Spare Parts: Four Undocumented Teenagers, One Ugly Robot, and the Battle for the American Dream

“Perhaps the most gripping popular-science book I have read.” ― Noel Sharkey, Nature “A great feel-good tale of scrappy underdogs beating long odds. But there's more to the story, and Spare Parts illuminates the human side of two polarizing political issues: immigration and education . . . Spare Parts is a delightful book . . . A great American story.” ― Peter Carlson, The Washington Post “ Spare Parts is an unforgettable tale of hope and human ingenuity. Against a backdrop of urban desert decay, a faltering school system, and our country's cutthroat immigration policies, Joshua Davis offers a moving testament to how teamwork, perseverance, and a few good teachers can lift up and empower even the humblest among us.” ― Héctor Tobar, author of Deep Down Dark “It's the most American of stories: how determination and ingenuity can bring triumph over long odds. There are too few stories like these written about Latino students. Poignant and beautifully told, Spare Parts makes you feel their frustration at the obstacles and indignities faced by Cristian, Lorenzo, Luis, and Oscar--and to cheer as they rise to overcome each one of them. ” ― Sonia Nazario, author of Enrique's Journey “ Spare Parts is one of those rare stories that grabs hold and doesn't let go. It's hilarious, sad, and beautifully told. It will make you think hard about what it means to be American and where we will find the next generation of talent.” ― Chris Anderson, author of The Long Tail “This is hands down my favorite kind of story: underdogs plus ingenuity plus pluck and dedication equals a deeply moving and touching narraitive. I love these kids!” ― Adam Savage, cohost of MythBusterst “This is important reading.” ― Booklist (starred review) From the Inside Flap In 2004, four Latino teenagers arrived at a national underwater robotics championship at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Oscar, Lorenzo, Cristian, and Luis were all born in Mexico but raised in Phoenix, Arizona, where they grew up in constant fear of deportation. Their high school―hundreds of miles from the nearest ocean, no pool, little money to spare, and more than 80 percent of students below the poverty line―was the last place you'd expect to find kids building an underwater robot. But two bighearted teachers believed that four unusual students―a disciplined ROTC cadet, a rebellious would-be gang member, a brainy nerd, and a quiet towering giant―needed something different in their lives. Their robot, which they dubbed Stinky, wasn't much to look at, especially compared to the competition. They were up against some of the best student engineers in the country, including a team from MIT backed by a $10,000 grant from ExxonMobil. The Phoenix teenagers had scraped together less than $1,000 and built their robot out of scavenged parts, donations from bemused strangers, and, when Stinky sprang a leak just moments before the competition, a handful of tampons. But this contest is just the beginning for these four young men, whose story takes us from the unpaved roads of West Phoenix to the halls of Congress and from the battlefields of Afghanistan to vigilante-style murders in the American Southwest. It is a story whose impact is still being felt today. It is the story of a fight for the new American Dream. Praise for Spare Parts " Spare Parts is one of those rare stories that grabs hold and doesn't let go. It's hilarious, sad, and beautifully told. It will make you think hard about what it means to be American and where we will find the next generation of talent." ―Chris Anderson, author of The Long Tail " Spare Parts is an unforgettable tale of hope and human ingenuity. Against a backdrop of urban desert decay, a faltering school system, and our country's cutthroat immigration policies, Joshua Davis offers a moving testament to how teamwork, perseverance, and a few good teachers can lift up and empower even the humblest among us." ―Héctor Tobar, author of Deep Down Dark Biography / Education ISBN: 978-0-374-18337-0 Joshua Davis is a contributing editor at Wired , cofounder of Epic magazine, and the author of The Underdog , a memoir about his experiences as an arm wrestler, backward runner, and matador. In 2014, he was nominated for a National Magazine Award for feature writing. He has also written for The New Yorker and other periodicals, and his writing is anthologized in the 2012 edition of Best American Science and Nature Writing as well as in the 2006, 2007, and 2009 editions of Best Technology Writing . The movie Spare Parts is based on his reporting. He lives in San Francisco, California. Read more