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WORK TITLE: A Lite Too Bright
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S): Miller, Sam
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE:
CITY: Los Angeles
STATE: CA
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born in Vermillion, SD.
EDUCATION:University of Southern California, graduate school attendee.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer, music video director, Little League coach; member of the rock band Paradise Fears.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Born and raised in Vermillion, South Dakota, Samuel Miller writes coming-of-age stories. He now lives in Los Angeles where he directs music videos, coaches Little League Baseball, and is the singer with the rock band Paradise Fears. He is attending graduate school at the University of Southern California.
In 2018, Miller published his debut novel, A Lite Too Bright, which finds eighteen-year-old Arthur Louis Pullman III stripped of his college scholarship and dumped by his girlfriend. Despondent and directionless, he goes to live with his aunt and uncle where he discovers a journal written by his grandfather and namesake, Pullman I. The journal offers clues as to the final days of his grandfather who had Alzheimer’s. In the style of J.D. Salinger, Pullman I was a beat-generation writer who published an American classic novel then disappeared. The journal provides a train schedule, so Pullman III embarks on a cross-country train ride to trace his grandfather’s last steps and learn what happened to him and in the process discover his heritage and purpose. Along the way, he meets and is joined on his quest by a mysterious British-Indian girl named Mara who has secrets of her own and who introduces him to the quirky and passionate literary fans of Pullman I. Writing in Kirkus Reviews, a contributor remarked: “This fresh incarnation of the great American road trip novel is bursting with big ideas, enigmas, poetry, and flashes of humor.”
“The plot does well to keep intrigue high while the core theme surrounding the family dynamics is ingrained,” stated Melissa Pool in School Library Journal. Praising the book for integrating Pullman I’s piercing poems with Pullman III’s tortuous search for meaning and redemption, a Publishers Weekly writer noted: “This complex and turbulent novel sees a troubled teenager slowly regain a sense of purpose” with his connection to the past. This accomplished debut is “Beautifully conceived and executed, it has an irresistible premise; an ingenious plot tinged with mystery; [and] compelling, multidimensional characters,” according to Michael Cart in Booklist.
Idobi website contributor Sam Devotta enjoyed Miller’s well-crafted story full of twists you barely see coming, characters that would be appropriate in a John Green novel, and beautiful vocabulary. Devotta observed: “A Lite Too Bright is an ambitious novel, especially for a debut. There are so many little threads running through the plot—including references to literary figures like Hunter S. Thompson and J.D. Salinger and a road trip through tiny American towns that barely sound real.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, February 1, 2018, Michael Cart, review of A Lite Too Bright, p. 56.
Kirkus Reviews, March 1, 2018, review of A Lite Too Bright.
Publishers Weekly, April 2, 2018, review of A Lite Too Bright, p. 70.
School Library Journal, April 2018, Melissa Poole, review of A Lite Too Bright, p. 136.
ONLINE
Idobi, https://idobi.com/ (May 9, 2018), Sam Devotta, review of A Lite Too Bright.
Samuel Miller was born and raised in Vermillion, South Dakota, and now resides in Los Angeles, where, in addition to writing, he directs music videos and coaches Little League Baseball. He began writing his first novel while on tour in a fifteen-passenger van with the rock band Paradise Fears. A Lite Too Bright is his debut novel. Currently he attends graduate school at the University of Southern California. He credits his existence entirely to two spectacular parents, three brothers, one sister, and the best and sweetest puppy dog on the whole planet, Addison.
A Lite Too Bright
Publishers Weekly. 265.14 (Apr. 2, 2018): p70.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
A Lite Too Bright
Samuel Miller. HarperCollins/Tegen, $17.99 (480p) ISBN 978-0-06-266200-2
After his ex-girlfriend takes out a restraining order against him and he loses his college scholarship, 18-year-old Arthur Louis Pullman Ill's world implodes. He goes to live with his aunt and uncle, where he uncovers the journal of his late grandfather and namesake. Arthur's grandfather was a famed author who was plagued by Alzheimer's. His mysterious death seems to link back to the years before he wrote an American classic and disappeared from public view (a la J.D. Salinger). Following the clues he perceives within his grandfather's writings, and attempting to relive the first Arthur Louis Pullman's final days, Arthur boards a train for a cross-country odyssey. Miller's debut novel weaves together several other larger-than-life literary figures and events, including gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson, the beat generation, and the Kent State shootings, creating a love letter to social justice and American literature. The story integrates sections from Arthur's grandfather's piercing, at times bewildering, poems, which come to mirror young Arthur's own tortuous search for balance, meaning, and personal redemption amid chaos. This complex and turbulent novel sees a troubled teenager slowly regain a sense of purpose by forging a connection with the past. Ages 13-up. Agent: Joanna Volpe, New Leaf Literary & Media. (May)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"A Lite Too Bright." Publishers Weekly, 2 Apr. 2018, p. 70. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A533555695/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=066fb893. Accessed 8 June 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A533555695
Miller, Samuel: A LITE TOO BRIGHT
Kirkus Reviews. (Mar. 1, 2018):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Miller, Samuel A LITE TOO BRIGHT Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins (Young Adult Fiction) $17.99 5, 8 ISBN: 978-0-06-266200-2
A boy with a muddled past embarks on a cross-country journey to uncover the mystery behind the last week of his famous grandfather's life.
Arthur Louis Pullman the Third is the grandson of Arthur Louis Pullman, a Beat-generation writer renowned for producing a singular work of literary genius before withdrawing from the outside world and losing himself in a fog of dementia. Five years earlier, Pullman mysteriously disappeared from his son's cabin in California only to wind up dead a week later in Ohio, his whereabouts during the intervening period unknown. Reeling from his own present-day trauma, grandson Arthur discovers a clue to his grandfather's travels and sets off by train to follow it, hoping to learn more about his famous forebear's life and death. Jumping from clue to clue and train to train across the country, Arthur stumbles upon extraordinary discoveries, from long-lost family members to secret societies, and, ultimately, the truth not only about his grandfather, but himself as well. He is helped along the way by an enigmatic British-Indian girl named Mara who has motives of her own and strains against being pigeonholed as a Manic Pixie Dream Girl. The Pullman family is white.
This fresh incarnation of the great American road trip novel is bursting with big ideas, enigmas, poetry, and flashes of humor. (author's note) (Fiction. 14-adult)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Miller, Samuel: A LITE TOO BRIGHT." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Mar. 2018. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A528959822/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=81fce219. Accessed 8 June 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A528959822
A Lite Too Bright
Michael Cart
Booklist. 114.11 (Feb. 1, 2018): p56+.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
* A Lite Too Bright. By Samuel Miller. May 2018. 480p. HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen, $17.99 (9780062662002); e-book, $17.99 (9780062662026). Gr. 9-12.
Eighteen-year-old Arthur Louis Pullman III is on an epic quest toward understanding the great enigma of his Alzheimer-addled grandfather's life--and mysterious, solitary death. The grandfather, Arthur Louis Pullman I, was the author of a single novel, A World Away, which has become a modern classic with a passionately devoted readership. However, with the publication of that novel, the grandfather apparently never wrote another word. When Arthur discovers a clue he believes his grandfather left for him, he begins a trip that will take him across America, from California to Ohio, turning up more clues as he goes. Along the way, he meets Mara, an Indian British girl, who will become his companion, introducing him to a group of revolutionaries devoted to the grandfather's work, which has given them a Great Purpose. Meanwhile, Arthur (the younger one) has secrets of his own that remain tantalizingly unanswered. Yes, all will be revealed in time, but what a compelling journey this is toward the bright light of revelation--and what an accomplished debut this is, too. Beautifully conceived and executed, it has an irresistible premise; an ingenious plot tinged with mystery; compelling, multidimensional characters; and a haunting ethos that will linger in readers' minds long after they have finished.--Michael Cart
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Cart, Michael. "A Lite Too Bright." Booklist, 1 Feb. 2018, p. 56+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A527771941/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=512d0097. Accessed 8 June 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A527771941
MILLER, Samuel. A Lite Too Bright
Melissa Poole
School Library Journal. 64.4 (Apr. 2018): p136.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
* MILLER, Samuel. A Lite Too Bright. 480p. HarperCollins/KatherineTegen Bks. May 2018. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780062662002.
Gr 9 Up--Arthur Louis Pullman wrote one novel that became a classic. He never wrote again and shied away from the limelight. Living with Alzheimer's, Pullman mysteriously disappears before his passing. His grandson, Arthur Louis Pullman III has a troubled past and is feeling lost himself. While struggling with his own issues, he transfers his attention and desires to discover the last days of his grandfather's life. While visiting relatives, Arthur uncovers a note from his grandfather and believes it is a clue. Determined to solve the mystery, Arthur sets off on a cross-country road trip. On the journey, he becomes close to Mara, a runaway, and together they gain insight to his grandfather's past and helps him come to terms with his own issues. Charmingly written, this debut novel introduces rounded characters and an engaging mystery. The plot does well to keep intrigue high while the core theme surrounding the family dynamics is ingrained. Wonderfully mirroring the disjointed feelings and thoughts of young Arthur and those who have dementia, this literary piece has a satisfying conclusion. VERDICT A highly recommended purchase for fans of literary and realistic fiction centered around family.--Melissa Poole, Clemson University Library, Anderson, SC
KEY: * Excellent in relation to other titles on the same subject or in the same genre | Tr Hardcover trade binding | lib. ed. Publisher's library binding | Board Board book | pap. Paperback | e eBook original | BL Bilingual | POP Popular Picks
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Poole, Melissa. "MILLER, Samuel. A Lite Too Bright." School Library Journal, Apr. 2018, p. 136. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A533409101/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=039f4011. Accessed 8 June 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A533409101
A Lite Too Bright
Samuel Miller
PUBLISHER: KATHERINE TEGEN BOOKS
RELEASED: 05.08.18
REVIEW BY SAM DEVOTTA | MAY 9, 2018 AT 1:00 PM
There are pieces of me that i’m learning to question & parts of my past that i’m learning to rewrite.
Basically: Arthur’s grandfather wrote one of the most famous novels of all time but when he dies, following a mysterious roadtrip, Arthur takes a trip of his own to learn more about the man behind the novel in Samuel Miller’s debut, A Lite Too Bright.
Arthur Louis Pullman the 1st is famous for writing A World Away, a book taught in schools across America. For four decades, he never published another work. After years of suffering from Alzheimer’s, he dies amid rumors that he was finally working on something new.
Arthur Louis Pullman the 3rd has always lived in his grandfather’s shadow. And now that he’s in therapy with a restraining order from his ex-girlfriend, Arthur has a lot of time to think about what his grandfather was up to in the week leading up to his death—especially because Arthur Sr. died in Ohio after disappearing from the family’s California home.
When Arthur finds a note hidden by his grandfather, in his aunt’s house, he sets out to follow his grandfather’s final route: A train ride from California to Ohio. Along the way, he pieces together clues left by his grandfather, bits of incomplete writing that seem to lead Arthur to some Great Purpose—and to a group of fanatics who worship Arthur Sr. in dangerous ways.
Arthur Louis Pullman the 3rd is a complicated character. He struggles with mental health issues, and occasional blackouts and hallucinations, but through it all he desperately wants to solve the mystery of his grandfather’s death. We get glimpses at his sweet relationship with his grandfather, bits of their history that allow Arthur to put the pieces together and figure out just how many secrets his grandfather was keeping from the rest of the family.
Somewhere in between California and Ohio, Arthur meets Mara, an Anglo-Indian girl with secrets of her own who happens to be a big fan of his grandfather’s work. We don’t get to spend a lot of time in her head but she’s just as fascinating as Arthur himself, and Miller does a great job of keeping us in suspense: Is Mara on Arthur’s side or is she waiting for the right moment to betray him to Arthur Sr’s fans—who have been looking for a fabled manuscript since his death?
Told through a combination of prose and free verse, A Lite Too Bright is an ambitious novel, especially for a debut. There are so many little threads running through the plot—including references to literary figures like Hunter S. Thompson and J.D. Salinger and a road trip through tiny American towns that barely sound real—but Miller manages to tie everything up in a neat and satisfying (if a little convenient) way.
The name Samuel Miller might not be too familiar to you but he was actually the singer of the pop rock band Paradise Fears (currently on hiatus). I knew going in that the writing would be lovely since his lyrics get stuck in your head (they’ve been stuck in mine since first seeing the band live in 2011). Like Miller’s songs, A Lite Too Bright is well crafted, full of twists that you barely see coming and characters who wouldn’t be out of place in a John Green novel.
In the end: Read it! But make sure you have a stack of post-its nearby to help you keep track of all of Miller’s beautiful words.