at the risk of being caught by Headmaster Glockenshpeel, known as "The Glock."

Spud not only deals with all craziness while at school, but he also deals with issues when he goes home during breaks. His father is a drunk who is sure the country is doomed now that Nelson Mandela has been released and Apartheid is over. Spud's mother puts up with his father's nonsense most days, but there are frequent, loud battles which sometimes end in her throwing him out. Add to all that a seriously senile grandmother Spud calls the Wombat. She has never-ending stories that, due to her declining mental abilities, she constantly repeats. Spud's father is seriously considering poison as a method for ridding them of his obnoxious mother-in-law.

John van de Ruit's book is sure to be a success here in the U.S. His newfound fans will be happy to know he is at work on the further adventures of Spud and the gang.

Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"

The best (and funniest) rites of passage book ever written.
The cover says you will be rolling around, and you will be.

What with manic parents, crazy teachers, insane girlfriends, and bizzare friends this book is the best.

Read it you won't be dissapointed. What gets me though is it really is true to life.

Well done John.

Pure genius!
I remember coming across this book, just as it had been released, in a book shop in Johannesburg Airport as I waited for my flight back to the UK. I had never heard of it before but after reading the blurb I decided I would take a chance and spend the last of my money to buy it.

And thank the Lord in Heaven above that I did buy it! This book is absolute comic gold dust. It follows the story of John 'Spud' Milton, a young white South African boy as he begins a scholarship at a South African boys boarding school.

To sum John 'Spud' Milton up for you - He is the protagonist. Spud in general dislikes his life, due to the major embarrassment he gets from having slightly deranged parents, a senile grandmother (affectionately known as Wombat) and being part of one of the most notorious gang in the school. He is very pessimistic about many aspects of his life, especially his spudness and has a low self-esteem when confronting personal matters. Sparerib watches him with much concern and offers him much support. He consistently worries about his own sanity. Has many goals, such as being a star cricketer, actor, detective, freedom fighter and many more. Is certainly popular with girls (as he is the object of affection of three girls). Got into the school through a scholarship. Best known in the school for his lead part in Oliver!.

This book made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me laugh so hard that I cried, it made me laugh so hard that I wet my pants a little. Thats how brilliant this book is. You must read it!