Ever wanted to know how long a relationship would last? Who would break up with who? Have a way to figure out if beginning the relationship in the first place is even worth the trouble? Receive all those answers by plugging in a few factors into a mathematical theorem, sounds simple enough to me, and to Colin Singleton. Colin is a new high school graduate, a soon-to-be-ex child prodigy, and this theorem, the theorem that could potentially make him a genius, is the problem he is facing.

You see, Colin has a problem. Colin falls in love very easily. That wouldn't be such a bad thing if it wasn't for the fact that all his "loves" have been named Katherine (exactly 19 of them). Each of those Katherines have broken up with him for whatever reason; and after the love of his life (Katherine XIX) leaves him in a terribly bad place he decides to use that to his advantage. He tries to make himself a genius by coming up with the Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, to not only make himself known for something, but to also figure out why all nineteen Katherines have dumped him.

As a distraction, Colin and his best friend Hassan set out on a road trip to nowhere, in The Hearse (Colin's car). Seeing a sign for the grave of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the boys head to Gutshot, Tennessee; a small town, where they happen upon Lindsey Lee Wells, a girl who is nothing like any Katherine has been for Colin. She reads celebrity rag magazines, her friends, her boyfriend (also named Colin, aptly dubbed T.O.C. aka The Other Colin), and her wealthy mother Hollis, who offers the boys a place to stay. The palace-sized home on top of the hill being more than just large and full of interesting things, but it's also a shade of pink only rivaled by a bottle of Pepto Bismol.

Hollis hires the boys to accompany Lindsey with getting an oral history of Gutshot, which means visiting everyone that works in the factory (which produces tampon strings, just so you know), the people too old to work, and the people so old to work they are in the old folks home. Colin also decides his "Eureka" moment is finishing the Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, but what he doesn't count on is better than finishing any theorem. He not only finds himself, but that there are some things (i.e. chance, memory recollection, the unpredictability of matters of the heart) that can't be solved in a theorem, math, or science. Some things have to be lived, and we follow these three through their adventures, learning to be somebody, mattering as a person without being world-famous, and just growing up.

There are so many things about this book that I love! Upon meeting Lindsey's friends, the boys immediately came up with amusing acronyms for them (J.A.T.T. aka Jeans Are Too Tight, hehe). As someone who lives in Tennessee, I still couldn't help giggle every time Gutshot was mentioned. The footnotes! I forgot how fun those could be! The characters are quirky, and there is the ability to relate to them in a sense, and real. And the book taught me things I didn't know! Just for amusement, here are five things I didn't know before reading An Abundance of Katherines:

Nikola Telsa loved...pigeons (yea, I know)...and had the original electricity idea, not Thomas Eddison.
Looking at it from a scientific point of view, there is no proof that drinking eight glasses of water will do a darn thing for your health.
William Taft was not only the fattest president, but got stuck in a bath tub one time (hehehe, so funny)
Abligurition is an actual word, that I can't pronounce, but means "the spending of too much money on food."
Not only is there a World's Largest Crucifix, but it is in Kentucky.
This is one of the few books that I would recommend to everyone! Don't worry about all the math, there are footnotes and graphics to explain it all. This is a book that guys and girls alike can enjoy! ( )

Out of the three books that John Green has written, I found this one to be the least compelling and I infinitely prefer his novels Looking for Alaska and Paper Towns. Nonetheless, the book is well written, quite funny, and has the occasional smattering of genius that I consider to be the hallmarks of Green's writing style. ( )

Green, John. Abundance of Katherines. New York, NY: Dutton Books, 2006.

Genre:

Humorous YA novel

Themes:

YA, Road Trip, breakup, relationships, child prodigy

Age / Grade Appropriateness:

Teen - Grade 10-12, Age 15-18

Awards:

Michael L. Printz Honor Book (2007)

A Horn Book Fanfare Best Book (2006)

Los Angeles Times Book Prize finalist

ALA Best Books for Young Adults (2007)

ALA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults (2009.02 | Journey > Destination, 2009)

Censorship Issues:

Violence, mild language

Plot Summary:

An Abundance of Katherines revolves around the love life of Colin Singleton. Colin is a former child prodigy, who feels that he is losing his “special-ness” as other students catch up to him. Colin only dates girls named Katherine, Katherine with a K. He has dated nineteen of them to be exact. When the latest Katherine dumps him, Colin begins to come apart at the seams. Enter Colin’s best friend, Hassan, a “rather fat hirsute guy of Lebanese decent,” who convinces Colin that they need to take a road trip to alleviate Colin’s funk.
After convincing their parents to let them go, the boys leave Chicago and head south. Upon reaching Tennessee, Colin sees a road sign announcing the grave of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Gutshot, Tennessee. Curiosity piqued, the boys exit the interstate and take the tour of Ferdinand’s grave, which begins from a gas station. The boys make friends with their tour guide, Lindsay Lee Wells, and her mother, who offers the boys a summer job collecting oral histories of the residents of Gutshot. Through a series of misadventures, the boys and Lindsay Lee become fast friends and, of course, help Colin overcome his breakup.

Critique:

The novel is well written and relevant for teens. The humor present in the novel serves more than just moving the story along; it helps the novel draw the reluctant teen into the story. The novel provides several different perspectives for teens unsure of what to do with their life following their graduation from high school. It is fast paced and the subject of relationships is an emotion that all teens should be able to relate to.
On a personal note, this was by far the most enjoyable book I have read in the past year, regardless of the intended age group or genre. I would recommend this novel to anyone that enjoys well written humor.

Curriculum Uses:

The curriculum uses for this novel include helping teens understand their choices for life after graduation, but the novel is also useful for the parts of the novel that examine the difference between big city life and the slower life of Gutshot. ( )

Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com

If you had the opportunity to devise a theorem that could correctly predict the outcome of a romantic relationship, would you do it? If it worked, would you use it? Can it even be done? This is the problem plaguing Colin Singleton, recent high school graduate, nearly-former child prodigy, hopeful genius. Colin, you see, has a significant problem. He falls in love quite easily, which in and of itself isn't such a bad thing. The fact that all of his loves, nineteen of them to be exact, have been named Katherine can even be explained away by some form of twisted scientific method. What can't be explained, though, is why Colin has been dumped by all nineteen of those Katherines.

When he's dumped by the love of his life, Katherine XIX, he finds himself in a bad place. He can no longer call himself a child prodigy, since he's graduated from high school. He's not a genius, because he's never come up with anything that will change the world. There's an empty place inside of him where his latest Katherine's love used to live, and he doesn't know what to do with himself. Until Hassan Harbish (Muslim, but not a terrorist) devises a way to get Colin out of his funk--a road trip. With no destination in mind, the two set off in The Hearse, Colin's car, and go where the road leads them.

Where it leads them is a small town called Gutshot, Tennessee, where Colin gets the urge to see the supposed grave of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. It's also where the two meet Lindsey Lee Wells and her mother, Hollis. Not to mention where they get to live in a giant Pepto Bismol-pink house on a hill, interview employees of a factory that makes tampon strings, and eat Monster Thickburgers at the local Hardees.

It's also the place where Colin decides to finish the Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability. Assign numerical value to different variables, plot it on a graph, and you'll be able to predict how long a relationship will last--and who will be the dumper, and who will be the dumpee. Except Colin forgot some pertinent information, like chance, and distorted memories, and the fact that love is never predictable. As Colin and Hassan learn a few things about life in the small town of Gutshot, we get to follow their journey of learning to grow up, to make a name for yourself, and how to matter as a person.

I loved AN ABUNDANCE OF KATHERINES, even more than Mr. Green's previous book, LOOKING FOR ALASKA. That book won the prestigious Michael L. Printz award, and I won't be surprised if this book is nominated, as well. This story is funny, poignant, and informative. For example, if I hadn't read AN ABUNDANCE OF KATHERINES I would never have known that:

1) Fetor hepaticus is a symptom of late-stage liver failure where your breath literally smells like a rotting corpse.
2) The junior senator from New Hampshire in 1873 was Bainbridge Wadleigh.
3) There is absolutely no scientific proof that drinking eight glasses of water a day will improve your health.
4) Dingleberries can be anagrammed into see inbred girl; lie breeds grin; leering debris; greed be nil, sir; be idle re. rings; ringside rebel; and residing rebel.
5) Nikola Tesla did a lot for electricity before Thomas Edison came along and stole some of his ideas, and he also loved pigeons.
6) I still suck at math.

Order this book today. It's great, you'll love it, and you'll actually learn stuff. Three for the price of one! ( )

Although not initially intentional on his part, Colin has dated 19 girls all named Katherine (not Katie, Kathy, etc.). The length of these relationships lasted anywhere from 2 1/2 minutes (Katherine I) to just under a year (Katherine XIX) - all with the same result - Colin gets dumped.

Now graduated from High School, this former child prodigy is obsessed with becoming someone who "matters", and maybe that solution will be found on a road trip with his best friend Hassan ("not a terrorist") in rural Tennessee.

Full of bizarre math facts, exceptionally entertaining footnotes, and a diverse range of characters you are destined to recognize from your own teen years, this was an entertaining read ( )

I made a discovery, recently, had a eureka moment, if you will (or even if you won’t). There are books that are for adults, books for teens and books for kids. For the most part, books are written geared toward those who need to learn shapes and colors, those who need to learn how to stop lusting after the popular boy and those who need to learn how to tune out their self-absorbed bosses. I was so pleased when I came up with this, the idea that books in sections at the store covered specific periods, specific problems. Why even have a section for self-help books when our fiction is so clearly oriented to each of life’s issues by age?

Well, see, then there was a problem. John Green’s An Abundance of Katherines sort of defies lines. Before you say, “Oh, well, that’s because it’s about that awkward bit of time between the end of high school and beginning of college and it just seems to fit in everywhere”, I’ll tell you to kindly stop. It is not simply that it is a different approach to the old coming of age saga; it’s that it is a whole new story to start with.

Our charming protagonists, Colin and Hassan, exude a fratty vibe that is not usually as suavely and casually applied to the bottom rung nerds but they pull it off. Hassan (a smooth talking, college drafter) decides Colin (your run of the mill child prodigy, valedictorian) having just coming off of the bitter end of his nineteenth relationship (all maintained and subsequently ended by Katherines) needs a road trip. Hopping into Colin’s car, Satan’s Hearse, at the end of high school, their only goal is heartbreak healing; their only destination is out of Chicago.

When they are derailed by a tourist trap (Gutshot, Tennessee: home of the burial site of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria) they are roped into that inevitable plot twist that “changes everything” and shakes up the snow globe.

Ok, so it doesn’t sound all that different from anything else on the shelves but it is. Colin’s former prodigy status failing to result in pre-adulthood greatness is a constant source of worry for him. His other concern, aside from being plagued with a best friend and other acquaintances with what he sees as zero drive toward Meaning, is that he is very close but not right on top of a theory by which he can predict the life span of a relationship. This will not only explain his past heartache and prevent any further romantic interest but also catapult him into genius status, ending his endless bumping along as a washed out kid star.

While the title problem of the Katherines and, really, relationships, is played out well, it is not the deeper focus. The all encompassing issue, I think, is the question of mattering, of making something out of life. Here is where the unconventional approach kicks in. I find that most YA, children’s and even adult books focus on the very thing Colin’s prodigious past leads him to fixate on: Be Great or Go Home. Normal isn’t ok, in essence. Of course, if this is the point being mocked, you can bet that the moral of the story is that everyone, child prodigies, college-bound road trippers and cubicle dwellers need to take a big deep breath. Often, we become so wrapped up in reaching for the stars that we realize we’re already way past the moon.

Green writes in a realistic but funny voice that captures that ephemeral place between high school and college where fading senior wisdom is giving way to a more adult doubt that lingers long past the first day of orientation. As someone well out of age-range for the target of YA, I found myself making a mental list of all of my peers who would be getting this for Christmas. I’m sure that it does speak to a younger audience but that is the beauty as it also speaks to my generation and should speak to those older. ( )

I started reading An Abundance of Katherines a little hesitantly, wondering if it was going to be a super emotional, kick-you-in-the-stomach kind of read like Looking for Alaska, but right away it establishes a really light and sort of off-beat tone. The main character is a child prodigy who worries that he isn't a genius. I mean, once a prodigy is no longer a child, well, all the other people catch up, and then he wouldn't be so special any more. Plus, he keeps getting dumped by girls named Katherine.

I really liked Colin Singleton, and his best friend Hassan. I got nervous when they went on a road trip because "Oh shit, that's what my book is about, and this one sounds all funny and quirky and whatever else," but their trip was so short it didn't really count.

Green does a nice job with characterization, and even though the dialogue sounded...um, not exactly forced but sometimes like he was trying awful hard to be clever and to keep that trendy YA voice, I genuinely found the main characters and their struggles interesting. I liked the Theory of Katherine Predictability (and yes, I read the appendix to see how it mathematically worked out) and the footnotes, and I like the way the book sort of comes around full circle in the end, to another road trip. Of course it's completely predictable the entire time that he's going to end up with the girl whose name is not Katherine, but it's all right, really, because she's pretty cool. And of course, the book implies that telling stories is the real way to matter in the world, and I'll all for that idea! ( )

I loved how Colin, child prodigy, lined up so nicely with the gifted kids I knew growing up. I've never read a novel that so nicely described the constant hyper-connected thoughts. And I love the easy and hilarious friendship between Colin and Hassan, as well as the friendships between Lindsey and the old-timers, and so on. Great characters, great story, and some fun math. Definitely worth a read! ( )

What a fun adventure story with a bit of romance too. I really like John Green's style. His characters like Colin and Hassan are quirky, but believable. ( )

This book really picked up at the end. ( )

This is a “Revenge of the Nerd” type story, which a true Nerd can identify with. In addition, it is filled with humor at every turn. The story revolves around Colin, a prodigy, and his mentally gifted and lazy best friend Hassan. The main character has to deal with his parent’s unrealistically high expectations and his inability to socialize and fit in with the rest of society. His conflict is further complicated by the fact that his personal insecurities cause him to become devastated after romantic breakups. Furthermore, he must answer the universal question of, “Who am I?” and “Why am I on this earth?”
Colin and Hassan find adventure on their road trip that leads them into self-discovery and new relationships. This is excellent reading material for any nerdy or bookish type person, sometimes nerds tend to read a lot of serious literature and this book is an exception to that rule. ( )

A charming story with engaging characters and a plot that's full of surprises. (Plus, it's a story based on a math equation, if that appeals to you.) ( )

A genius (always striving to be a child prodigy) has a penchant for girls named Katherine. As the story unfolds, the reader learns of his history with the many Katherines and how each has broken his heart. The latest breakup has left him rather inconsolable, so his best friend convinces him to go on a road trip. They end up in a small town, living with a quirky mother and her daughter, getting paid to record the history of the town members. Meanwhile, the boy works on an equation that will be able to predict the longevity of any relationship and also who will break up with whom. The author includes a lot of information in his footnotes, which is a fun idea. The boys are very clever, and there are some funny parts. The best friend is a quirky, lovable character. There is some math, which might appeal to math lovers. Also, the boys use "fug" in place of the f word quite a bit.

I read this book about three weeks ago when we were still on our vacation, sitting around the pool and sipping my drink in a coconut (I do miss that a lot!) An Abundance of Katherines was such a great surprise that I read it in one sitting. I was completely hooked to the story and the characters!

Some guys like blonds; others like blue eyes; Colin likes Katherines. His type is linked to the name rather than physical appearance, and why not? It’s an original idea, one that gives you a good glimpse at the author’s sense of humor. His character, Colin, was refreshing to me; how great is it to have a male lead instead of a female one in a novel that has a lot to do with love? And Green does it well enough; the story is just a good mix of fun, realism, and extraordinary adventure.

The characters made the story exciting; they were original and detailed, in such a way that I immediately imagined this book being turned into a movie. They had strengths and weaknesses, and the friendship between the two guys was absolutely believable – maybe because in some way, it reminded me so much of the friendship some of my guy-friends had at that age. This is one book I wouldn’t be afraid to recommend not only to girls, but also to some guys! I read certain passages to the Man and he laughed, so that’s a good sign! (The man usually reads things with guns, swords, science-fiction or historical settings).

This may not be a life-changing book, but it is certainly a fun, quick read, perfect as a beach read! And Green’s writing is on point on so many occasions, I could easily feel Colin’s misery or happiness along the story. He also makes a great use of footnotes and anagrams, which makes the reading more surprising, varied.
I loved it so much that I already added Green’s other novels on my TBR list, and tonignt I ordered Looking for Alaska. Hopefully it will get home fast! ( )

Full review at http://yannabe.com/2009/05/30/review-...

Summary: Colin Singleton has just graduated from high school, only to be dumped by his girlfriend Katherine—the 19th time he’s been dumped by a girl named Katherine. To end his funk, Colin and his best friend go on a road trip. First stop: Gutshot, Tennessee.

Review: Do you like anagrams, math, random trivia, or let’s see…the kind of funny that makes you laugh out loud no matter if you happen to be reading next to your child who is finally, finally sleeping after a 2.25-hour-long struggle? Then you’ll love this book. And if your sense of humor hasn’t been supremely dulled due to parental sleep deprivation, just imagine how much MORE you will enjoy it.

At one point, I was laughing so hard I had to put the book down so as not to damage it. (The hog hunt scene, for those of you who’ve read it.)

I also loved how smart and genuine the main three characters were—Colin, his best friend Hassan, and the girl they meet in Gutshot. I was sad to have to stop listening in on their conversations.

This book will show you a good time. In fact, if one day I’m in a public restroom and I happen to glance up at the stall door to see

Call “An Abundance of Katherines” for a good time

followed by its Dewey Decimal Number, I wouldn’t be surprised, not at all. ( )

Colin and his best friend Hassan go on a road trip to help Colin deal with a broken heart. Katherine XiX has just dumped him, the nineteenth Katherine to dump him in fact. They stop in Gutshot, TN, and get hired on by Hollis to interview residents about the history of the town. Colin is such a nerdy, odd bird - definitely a character.
Along the way Colin tries to perfect his formula to predict the trajectory of relationships while he manages to learn a lot about himself, love, and making your mark on the world. I really liked this book. Although it is probably more for a high school audience. ( )

Part love story, philosophy, and comedy, "An Abundance of Katherines" is a unique an refreshing coming-of-age that's a bit different than the usual convention. Colin's honesty, desperateness to prove himself to others, and heartbreak are feelings that many teenagers will relate to. The characters are detailed, funny, and heartfelt. In addition, the mathmatical formula for relationships that is incorporated into the novel, adds an interesting, quirky, philosophical dimension to the story.

My favorite of John Green's books... Much fun to read, and I could definatley reread this book many times. I really like how John Green gives a lot of the characters special talents, like annagramming (did I spell that right? Likely not...) and memorizing famous last words... It makes the characters more memorable and awesome. ( )

An Abundance of Katherines is so funny.I couldn't stop laughing the whole time i had it in my hands. I always wanted to keep reading and find out what happened next.

Green creates really bold characters that you cannot help but love and you always end up loving them. Hassan is the backbone of laughter and Colin and his equation for finding out how long a relationship with a Katherine is suppose to last I found so funny.

I believe that anyone could read this book and enjoy it to the fullest. So I say to you who read this review go pick up the book in the nearest store and READ AWAY!!!!!! ( )

Colin Singleton is a child prodigy who is looking to make his mark on the world. Graduating high school, Colin feels like his one significant mark made on the world by his genius was appearing on a cable game show and winning big for several days running. Colin is looking to make his mark and prove he's the genius that he deep down, yearns to be.

In his life, Colin has dated 19 women--all of them named Katherine. After being dumped for the nineteenth time, Colin decides there must be a mathmatical theorem that will predict the future of all relationships. In the midst of this, Colin is sulking and taken on a road-trip to Gutshot, Tennessee (not their original destination, but they end up there).

The hook of "An Abundance of Katherines" is an intriguing one. Looking at the cover, it'd be easy to assume this was a novel about cloning. Instead, it's a coming-of-age story for Colin and his best friend, Hassan. Colin's desparation to prove himself--not only as a genius but also to the Katherine XIX (as she's known in the novel)--is a fascinating journey. The novel does hit some predictable markers for a young adult story, but John Green hits them with such refreshing honesty and nicely done characters that you won't really mind that much. ( )

If you’ve checked out my profile any time in the past few months, you may already know how long it took me to really get into this book. As in I added to my “Currently Reading” shelf at the end of November last year and am just now finishing it four months later. Not that it actually took me four months to read. It took me all of a few hours, once I got past the first 30 pages. And those first 30 pages aren’t bad by any means. Perhaps I was just never in the right mood?Whatever it was, I’m glad I forced myself to pick it back up and actually concentrate on it this weekend. Because I really quite enjoyed the book...Read the rest of this review over at WAGB. ( )

Colin has dated 19 girls in his life, all named Katherine. And every time it was spelled exactly that way, not Kathryn, or Catherine, or any other variations. It wasn't intentional, some guys are attracted to blond hair, some are attracted to blue eyes, Colin is attracted to Katherines. But when K19 breaks up with him Colin and his best friend Hassan go on a road trip hoping to bring Colin's spirit back up. Colin is a child prodigy, but he thinks it is all tapped out, prodigies don't always become genius's. But when he sees a sign for the grave of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand he decides to check it out. Colin then finds that a tiny town named Gutshot may be just the thing he needs to have his "eureka" moment.

Once again another amazing book by John Green. This was an awesome book about love and loss, and long math equations trying to graph the rise and fall of every relationship based on factors. Throughout this book every character learns things about themselves, and it rubs off on the reader a little bit. There is also a great interview with John Green in the back of the new edition. ( )

I picked up this book for two reasons. The first is that someone linked me to one of the Brotherhood 2.0 videos, which I enjoyed and which is how I heard of John Green in the first place. The second reason I picked An Abundance of Katherines is because I like the title.

The writing is good and the story is cute and the characters were believable. I have am looking forward to reading Looking for Alaska and Paper Towns. ( )

Kearsten says: LOVE! So funny, and sweet, and NO ONE writes bromance (two straight male friends who love each other, a la JD and Turk on Scrubs, as 'just friends') like John Green!

Merideth says: Colin Singleton is a washout at the age of 17. A child prodigy, he has never been able to find his 'Eureka' moment -- the one that will move him from prodigy to genius. His only claims to fame are winning an obscure game show called Cranial Kidz, and being dumped by a succession of girls named Katherine. Colin has been dumped by 19 girls named Katherine, starting with Katherine I in third grade, all the way up to Katherine XIX on the eve of his high-school graduation. Left emotionally and physically bereft by his loss, Colin and his best friend, a Judge Judy loving slacker named Hassan, take a road trip.

Colin and Hassan wind up in Gutshot, TN, at the final resting place of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand. While there, they meet an irrepressible girl named Lindsey Lee, and get roped into an oral history project by Lindsey Lee's mom. While they interview the residents of Gutshot, Colin works on what he hopes will be his Eureka -- The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Probability, which will mathematically determine the success or failure of all relationships.

This is a wonderful, richly layered comic novel, with quirky, yet believable characters. Colin is a painfully average prodigy, whose genius lies not in any one particular area, but in his ability to make connections between the random. The supporting cast, Hassan, Lindsey Lee and Hollis are just as beautifully drawn. If the novel stretches the bounds of plausibility, well, just go with it, as the humor and gentle spirit of this book demands it. A romance for people who don't like romances, this was one of my favorite books of 2006. (cross posted from MeriJenBen) ( )

Grade: 9th and Up