Rating: 
Summary: Staggering? Yes.
Review: I really loved this book. There has been a lot of hype about Mr. Eggers memoir and I think that it is justified.
Although my situation is very different to the author's, I found that I was able to relate to him and his situation. I think that's what makes this memoir so enjoyable. In Eggers we see ourselves and in his dreams (and delusions) we see our own. That's what makes this book so special.
Left to care for his signifigantly younger brother, Toph, when both his parents die, Eggers is suddenly thrust into parenthood at a time in his life when most young adults are still discovering themselves. I found the combination of Egger's self-discovery and his attempts to raise Toph as an intelligent human being very interesting. He experiences all the anxieties of parenthood while still battling with his own reckless youthfullness and the result is ultimately very human and often touching.
The book is also very funny. The situations that Eggers finds himself in as both a parent and as someone just trying to "make it" are often ironic and sometimes even hysterical.
Ultimately my favorite thing about the book is the style in which it is written. Eggers often "plays" with reality as a way of dealing with his feelings. For example, an interview to get on MTV's The Real World becomes a painful examination of his life. We know that this isn't really how the interview process really went, but it's used as a vehicle to look inward and I found it very compelling. Eggers uses tricks like this throughout the book to explore his own self-doubt and confusion and I think he is successful in this.
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius was my favorite book of 2000. I have given this book to a few of my friends who loved it as well and have passed it on t
Rating: 
Summary: I should have written it!
Review: Except he did it better than I ever would. It didn't break my heart, nor do I believe it is a genius work. But what a great piece of writting! Witty, funny and yet moving, Eggers echoes our twentysomething hearts (what a sad cliché...). And although his circumstances were unique, the way he lived and thought about it reflects how most of us feels (or at least the manic-depressive, paranoid and/or neurotic - which encompasses, save some mistake, most of us all).
Now I know I am not the only one angry...
Rating: 
Summary: A hard to love work
Review: I stopped reading this book before being halfway through, simply because I found it hard work and wanted to read something more immediately rewarding. I then read The Unconsoled and Ishmael, neither of which I could put down. AHWOSG does have some very entertaining passages but deep down I always felt I would give up because the book is never wholly satisfying. Really, its mostly a rant. A truly great writer would not find it especially difficult or challenging to write in this rambling, unstructured way but I'll give 2 stars to Eggers for at least trying. More than anything else this book makes you appreciate works of literature that actually say something about life and the world rather than just the author.
Rating:
Summary: I really tried to enjoy it
Review: I received this book as a Christmas present after I picked it up at the bookstore and remarked how it seemed interesting. And it IS interesting, to a point. I admire Eggers' unconventional style, which would probably make an English Prose professor shriek with disdain. Eggers' humor is also fresh and entertaining, although a bit forced at times.I took the author's advice and skipped the preface and acknowledgements, figuring I would come back to them after I finished the book. Unfortunately I gave up after four chapters. Part of the problem is that this isn't my type of book. I've recently read "Black Hawk Down" and "Endurance" (about Earnest Shackleton's attempt to cross Antarctica), so you can see that my tastes generally lean toward tales of adventure. "A Heartbreaking Work...", on the other hand, is about emotions and feelings, thoughts and attitudes, grief and joy, blah de blah blah. OK, fine, it's good to try something new. But Eggers' self-absorbed "we're just so awesome and the rest of the world sucks!" schtick gets old quickly. I realize that it's a coping mechanism and much of it is tongue-in-cheek, but if I it was meant to illicit empathy, for me it had the opposite effect. At one point I actually felt like destroying the book just so I wouldn't have to see it again. However, my girlfriend (being a girl and all) will probably love this book. And that's what it comes down to: If you're into touch-feely, buy this book. Otherwise, pick up some Tom Clancy.
Rating:
Summary: If only I could write like this...
Review: ... and my life was less mediocre, for that matter...
Dave Eggars writes what many of us twentysomethings feel and sometimes think (or at least the manic-depressive, the paranoid and the neurotic - which probabbly means everyone), the anger and the caring. Only, he does it better.
Rating:
Summary: Indeed, a work of genius
Review: To begin my review, I would like to point out that I am a 16-yr-old high school student who read this book because I had nothing better to do with my time. I had no idea what the book would be about but I was attracted to the title. From this title, I gathered that this book is somewhat comical and somewhat genius. Indeed, it's a brilliant work of irony and Eggers points it out many times. He is very aware of the purpose of his book and how most readers will react. It's as if he wants you to think he's an odd character or at least somehow different, more enlightened perhaps, than the average person. In this sense, the tone may be conceived as condescending but if you don't let that part get to you, this book is very enjoyable. I couldn't put it down to be honest. I think the key element that makes this book so engaging is Eggers' ability to keep the tempo going, the tone being angry at times and his paranoia. Also the tragic parts about his mom, and people like to read about sad stuff. (Admit it)Also, I liked reading about his frustrations with people. People annoy me as well. And basically how most people think in certain ways, expect certain things, and how people are inherently selfish. The irony is blatant to see. The element I found most genius about Eggers' writing was his exceptional ability to make the reader feel as though they are the only one reading this. A guilty pleasure perhaps. Yes, read the book...You just might learn something about life.
Rating: 
Summary: Occasionally clever but ultimately overdone
Review: Perhaps 20-something guys will enjoy this book, but as a 20-something woman who has lived in the Bay area and already overdosed on this self-important-yet-self-mocking stuff via Salon, I found it tedious and overdone. The story is interesting, and that kept me from putting the book down entirely, but I don't feel that the author's overarching theories on the media and life as a 20-something were very novel at all. It did bring back nostalgia for the Bay area for me, which was one of the few pluses. I will be surprised if this author produces anything else of note.
Rating:
Summary: The Most Enjoyable Read Imaginable
Review: Simply stated, this is one of the greatest books I have ever read. I have never felt so connected to an author and his life as I did when I experienced the absolutely superb text of Mr. Eggers. He may very well be one of the best storytellers I have encountered in my time. This book has been heralded by every major newspaper and magazine across the planet -- and with good reason. This is one of the rare cases where I will state that anyone who does not give this book an above-average rating clearly shows a complete lack of intelligence, wit and humanity, and should promptly never be allowed to read books again. (or review them)
Rating:
Summary: Pretentious or self-mocking? Who cares - just read it.
Review: The best way to read "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" is to put aside the hyperbole of the title, remember that you are reading memoir (not a novel), and enjoy your window into a different life. Is it self-absorbed? Well, of course. It is a memoir after all - why would I be interested in an autobiography of someone who doesn't find himself all that interesting? Eggers might not be a major historical figure, but his situation is one that is fairly unique and full of perfectly acceptable literary elements. Has he suffered or experienced enough to merit publication and readership of his book? It's not my place to say. It kept my attention long enough to finish it, left me laughing in places and pensive in others. How much more do you need? Stylistically, imagine a David Foster Wallace without the smug sense of superiority (if that's at all possible.) Eggers is smart without having to prove it to you in every paragraph. He takes a few liberties with narration in places, but not so frequently that it annoys or detracts from the meaning. It is fresh without being gimmicky. True, the prose locks up in places, drags a bit here and there, but overall has a smooth flow to it and is intensely readable. The characters are compelling and likeable and Eggers has done a solid job collecting the events of his life around a few major themes. Try to remember while reading A.H.W.O.S.G. the sense of self-importance that you had (or ought to have had) in your mid-twenties, the frustrating drive to change the world. Conjure up that sense of destiny, and you should be able to get past the fact that Eggers is, in some ways, a GenX caricature, publishing a 'zine in San Fran and cultivating interesting facial hair. If you're over 35, don't criticize him for being "whiny." I bet you were too at 26. The most negative thing about this book is that Eggers' editor was a bit indulgent. I think this work would have turned out just fine without a 48-page notes and errata section. And while the various elements laid out in the Acknowledgements section are clever and cute, they add very little overall to the book. This book is worth your time. It is a disconcerting and hilarious story of a young guy finding his way and dealing with the demons of loss and lust, forced to make it up as he goes. Just try not to get too turned-off by the title.
Rating:
Summary: A heartbroken reader of worthy intelligence
Review: This is easily one of the top five best books I have ever read. Eggers's use of "stream of conscious" is suttle yet once noticed makes this peace beautiful. His precise attention to detail drew me instantly into his life. This is a 20th century masterpiece. I will use it for any Contemporary American Literature class I am teaching at the college level. Brilliantly entertaining.
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