Tribes [Kindle Edition]

Arthur Slade (Author)

Book Description

"Items to carry on the person:
reliable pen,
backup pen,
field study notebook,
open mind."

Percy's father, a famous anthropologist, died in Africa four years ago; and Percy has taken on his father's eyes to see the world as a brilliant Observer. He and his friend Elissa are fascinated by the ritualistic world called Grade Twelve: the Jock tribe; the Teacher tribe; the Born Again tribe; the Cool and Detached tribe; the Lipstick/Hairspray tribe, not to mention Mr. Verplaz, the Shaman.
For Percy it's crucial to withdraw, analyze, and remain above it all.
But wait--he's studying real people, who complicate things. Like Elissa, the only person who can come close to him, maybe too close. The only person who knows how painful it was last year when their best friend Willard died. As graduation approaches, the looming ritual ratchets up Percy's deepest, hidden feelings and reveals the truth about his father's disappearance.

About the Author:
Arthur Slade was raised on a cattle ranch in the Cypress Hills of southwest Saskatchewan and he caught the writing bug at an early age. He started with poems, moved on to short stories, then graduated to novels, writing in the style of his favourite authors: King, Bradbury, and Heinlein. He is the author of sixteen bestselling books, including the "Northern Frights" series, "Jolted," and "The Hunchback Assignments." He currently lives in Saskatoon, Canada.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

There's the Logo Tribe, who "exhibit name brands wherever and whenever possible," the Digerati Tribe, who "worship bytes and silicon chips," and the Busybody Tribe, whose "batlike ears stretched high to gather up every vibration and echo." These are only a few of the exotic groups Percy Montmount has identified in his immense study of the human adolescent's rituals, "The Origin of the Species Revisited." And what better person to record these behaviors than one who is a member of no tribe? Ever since the death of his famous anthropologist father three years ago, Percy has blocked his grief by becoming an aloof observer of his classmates' odd rituals instead of an active player. But lately, it's gotten harder to classify his feelings as just biological responses to outside stimuli. Stimuli like his attraction to Elissa, a sexy, intelligent female biped, or his memories of Willard Stokes, the friend who committed suicide after suffering from unrequited love for a member of the Lipstick/Hairspray Tribe. And now that Graduation, that ultimate rite of passage, is almost upon him, Percy may be forced by unknown factors outside his tightly controlled environment to finally drop his field notebook and become what he dreads most: an actual participant in his own life.

It is safe to say that there is no character quite like Percy in young adult literature. His unique coping mechanism of classifying his peers into Darwinian clusters is sheer brilliance on the part of author Arthur Slade, and makes for an original and entertaining novel that will be enjoyed by teen, teacher, and parent tribes alike. (Ages 12 and older) --Jennifer Hubert

From Publishers Weekly

Slade's (Dust) dense novel inventively uses an anthropological lens to view high school life. Narrator 17-year-old Percy explains in a prologue that his anthropologist father died in the Congo three years earlier, after being bitten by a tsetse fly. The teen then reveals that on the night his father died, "Dad materialized at my bedside, extended a ghost arm, and opened his fingers to reveal a pair of glowing spirit eyes... and inserted the magical orbs into my sockets." Percy thereafter refers to fellow humans as "hominids" and frequently relies on amusing anthropological jargon that occasionally grows grating. Yet the narrative effectively conveys why Percy is shunned by fellow students. His most astute observations come at the expense of his peers: "Numerous tribes exist in friction at our school. The Logo Tribe exhibits name brands wherever and whenever possible.... The Lipstick/Hairspray Tribe performs elaborate appearance alterations to attract mates." He describes himself and his sole friend, Elissa as a "cohesive group of two" who are "quasi-omniscient Observers." Other highlights include a mystical parallel with the Ndebele tribe, where his father was working at the time of Percy's birth, and the tribe's ritual marking a boy's entry into manhood. Despite the hero's awkward anthopologic-speak ("No one ever knows what I'm talking about. What it means. No one!"), readers who admire the fellow's spirit may well enjoy this unusual treatise on high school culture; a concluding twist brings this tale down to earth. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 278 KB
• Print Length: 144 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: Dava Enterprises (March 15, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B004SBPGKQ
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #449,635 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Admit it: It's a clever idea April 20, 2011

By Brent Hartinger

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

The son of an anthropologist does a "study" of the various tribes (cliques) of his high school? But what makes the book work (as always) is the believable characters and, yes, the heart. A great read.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Any Highschool any time. Great Insight. December 26, 2008

By Steven R. McEvoy TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Arthur Slade is one of my favorite children's/teen authors. His books are imaginative, unique and always a great read. I read my first Slade book when Dust won the Governor General's Literary Award back in 2001. I loved it so much I picked up this one, and was not disappointed.

This is the story of Percy Montmount Jr. and his friend Elissa who are in their final year of high school. Percy, whose father was an anthropologist, examines the social environment of high school through the eyes and methods of an anthropologist. The names of the tribes, and the social commentary associated with them, is hilarious. Some of the tribes are:

The Busybody Tribe
The Logo Tribe - exists to only wear name brands.
The Digerati Tribe - Worships bytes and silicon Chips.
The Lipstick/Hairspray Tribe
The Gee-The-Seventies-Were-Great-Even-Though-I Wasn't-Born-Yet Tribe
The Hockey Tribe - Subdivided into Canadians, Oilers, Rangers and 32 sub clans.
The Jesus Freaks
The Madonna Tribe (But in decline and near extinct)

Join Percy and Elissa as they navigate their senior year, and as Percy must come to grips with his own anthropological reality. This is a great fun and very enjoyable read.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Totally unique and great! August 27, 2003

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

Tribes is unlike any novel I've ever read. Percy's way of scientifically classifying his classmates is funny, yet serious at the same time. I think anyone who has ever pondered the universe or the meaning of life will find Percy's thoughts and the other characters' points of view intriguing. Arthur Slade creates a brilliant blend of light and thought-provoking sections. The twists and turns of the plot are excellent too. I would recommend this book to all teens who like reading.

More About the Author

Arthur Slade was raised in the Cypress Hills of southwest Saskatchewan (on a ranch) and began writing at an early age. He received an English Honours degree from the University of Saskatchewan, spent several years writing advertising and now writes fiction full time. He is the author of sixteen novels, including the "Northern Frights" series of books, "Dust" (which won the Governor General's award), "Tribes," "Monsterology" and "The Hunchback Assignments" series. He currently lives in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.