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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
This was the most self-indulgent piece of crap book I have ever read in my life. Wah wah, my life is so hard...but really it's so awesome that you all should read about it. Incredibly overrated.
Not bad, but I'm pretty sure I skipped over half of it, and I have no idea how I feel about the ending... but glad I read it. I'll keep it in the back of my mind for a reread
Meta-fiction at it's most meta. Po-mo at it's most po-moey. If I had written down every thought I had as a 20-something, I might have been able to create my own version of this book. Eggers is more ironic than I ever was, chiefly because of his location (Berkeley) and his willingness to take risks. The narrator, Dion Graham, is what kept me going when the CD 4 or 5 made me want to abandoned it all. The book is nicely honest but the minutiae wears you down. Eggers is clearly processing his parents' deaths and his new role as caregiver/guardian. And I get that, as much as I'm able without ever being in that role. It becomes more clear towards the end when he starts substituting people for his parents (ex. John the addict). And his self-reflection and realization seems to occur as he is going about his daily life, ever striving to keep all things at surface level but propelling himself deeper still.
There's much that could be written about this book. I was going to say it was likely the first of it's kind (perhaps the meta part, not the reflection) but then I started reading The Bell Jar and it became quite obvious that this kind of writing has been done before.
My actual rating is 2.5 stars but I rounded up because Theresa said Eggers is a nice guy and I realllllly liked Dion Graham's narration.
There's much that could be written about this book. I was going to say it was likely the first of it's kind (perhaps the meta part, not the reflection) but then I started reading The Bell Jar and it became quite obvious that this kind of writing has been done before.
My actual rating is 2.5 stars but I rounded up because Theresa said Eggers is a nice guy and I realllllly liked Dion Graham's narration.
I do not enjoy Dave Eggars writing style - the only thing that got me through this book were the references to the Bay Area because I lived there at the time
The best part of this book is the title. A beautiful title for a mediocre piece of writing. I was really looking forward to reading this and I even really enjoyed the first two sections of the book. The rules and suggestions, preface, and acknowledgements sections of the book were enjoyable and clever. They gave me hope that what I was walking into would be thought-provoking and entertaining. Instead, I read 437 pages of Eggers's stream of thought that was choppy, boring, and laborious. Instead of getting someone who overcame his untimely parents' deaths and rose above adversity to care for his little brother, I read about a selfish slob with no ambition to better his life or his brother's. I felt sorry for Toph, who was the endearing character in the book. The end was most catastrophic, with no resolution or hope for the future. Maybe I'm being too harsh. Maybe I should have the pity the author is expecting to receive from his audience, but I don't.
Opinions of this varied widely in our book group. I think I liked it the best of everyone. Many of his devices are little too clever for the sake of being clever, but that didn't dampen my enjoyment of the book. I found his tone and overall style pretty engaging and interesting, and I see how this was such a big deal when it came out 10 yrs ago. And when the book was funny, it was screamingly so.
as much of a book about nothing as i’ve ever read, but pretty good either way. it was interesting enough to keep me reading, but just borderline boring enough to leave me feeling a little ripped off. some really fantastic principles of life, youth and circumstance are presented, but eggers tendencies to ramble and write in an almost nonsensical sort of way can distract from these fundamental beauties. its a little surprising to me that this is a national bestseller and pulitzer prize finalist. thats not to say that i was disappointed. i just wasn't fantastically impressed.
Sigh.
I think someone commented on the title, “A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius” and commented that it wasn’t.
I must agree. This was a waste of good paper.
I think someone commented on the title, “A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius” and commented that it wasn’t.
I must agree. This was a waste of good paper.
This read was more interesting than i thought it would be. Different writing style than i have seen and i actually didn't know this was a memoir when i bought it. it was depressing, real, exciting, funny, and...heartbreaking. Comedy and Tragedy combined.
slow-paced