Donald Thomas

Baxter's Butterflies Donald Thomas

Publisher Marketing: This is the story of Baxter McPherson, the latest in a line of exceptional children born into the McPherson family. Unlike normal people, Baxter is able to use 99 percent of his brain. But even with his superior intelligence, Baxter is unable to understand why he is the way he is. Baxter just wants to be normal, yet he is anything but. His friends taunt him and call him "Superman," exploiting his brilliance and good nature for their own needs. Baxter is lonely, but with his mother's guidance, he comes to accept and even appreciate his special abilities as he grows. As a young man, he finds love at Harvard University, but it seems that fate has other plans. Alone once more, he leaves Harvard in search of his life's purpose. On his journeys, he interacts with all echelons of society: the rich and the poor; the good and the bad; the humble and the supersized, self-important egomaniacs. Each new encounter shapes him in its own way. In response to his experiences and to find a channel through which he can reward the best of humanity, Baxter forms the compassionate Butterfly Organization. But as surely as there is good in the world, there is also evil-and evil is also on the path to recruit the best and brightest. A battle is inevitable, and Baxter must use all of his resources to survive. Is he clever enough to defeat the evil within his own organization?

Contributor Bio:  Thomas, Donald Donald Thomas is the author of "The Raising of Lizzie Meek" and "Victorian Underworld" (NYU Press, 1998), which was short-listed for the Golden Dagger Award. He is also the author of seven biographies, including "Cardigan of Balaclava" and "Cochrane: Britannia's Sea-Wolf". He holds a personal chair at Cardiff University in Wales.