Seventeen-year-old "Hank" has found himself at Penn Station in New York City with no memory of anything--who he is, where he came from, why he's running away. His only possession is a worn copy of Walden by Henry David Thoreau. And so he becomes Henry David--or "Hank"--and takes first to the streets, and then to the only destination he can think of--Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts. Cal Armistead's remarkable debut novel about a teen in search of himself. As Hank begins to piece together recollections from his past he realizes that the only way he can discover his present is to face up to the realities of his grievous memories. He must come to terms with the tragedy of his past to stop running and find his way home.
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### From School Library Journal
Gr 10 Up-A boy wakes up in Penn Station, remembering nothing. He guesses that he's about 17, he has a head injury, and he is carrying only 10 dollars. Near at hand is a copy of Walden, so for want of anything better he calls himself Henry David (Hank). He heads to Concord, Massachusetts, to find, he hopes, some clues at Walden Pond. As his memories slowly return, he remembers who he was; as he copes with the memories, he discovers who he is and can be. The quiet mystery of Hank's past is the central plot point, but the focus is more on the relationships he builds and his efforts to be a good person and make up for past misdeeds-whatever they may have been. Thematic elements from Thoreau are subtly deployed, planting the suggestion that teens pick up Walden. Introspective high schoolers will appreciate this enigmatic coming-of-age story.-Brandy Danner, Wilmington Memorial Library, MAα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
### From Booklist
A boy wakes up on the floor of Penn Station with an aching head and a copy of Walden in his hand; beyond that, he knows nothing—not his name, not his family, and certainly not how he ended up there. The first things he remembers, surprisingly, are long passages of Walden, so he dubs himself “Henry David,” or Hank, as he comes to be known, sensing that Thoreau’s book contains some clues to his real identity. The next few days are a jumble of experiences, and throughout it all, a “beast” in Hank’s head keeps up a furious attack against the return of his memory. Only when his memory begins to resurface does Hank realize that the beast has been protecting him from a terrible truth. Frequent passages from Walden are a pleasing complement to the relentless tensions of Hank’s situation, as is the romance when Hank and a girl click through their mutual love of music. Think James Dashner’s Maze Runner series meets High School Musical: an engaging and unique book. Grades 9-12. --Diane Colson
Description:
Seventeen-year-old "Hank" has found himself at Penn Station in New York City with no memory of anything--who he is, where he came from, why he's running away. His only possession is a worn copy of Walden by Henry David Thoreau. And so he becomes Henry David--or "Hank"--and takes first to the streets, and then to the only destination he can think of--Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts. Cal Armistead's remarkable debut novel about a teen in search of himself. As Hank begins to piece together recollections from his past he realizes that the only way he can discover his present is to face up to the realities of his grievous memories. He must come to terms with the tragedy of his past to stop running and find his way home. ** ### From School Library Journal Gr 10 Up-A boy wakes up in Penn Station, remembering nothing. He guesses that he's about 17, he has a head injury, and he is carrying only 10 dollars. Near at hand is a copy of Walden, so for want of anything better he calls himself Henry David (Hank). He heads to Concord, Massachusetts, to find, he hopes, some clues at Walden Pond. As his memories slowly return, he remembers who he was; as he copes with the memories, he discovers who he is and can be. The quiet mystery of Hank's past is the central plot point, but the focus is more on the relationships he builds and his efforts to be a good person and make up for past misdeeds-whatever they may have been. Thematic elements from Thoreau are subtly deployed, planting the suggestion that teens pick up Walden. Introspective high schoolers will appreciate this enigmatic coming-of-age story.-Brandy Danner, Wilmington Memorial Library, MAα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. ### From Booklist A boy wakes up on the floor of Penn Station with an aching head and a copy of Walden in his hand; beyond that, he knows nothing—not his name, not his family, and certainly not how he ended up there. The first things he remembers, surprisingly, are long passages of Walden, so he dubs himself “Henry David,” or Hank, as he comes to be known, sensing that Thoreau’s book contains some clues to his real identity. The next few days are a jumble of experiences, and throughout it all, a “beast” in Hank’s head keeps up a furious attack against the return of his memory. Only when his memory begins to resurface does Hank realize that the beast has been protecting him from a terrible truth. Frequent passages from Walden are a pleasing complement to the relentless tensions of Hank’s situation, as is the romance when Hank and a girl click through their mutual love of music. Think James Dashner’s Maze Runner series meets High School Musical: an engaging and unique book. Grades 9-12. --Diane Colson