Census: A Novel
In the wake of a devastating revelation, a father and son journey north across a tapestry of towns.
When a widower receives notice from a doctor that he doesn't have long left to live, he is struck by the question of who will care for his adult son--a son whom he fiercely loves, a boy with Down syndrome. With no recourse in mind, and with a desire to see the country on one last trip, the man signs up as a census taker for a mysterious governmental bureau and leaves town with his son.
Traveling into the country, through towns named only by ascending letters of the alphabet, the man and his son encounter a wide range of human experience. While some townspeople welcome them into their homes, others who bear the physical brand of past censuses on their ribs are wary of their presence. When they press toward the edges of civilization, the landscape grows wilder, and the towns grow farther apart and more blighted by industrial decay. As they approach "Z," the man must confront a series of questions: What is the purpose of the census? Is he complicit in its mission? And just how will he learn to say good-bye to his son?
"Mysterious and evocative, CENSUS is a novel about free will, grief, the power of memory, and the ferocity of parental love, from one of our most captivating young writers." --Los Angeles Times
Named a recommended book by 2018 by The New York Times, Buzzfeed, Esquire, Nylon, The Boston Globe, The Huffington Post, The Chicago Tribune, The Rumpus, The AV Club, Southern Living, The Millions, The Chicago Reader, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and NPR
Target age group 15 and up
When a widower receives notice from a doctor that he doesn't have long left to live, he is struck by the question of who will care for his adult son--a son whom he fiercely loves, a boy with Down syndrome. With no recourse in mind, and with a desire to see the country on one last trip, the man signs up as a census taker for a mysterious governmental bureau and leaves town with his son.
Traveling into the country, through towns named only by ascending letters of the alphabet, the man and his son encounter a wide range of human experience. While some townspeople welcome them into their homes, others who bear the physical brand of past censuses on their ribs are wary of their presence. When they press toward the edges of civilization, the landscape grows wilder, and the towns grow farther apart and more blighted by industrial decay. As they approach "Z," the man must confront a series of questions: What is the purpose of the census? Is he complicit in its mission? And just how will he learn to say good-bye to his son?
"Mysterious and evocative, CENSUS is a novel about free will, grief, the power of memory, and the ferocity of parental love, from one of our most captivating young writers." --Los Angeles Times
Named a recommended book by 2018 by The New York Times, Buzzfeed, Esquire, Nylon, The Boston Globe, The Huffington Post, The Chicago Tribune, The Rumpus, The AV Club, Southern Living, The Millions, The Chicago Reader, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and NPR
Target age group 15 and up
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CategoryAdult Fiction
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Age Group15 and UP
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Grade Level9+
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LanguageEnglish
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BindingHardcover
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Theme 1Social, Personal & Family Topics
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Theme 2Health & Nutrition
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Detailed (BISAC) Subject/ThemeDystopian
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Awards
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AuthorBall, Jesse
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Dewey813.6
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PublisherHarperCollins Publishers
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Publication Date3/6/2018
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Pages272
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Dimensions0.9 H × 8.3 L × 5.5 W
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Case Qty40
