Characters in the book cardturner

Dec 08, 2010 the cardturner by louis sachar offers young adults more of what they may have loved in holes with lessons on bridge built in. What is the theme of the book the cardturner by louis. Yes, im still learning to play bridge and to write. Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders. The summer after junior year of high school looks bleak for alton richards.

His girlfriend has dumped him, he has no money and no job, and his parents insist that he drive his greatuncle lester, who is old, blind. Newbery awardwinning author louis sachar is the creator of the entertaining marvin redpost books as well as the muchloved theres a boy in the girls bathroom, winner of 17 childvoted state awards. The author has a character state that he hated presidentialhopeful richard m. Amongst the bids and play, there is a side story about a young boy, alton richards, who becomes his blind great uncle trapps cardturner at. In addition to a complex family history that affects the plot, the book deals with the differences in the way characters view their circumstances. It was published by delacorte books for young readers and has a total of 352 pages in the book. Hoping for a big inheritance, altons parents make the teenager take his blind, dying uncle to bridge matches. Oct 11, 2011 buy the paperback book the cardturner by louis sachar at indigo. Louis sachar is the author of the new york times bestseller holes, which won the newbery medal, the national book award, and the christopher award. A young adult novel of intergenerational friendship and teen romance.

While the bridge technicalities may sound boring and it definitely can be sachar offers his readers respite by indicating which passages are full of bridge jargon. A books inclusion does not constitute an endorsement by focus on the family. His family moved to southern california when he was nine and he attended college at the university of california at berkeley. There is a lot of talk about madness in the cardturner, but is any character. I hope you like the story, and maybe, just maybe, when you finish reading it, youll want to learn to play this greatest of all games.

But if given a chance, readers of all ages are sure to agree the cardturner is so much more. I dont want to spoil it for you but he does something towards the end of this book that i cant imagine anyone else even. Im going to rave about the writing, the characters. Even knowing nothing about bridge i was on the edge of my seat. May 14, 2011 like i mentioned in my imm post, i became interested in the cardturner by louis sachar because i used to enjoy playing bridge with my college classmates before. The protagonist is a teenager named alton richards. The characters in the cardturner come together because of bridge games. He is seventeen years old, nearing the end of the academic year. A point of pride for characters in the cardturner is the accumulation of masterpoints. And readers neednt be card sharks to enjoy the book. He also wrote stanley yelnats survival guide to camp green lake.

The story about alton really caring for trapp and learning about his parents faults is a difficult lesson for him to learn, but it is handled well. They can choose to wend through carefully marked descriptions of the characters bridge play or skip them entirely and stick to the basic story line. But if they liked the cardturner and louis sachar speaks to them, they might also enjoy cosmic by frank cottrell boyce or are we there yet. Nixon and that nixon was good at destroying his enemies. The cardturner is a novel written by newbery medal winner louis sachar and published by delacorte press in may 2010. I love that its from a guys perspective, and it was very easy to read. This is a perfect book for any middle school through high school student. Fortunately, at least for me, whos someone that doesnt even know how to play poker.

Combining his signature wit with a unique blend of adventure and deeply felt characters, sachar explores issues of race, the nature of celebrity, the invisible connections that shape a persons life, and what it takes to stay the course. The cardturner is not at all what youd expected from what at first glance seems to be a book that revolves around the playing of bridge. A novel about imperfect partners and infinite possibilities. Small steps, winner of the schneider family book award. The cardturner reads like a book for younger readers even though alton is a teenager he even leaves out curses in his narrative so this can pass off as a middle grade book. A conversation with louis bridge is a card game, and for those of us who take it seriously, we believe it is far and away the greatest game ever invented. I am delighted to say, i have recently met several young bridge players at various tournaments who told me they took up the game after reading my book. Im a big fan of holes as well as a bridge player, so i figured to enjoy louis sachars new book for teens, the cardturner never mind that my teenage years are long past. The author, louis sachar, wrote holes in 1998 and then kind of dropped off the map. Before i picked up this book i would not have believed that so much drama could be based around a card game. So is the cardturner one big bluff or is he really holding all the trumps. Doing the right thing is never a wrong choicebut always a small step in right direction. I need to start by saying that to me, this is not a book about bridge. After all, its better than a crappy summer job in the local shopping mall, and altons mother thinks it might secure their way to a good inheritance sometime in the future.

I cant explain how much i loved this book, and i am sure you will too. During his last year of college, he received school credit for working at hillside elementary school, an experience. The cardturner book hennepin county library bibliocommons. I know squat about bridge except that its a card game, yet i found myself fascinated by this book. From louis sachar, new york times bestselling author and winner of the newbery medal for holes, comes the young adult no.

Read the cardturner a novel about imperfect partners and infinite possibilities by louis sachar available from rakuten kobo. So when this character says im the only one to bid the grand, which would be cold if spades werent fiveone. Sure, it helps that its written by louis sachar, and it helps that our main character, alton, is quite likable, and it helps that theres more to it. Like sachars previous masterpiece, holes, the cardturner hides layer upon layer of meaning with the utmost subtlety. When his wealthy uncle, a champion bridge player who has lost his vision, asks seventeenyearold alton to be a cardturner for him, alton has no idea how much he will ultimately learn from his eccentric relative. The cardturner replaces the dadaism with a card game. A novel about imperfect partners and infinite possibilities by louis sachar. This is one of those books that could easily be overlooked, passed by or even one a reader may be scared away by the first impression of a boring book about bridge players. Bloomsbury childrens 0 29 0 summary when altons ageing, blind uncle asks him to attend bridge games with him, he agrees. Who knew a book focused on the game of bridge could be so entertaining.

This book, from the author of holes, shares several traits with that awardwinning title. The characters are typical sachar characters unpredictable, deep, and lovable. But this is not a book about bridge its a book about the people who play the game. From louis sachar, new york times bestselling author and winner of the newbery medal for holes, comes the young adult novel the cardturner, an exploration of the human condition.

The cardturner tells the story of a teen boys relationship with his aloof great uncle as they travel to and participate in bridge tournaments. Two years after being released from camp green lake, armpit is home in austin, texas, trying to turn his life around. The cardturner by louis sachar penguin random house audio. Jul 23, 2010 so is the cardturner one big bluff or is he really holding all the trumps. Louis sachar lives in austin, texas, where he writes his novels and plays quite a lot of bridge. About the cardturner the newberywinning author of holes fulfills a need the world probably didnt even know it had. Remote work advice from the largest allremote company. Sure, it helps that its written by louis sachar, and it helps that our main character, alton, is quite likable, and it helps that theres more to it than bridge, but really. Nov 20, 2014 who knew a book focused on the game of bridge could be so entertaining. The cardturner by louis sachar like many people my age, i read holes when i was about 9 and absolutely loved it to pieces.

Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. What is the particular type of processor model and operating system on which a computer is based called. Looking for a book as a gift i picked up the cardturner and read it in one sitting. A novel about a king, a queen, and a joker by louis sachar leave it to master storyteller louis sachar national book award and newbery medalist for his phenomenally successful holes to make bridge yes, bridge. He is best friends with cliff, who recently started dating altons exgirlfriend, katie. Thats what 17yearold alton richards thinks about bridge when he gets a job as cardturner for his diabetic, blind and curmudgeonly and fabulously rich uncle lester trapp, a bridge master.

The book feels like one long, deadpan dare, as though sachar has made a bet with himself that he can make the most boring setting thrilling. As i said, it would be great for that kid who likes to solve puzzles and figure things out. A novel about imperfect partners and infinite possibilities ebook written by louis sachar. All the characters in the story are very believable and the story from the past is quite shocking because of the cruelty involved. Maybe it takes someone like sachar to make bridge, now the province of the old and uncool, interesting to an audience of. Who wants to read a novel about playing bridgea dull, oldfashioned game nobody plays anymore, some old persons idea of fun before there were cell phones, television, ipods and video games. The novel is straightforward, while in nonbridge gibberish ill explain in a minute, the cardturner is extremely easy to read and has a lighthearted mood that makes you feel content, happy.

Online shopping from a great selection at books store. Alton has no job, no money, and now, no girlfriend. His girlfriend has dumped him to hook up with his best friend. His girlfriend has dumped him, he has no money and no job, and his parents insist that he drive his greatuncle lester, who is old, blind, very sick, and very rich, to his bridge club four times a week and be his cardturner. Who wants to read a novel about playing bridgea dull. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of the cardturner by louis sachar. The cardturner a novel about a king, a queen, and a joker book. Louis sachar was born in east meadow, new york, in 1954. In the book, a player notes that the time you quit learning is the time to quit playing.

The title of this book is the cardturner and it was written by louis sachar. A brilliant, subtle, comingofage story from the louis sachar, whose multimillion selling holes won many of the book worlds most prestigious prizes. His parents insist that he drive his greatuncle lester to his bridge club four times a week and be his cardturnerwhatever that means. The first person narrative style of this book creates a heartfelt and honest portrayal of altons family and friends. What is the theme of the book the cardturner by louis sachar. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the cardturner. Im not going to elaborate because that would give away a couple very important things. Louis sachars book holes, winner of the 1999 newbery medal, the national book award, and the boston globehorn book award, is also an ala best book for young adults, an ala quick pick, an. This book seems completely normal, but there are a few parts that, well, arent. The time you quit learning is the time to quit playing. It reminded me somewhat of flipped a novel with a male protagonist who picks up life lessons from a.

A book s inclusion does not constitute an endorsement by focus on the family. The other characters were all unique and each contributed to making the novel the fantastic story that it unquestionably is. Teenage altons great uncle lester is a serious bridge player. Booklist the summer after junior year of high school looks bleak for alton richards. The cardturner is my favorite book asked in louis sachar what is the theme of the book holes by louis sachar. Isabelle costa plot when altons parents insist that he drive his rich uncle lester, he doesnt truly have any reason to refuse.

Unusual, both unexpected and attractive which may seem an odd word for a book. Either way leads straight to altons quiet heart and his developing desire to become his own cardturner in the big game of life. Small steps is a contemporary young adult novel from louis sachar, the new york times bestselling author of the newbery awardwinning smash hit phenomenon book and moviedvd sensation holes, and the cardturner. There is a lot of bridge gibberish in the cardturner, almost as much as there is whaling terminology in mobydick thus the whale. Bestknown for his awardwinning book holes, american author louis sachars novel the. The novel was chosen as a selection for oprahs book club in 2004. The cardturner is a beautifully written and tightly plotted novel about one young man and his relationship with his favorite uncle trapp, and how that relationship changes because of the relatively prosaic game of bridge.