The great brain
by John Dennis Fitzgerald · first published 1967
67% recommend33% neutral
Why HN recommends it
A fondly remembered childhood series about a clever, scheming boy in 19th-century small-town Utah. It inspires young readers and still holds up for adults. Suits ages 7 to 15.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
The Great Brain is Tom D. Fitzgerald, aged ten. The story is told by J.D., a sometimes confounded but always admiring younger brother. Such people as Mr. Standish, the mean schoolmaster, regret the day they came up against The Great Brain. But others, like the Jensen kids lost in Skeleton Cave, Basil the Greek kid, or Andy, who has lost his leg and his friends, know that Tom's great brain never fails to find a way home. - Back cover.
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Two of my favorite books growing up were The Real Diary of a Real Boy and The Great Brain. Both are accounts of a young boy growing up in 19th century, small town America. The Real Diary is about Exeter, NH in the 1840s. The Great Brain is about Utah (and is much better written, I think most…
on “A one-of-a-kind trove reveals what rural 19th-century American boyhood was like” ↗I'd throw in The Great Brain[1] books, any of the Tom Swift Jr.[2] books, the The Three Investigators[3] books, and the Encyclopedia Brown[4] series. Edit: Remembered a few other suggestions... Pretty much anything by Jules Verne,…
on “Books geeks should read to their kids” ↗I also enjoyed (as an adult) Papa Married a Mormon which is John Fitzgerald's (Great Brain author) semi-autobiographical first novel.
on “A one-of-a-kind trove reveals what rural 19th-century American boyhood was like” ↗I absolutely loved these books as a kid. I read them over and over again. Those, along with The Great Brain, The Three Investigators, the Encyclopedia Brown stories, etc., were all really influential books for me. I wonder if kids coming up today have anything equivalent?
on “The Mad Scientists' Club” ↗A few come to mind, over the course of my childhood up to and including high-school. The "Mad Scientist's Club" series The Great Brain Those "Encyclopedia Brown" stories The "The Three Investigators" series The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne The original Doyle "Sherlock Holmes" canon The Soul Of A New Machine by Tracy Kidder The…
on “Ask HN: What book had a big impact on you as a child or teenager?” ↗The Great Brain series was awesome and inspirational. Definitely recommend to any budding young (7-15?) hackers afoot. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Brain
on “R.I.P. Donald J. Sobol, Encyclopedia Brown Author, 1924-2012” ↗Our 7 year old likes reading Roald Dahl, Dr. Doolittle, The Great Brain, and Encyclopedia Brown (for fiction), and Macaulay books (The Way Things Work, Built to Last), Usborne History books (The World Wars, The Ancient Greeks), and The Magic School Bus/Ms. Frizzle's Adventures…
on “Ask HN: What books would you recommend for 7-8 year old kid?” ↗My sisters and I and later my own kids all loved the Great Brain books. Anybody here with a kid reader in your life who hasn't tried them yet, get them them! I loved the Encyclopedia Brown books too, though of course they were more formulaic. Pretty sure I didn't…
on “R.I.P. Donald J. Sobol, Encyclopedia Brown Author, 1924-2012” ↗…with (note, no particular order of difficulty or maturity here): My Father’s dragon series Where the sidewalk ends, Shel Silverstein A pizza the size of the Sun Choose your own adventure books The Great Brain The Boxcar Children series Captain Underpants Roald Dahl books: The BFG, James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, The Twits, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory/The Great Glass Elevator (not as good) My…
on “The original “Bambi”” ↗I was introduced to this concept as a kid by "The Great Brain" book series. Was surprised to discover as an adult that it actually works in many ways. I'm a huge proponent of sleeping when I'm stuck on something. The tricky part is recognizing when I'm in an unfruitful…
on “How to Program in Your Sleep” ↗…80's. I'm sure they played a key role in shaping my interests and worldview. These, along with the "Encyclopedia Brown" books, the "The Three Investigators" series, the "Tom Swift Jr" series, and "The Great Brain", plus the original Doyle canon of Sherlock Holmes stories, were constant companions in my youth. Oh, and those "Choose Your Own Adventure" books. Those were great. Every year the local Barnes & Noble…
on “Mad Scientists' Club: The Books” ↗Heh. I loved these back in the 70's, and remember them fondly. Along with Encyclopedia Brown, many of the Three Investigators books, and all of the Great Brain stories. Never got into Tom Swift particular, but I did read the Danny Dunn novels (Danny Dunn and the Homework Machine got me interested in computers) and The Many Inventions of Alvin Fernald.
on “Mad Scientists' Club: The Books” ↗++++++++ all of these. Wonderful books. "The Great Brain" has to be my favorite, but they're all good.
on “Mad Scientists' Club: The Books” ↗I also enjoyed John D. Fitzgerald's (Great Brain author) semiautobiographical novel "Papa Married a Mormon". https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/564854.Papa_Married_a_Mo...
on “Mad Scientists' Club: The Books” ↗…the troll" rule in the community. When nothing they post ever gets a response, a hellbanned user is likely to get bored or frustrated and leave. I believe it, too; if I learned anything from reading The Great Brain as a child, it's that the silent treatment is the cruelest punishment of them all." from coding horror... neat idea! never heard of it until now...