The Porcupine of Truth

Start in Billings, Montana

Carson Smith isn’t thrilled to spend the summer with his estranged dad. But then he meets Aisha Stinson, the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen. And the smartest. And the funniest. They connect like he never has with anyone …

Also she’s a lesbian. So there’s that.

Turn left at the missing grandpa

Carson’s dad is still bitter about the disappearance of his dad more than thirty years earlier. When Carson and Aisha discover a box of recent cards from his grandfather, they realize the old man is still out there somewhere.

What are two bored teenagers in the middle of nowhere to do?

Proceed for 1,293 miles across the country

So Carson and Aisha being a journey with no destination, to find a man who wanted to be lost, in an unreliable Dodge Neon, with one very prickly mascot. And what comes next is an extraordinary, enlightening, hilarious, inspiring, complete and utter mindblower of a road trip that will transform both their lives.

You have arrived at

The Porcupine of Truth.

Kudos

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Reviews

“Quirky, hilarious, sad, and ultimately tender. The world could use more tenderness and more books like this one. Words like ‘Brilliant’ are so overused when praising novels–so I won’t use that word. I’ll just think it.” —Benjamin Alire Saenz, award-winning author of ARISTOTLE AND DANTE DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE.

“Bill Konigsberg’s THE PORCUPINE OF TRUTH is at once heartwarming and heartbreaking, a funny and thought-provoking road trip with remarkable friends Carson and Aisha, who share tough lessons about mending fractures, forging bonds, and discovering grace. Undeniably human and unforgettably wise, this book is a gift for us all.” —Andrew Smith, award-winning author of GRASSHOPPER JUNGLE and 100 SIDEWAYS MILES.

 “Konigsberg weaves together a masterful tale of uncovering the past, finding wisdom, and accepting others as well as oneself.” —School Library Journal (Starred Review)

 “Konigsberg crafts fascinating, multidimensional teen and adult characters. A friendship between a straight boy and a lesbian is relatively rare in YA fiction and is, accordingly, exceedingly welcome. And that’s the truth.” —Booklist (Starred Review)

“Konigsberg eloquently explores matters of family, faith, and sexuality. …  Bouts of humor leaven the characters’ intense anguish in a story that will leave readers thinking about inherited traits (whether an oddball sense of humor or a tendency to overdrink), the fuzzy lines between youth and adulthood, and the individual nature of faith.” —Publishers Weekly

“The story tackles questions about religion, family, and intimacy with depth and grace. … Equal parts funny and profound.” —Kirkus Reviews