Ghost Medicine

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Overview

The summer before Troy Stotts turns seventeen, his mother dies. Communicating with his father mostly by notes, Troy spends his time with his friends: Tom Buller, brash and fearless; Gabe Benavidez, smart enough to know he’ll never take over the family ranch; and Gabe’s sister, Luz, who Troy has loved since they were children. They want this to be the summer of “ghost medicine,” when time seems to stop, and they can hide from the past and the future, and all the ghosts that come with them. Troy and his friends don’t want trouble, but as the summer fills with dangerous and fateful encounters, can even the most powerful ghost medicine keep them hidden and safe?

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

Smith's first novel, a deceptively simple coming-of-age story, defies expectations via its sublime imagery and its elliptical narrative structure. Troy, 16, and two childhood friends spend the summer following Troy's mother's death wrangling wild horses while drinking homemade wine and sampling chewing tobacco. Each of their brushes with danger-a rattlesnake attack, a predatory mountain lion-they commemorate with tattoos and rituals in homage to the mysterious force they call "ghost medicine." The intrepid Troy-who, in the beginning of the book, reads sections of The Idiot and Jude the Obscure while hiding out in his grandfather's mountain cabin with his horse-grapples with his mother's death through philosophical ruminations: "There might be a God [but] He is, at best, ambivalent to all of the things set in motion in this world." In the periphery is Troy's first love, Luz, for whom Troy contemplates staying forever in the idyllic landscape, rather than leaving for college. While the summer climaxes with jarring violence, the possibility of a true departure never materializes: the outside world is held at bay by the inscrutable questions unveiled in the book's conclusion. Ages 12-up. (Sept.)

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From The Critics

This first novel by Smith (a horse rancher who teaches AP classes and coaches rugby) reveals his deep understanding of young people and horses. The story begins with a foreboding prologue that makes clear this story is about the death of three boys, and Troy, the narrator saying, "…I wonder, sometimes, what might have happened if we hadn't shot Chase Rutledge." The first chapter tells of Troy's anger at his father the month his mother dies of cancer, and his taking his horse Reno up the mountain to camp out alone, introducing the place that is so important to the story. Troy's friend and neighbor Luz rides up some days later to find him and bring him home…this is the time their love for one another turns into romantic love. As the summer continues, Troy works on the ranch for Luz's father. His best friends are Luz's younger brother Gabe and the son of the foreman, Tommy. This emphasis on young men and their horses reminds me somewhat of Cormac McCarthy's All the Pretty Horses, especially when the young men encounter evil for the first time and try to understand the complications of their own guilt and innocence. But Smith doesn't have the same control over his prose that McCarthy has, and this long story would have been more powerful with some further editing. Still, the plot is gripping, and Smith succeeds with wonderful characterizations, with his descriptions of a memorable setting and way of life and the bonds of friendship and love shared by Tommy, Luz, Gabe, and Troy. Reviewer: Claire Rosser

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780739372432
Publisher: Random House Audio Publishing Group
Publication date: 9/9/2008
Format: CD
Edition description: UBR
Age range: 14 - 17 Years
Product dimensions: 5.10 (w) x 5.90 (h) x 1.20 (d)

Meet the Author

Andrew Smith lives in the mountains above Los Angeles on a ranch where he and his family keep horses. In addition to writing, he teaches high-school advance placement classes and coaches rugby. This is his first novel. His website is www.ghostmedicine.com

Read an Excerpt

I can see myself lying in the dirt, on my back, on a warm, starry night, with my feet up on those rocks, ringing a swirling and noisy fire, listening, laughing, seeing the sparks that corkscrew, spinning above me into the black like dying stars, fading, disappearing, becoming something else; my hat back on my head so I can just see my friends from the corners of my eyes. I can feel the warmth of the dirt in my hair, smell the smoke, hear the horses’ hooves as they move restlessly in the humid summer dark. And I can close my eyes and see the conjuring, electrified, and vaporous shapes of the granite mountains, those two fingers; parting the wind, luring the thunder in that time of year.

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Anonymous

Posted July 27, 2008

exelent book

this book was exelent i can not wait to buy the hardcover version thank you andrew smith for sighning my advance copy
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Anonymous

Posted September 3, 2008

Who wouldn't like this book?

Ghost Medicine is by far one of the best books I have ever read. I am not much of a reader but I could not put this book down. I read it in two days! I think it has a big appeal towards teenage boys because of the excitement and adventure in the story, but can still appeal to anyone of any age because of the great story line. I am definately looking forward to reading it again and recommend it to everyone I talk to. Definately a keeper.
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Anonymous

Posted September 2, 2008

a book with a good pace to the end!

I had the privilege to read the advance copy. Generally not my type of genre, however I was certainly intrigued from begining to end! I enjoyed this book and was fascinated with all the characters. I urge teens and adults to read this book. I look forward to more books from Mr. Smith.
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Anonymous

Posted June 22, 2008

A book with masculine courage and soul.

For 30 years, I've called GHOST MEDICINE author Andrew Smith my friend. We wrote for our high school newspaper together, and we were the best kind of best friends. We lost contact for a time, but once the friendship was renewed, I asked him, 'Where is the novel?' 'What novel?' he said. GHOST MEDICINE was the eventual answer to my continued prodding. And it is a tender and serious work of fiction, as I'd secretly supposed. To begin to understand the story of 16-year old Troy Stotts before you've read the novel, picture a Gary Paulsen character on horseback. Then add a new kind of solitude -- the kind that reflects a coming of age urgency, a yearning of intensity -- with room for love and friendship, but just barely. After Troy's mother dies, he and his father (a teacher like Smith himself), slip away from each other. Grieving her death and the earlier death of Troy's brother, they find communication too painful to endure. Short scratches on a legal pad hold the essentials in place, but the gulf between them is vast and growing. Troy turns, instead to the wilds of his rural California home, his faithful horse, and two cowboy friends, Gabe and Tom. A little further removed is Gabe's sister, Luz -- a girl Troy says he's loved for as long as he can remember. Unapologetically. Smith offers in GHOST MEDICINE a story written by a real man, for real young men. But don't expect stereotypical displays of testosterone. Troy and his friends don't have all the answers -- not when they hunt for a dangerous mountain lion, not when they try to protect a herd of wild horses, not even when they come up against the town sheriff's delinquent son, Chase Rutledge, time and time again. What they do have are the true and deeply felt emotions of authentic and diverse young men, and all the complications that go with them. Set against an environment Smith has made real though vivid, sensory description, GHOST MEDICINE steers clear of bells and whistles in favor of simplicity and character. Readers who long for a book with relationship will find a friend in GHOST MEDICINE. Doubtless other friends will surface as Smith moves forward in his new and promising literary career.
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Anonymous

Posted June 2, 2008

A reviewer

A wonderful debut book. I was fortunate enough to receive an advance copy and I read the book in under 3 days. I found it a stellar story of friendship, loyalty and trust. A must read for my book club! Hauntingly beautiful.
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Anonymous

Posted June 4, 2008

Best Book I Have read in a long time

For a long time I was never able to find a book that interested me. I am a 17 year old male. I enjoy reading books about the outdoors. This book is the best book i have read in a long time. I know the author personally as a coach. and he let me read this book. I can honestly say that this book is by far the best book i have read in a long time. I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN it was amazing and it never had a dull part. I loved it it was great. I recommend this book for any teenage boy it is a very fast read. it was excellent
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Anonymous

Posted June 4, 2008

Growing Pains

A poignant and fast-paced narrative about teens--mostly boys--growing up: friendship, loyalty, young love, bullying, loved ones dying. Excellent concrete, sensory detail, especially of rugged terrain (lots of horse stuff) and minute but significant character actions. Found myself tearing up in spots where the emotions were extremely real. Looking forward to his next book.
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Ghost Medicine

Overview

Customers Who Bought This Also Bought

More About This Book

Overview

Related Subjects

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

From The Critics

Product Details

Meet the Author

Read an Excerpt

Rating Distribution

exelent book

Who wouldn't like this book?

a book with a good pace to the end!

A book with masculine courage and soul.

A reviewer

Best Book I Have read in a long time

Growing Pains