Nation

Terry Pratchett

When a massive tidal wave crosses the South Pacific, two worlds are altered. Mau is a boy on a solitary journey which is part of his cultures coming of age ritual for young men when the wave hits. Daphne is a young English girl traveling to see her father who governor of the English flagged islands. After the wave, these two teens are the only ones left, and they begin to build (or re-build) the Nation. There are cultural and language barriers to cross, there are pirates and cannibals, and of course a talking parrot (and Pratchett has a little fun with these). But the real joy of this book is the coming of age process for both Mau and Daphne. In their isolation from either of their histories, they are able to explicitly consider what they believe and what they are willing to toss overboard. The questions of identity, God the role of childhood education and culture in belief formation are questions that everyone should ask and discuss. After reading this book, you should definitely sit around with friends over a cup of coffee late at night and explore your own belief system.

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