High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Spud is a 2005 novel by South African author, actor, playwright and producer, John van de Ruit. A comedic sometimes sad yet straight forward novel that captures the humor of life in boarding school, through the diary of John `Spud` Milton. The book is written in the style of a diary. The story begins on the morning of Spud`s first day at a private boarding school in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, following his year and experiences with the often eccentric characters found in the school environment. The diary also follows Spud`s family life.