7.8 /10 1 Votes
Cover artist Chris Crutcher Language English Media type Print (Paperback) Originally published 1995 Genre Young adult fiction Publisher HarperCollins | 3.9/5 Goodreads Country United States Publication date 1995 Pages 228 pp Followed by Whale Talk | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Preceded by Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes Similar Chris Crutcher books, Children's literature | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ironman is a 1995 novel by young adult writer Chris Crutcher who studied art and literature at the University of Notre Dame in his twenties. He created the novel's cover image himself using the medium of oil pastel.
Contents
The novel is the story of Beauregard Brewster, a high school student training for a triathlon while also in disputes with his father and English teacher, both of whom exhibit portentous views of masculine authority. The book is written as a combination of traditional third person narrative and epistolary novel through a series of informal letters written by the protagonist to CNN personality Larry King. The novel has received numerous accolades including being recognized by the American Library Association as a Best Book for Young Adults.[1]
Plot summary
The story takes place in Spokane, Washington where Beauregard (Bo) Brewster lives with his mother and younger brother Jordan. Motivated by years of power struggles with his father, the teenager trains vigorously for the Yukon Jack Ironman Triathlon while attending anger management sessions and writing letters to Larry King about his experiences.
Bo wants to participate in the Yukon Jack, a biking-running-swimming triathlon. After the latest dispute with his English teacher lands him in anger management, Bo is brought face-to-face with his own family problems (namely his difficult relationship with his father), and has his eyes opened to the issues his classmates are dealing with. Bo receives support in his training and his life from the anger management teacher, a Japanese cowboy known as Mr Nak, and from Bo's mentor, "Lion" Serbousek, a teacher who also coaches the swim team. Bo comes to be inspired and supported by the group of supposed delinquents he meets in anger management, deals with the realization that Mr S. is gay, and starts dating his classmate Shelly, whose athleticism surpasses even Bo's own. Extra trouble arrives with Wyrak, a swimmer and a bully who clashes with Bo, and then bets Shelly he can beat Bo in the Yukon Jack. But with the help of the other kids in the anger management group, Bo overcomes the obstacles and meets his goal, to compete in the Yukon Jack triathlon, and also beats Wyrack.