Rating: 
Summary: Can't say I'm Toph or nixion too-but I can Review
Review: Many people who have dared to review this book claim to know the author feelings. They say, "I'm from Chicago," "I'm a Gen-Xer," "My parents died too." To Young to make Gen-Xer cutoff, To western to live in Chicago, To lucky to have my parents alive. I have but one thing to say to all you empathizers, " I know the author as well as you." To claim understanding of another's feelings and life events is as senseless as those people (many of whom wrote reviews here) who claim the discovery of first four chapters' superiority. The first page of the book (under rule four for enjoying the book) has the author's acknowledgement of this fact.
You don't need a Gen-X birthdate (a reminder Generation X was a social movement a birthdate alone does not qualify you. i.e. living in the sixties does not make you a hippie) or a dead mom to enjoy this book. All you really need is so basic knowledge about how difficult frisbee can be to find funny, heartfelt, sad, and truly well written moments in this book. True this book reflects upon itself and true reflecting is not action. But, for the vast majority of readers who find the manic nature of Pokémon a bit disconcerting there is a reason to read this book. I can't say you'll like it, but at some level you'll be a better person because of it. (After all you'll be able to, at the very least, ague with me) I know for all you plot driven readers the "Real World" interview seems long, however, is there really a better way to get that number of life events. (i.e. character building)
Remember you first Tofu or your first bugger. Remember the joy of sex or the frivolity of a Tutu. Well if can't, it really doesn't matter this book stands on its' own. I can't tell you how honest, how true, and how groundbreakingly wonderful this book is (as college student with a ton and half of pre-finals work to do I read it in two days). Its a good book filled with great fisbee, wonderful pictures and nice corrections. (I mean the authors, however the book like most books had an editor all you silly heads.)
As for the fellow who claimed the Toph is not present in the second half of the book, god's speed in your memory recovery program. Toph is present to the bittersweet end. It's rare I mean truly rare from the desensitized brat like me to actually feel for a character. This book did so much more than that. Four stars. Five stars (if you must know) is reserved for those truly great American novels, such as Mark Jude Poirier's Goats : A Novel
Rating: 
Summary: FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY
Review: A book that sounds, reads, tastes, feels like US, our generation. Maybe I am too young (I am the same age as Eggers) - but I could never quite connect to Kerouac's (or even, gasp, J.D. Salingers) unending stream of consciousness. But This, this book captures maniacal riffs, deadpan humor, and the crazy stream of 'what ifs' and 'here's how it really is' in a way that is Fantastic and True. How he makes it all work is baffling to me. I couldn't even begin to explain this book and even if I tried, I would not do it any justice at all. DO NOT MISS THIS BOOK. And take note, more times than not, the following reviews give this book FIVE STARS, or no stars -- simply put, either you will "get" this book, or you won't.
Rating:
Summary: A Targeted Effort of Thirtysomething Connectivity
Review: I loved Eggers' book. When we reviewed it with a book group I belong to, what I heard most was that people didn't connect with it. But then, the few of us who did connect agreed that it was a matter of being at or around the 30 year old level. A lot of Eggers' reference points seemed targeted at the young digerati, the Gen-X folks who really didn't espouse the title. The people who were raised on the Brady Bunch. To that end, it's obvious why lots of people didn't "get it." One of the people in the book group didn't realize there was a band named Journey or a TV show called Real World. See what I'm saying? This is a targeted work, in some ways. The book is worth a read, and I consider the mindset and flavour to be akin to what one would listen to on NPR's This American Life. Eggers reminds me of a variant on the David Sedaris writing set. Great writing!
Rating:
Summary: What if Monty Python was an author?
Review: Then he would write something like this book. It is sort of like (what I imagine) a ride on Splash Mountain to be like. You know you are in for a roller coaster ride. Only you can't see what the ride is about - it is hidden inside a mountain. If you decide to read this book, set aside all (*ALL*) your preconceptions and just enjoy the ride. I did.
Rating:
Summary: Quite simply, the best book I've ever read
Review: I won't waste your time with a long review. There are hundreds here you can read. I will just simply and succintly tell you that "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" is the best book I have ever read. Functioning both as a sprawling memoir and an experimental novel, this book shows more creativity, guts and heart than any book I've ever read. Dave Eggers ingeniously and deftly balances heartbreaking sadness with gutbusting humor. Many times I found myself laughing but acknowledging the sadness under the jokes at the same time. Never have I approached a more self-conscious book, and never have I been so surprised how well the self-consciousness works. This would be half the book were it not for the feeling that we are reading the book AS the author is writing it, including asides, concerns, and even places where he criticizes himself for the use of certain words or phrases. The most brilliant parts are when he has characters in the book tell him that he is getting the story wrong, or exaggerating a situation. He responds with literary theory and explains what messages he is trying to convey. And those of you who do not understand that the title is meant as a joke by a writer who himself claims to be insecure are not very avid readers, for you have skipped the absolutely essential forewards and addendums. A more clever, satisfying, brilliant book with as much balls as this one has will probably not be seen again for a long time. So good was it in fact that upon finishing it, I immediately turned the book over and started again from page one. Bravo, Mr. Eggers!
Rating: 
Summary: Complete drivel! - A waste of my time
Review: I should have heeded the recommendation that the author makes in the "rules" section of his book - to only read to page 140 or so because the rest of the book is ego-stroking. The first part of the book was painful to read, funny and interesting and the stream of conciousness style put me right in Dave's shoes. However, at page 140 or so- about when Dave interviews for MTV's Real World - the book turns to drivel and is a waste of time to read. All the brillance in the first part of the book completely faded away - I'd put the book down after a few pages wondering why I persisted to read it. I skipped about every other page and was truly hoping that Dave's tone would eventually change... this didn't happen and I couldn't finish the book. This book was a real disappointment and a waste of my time! Our entire bookgroup felt the same way.
Rating:
Summary: when we hear the news at first...
Review: While some might consider this book to be self-indulgent or solipsistic, they are simply wrong. This is an amazingly honest depiction of a difficult situation - losing both parents and prematurely taking on the role of a parent. But AHWOSG also depicts the painful transition period that many people in their twenties face. The book is roughly divided into these two themes. While many negative reviews suggest that the first part (difficult situation) is good and the second part (painful transition) is not good, they are either misguided or mistaken. AHWOSG depicts "people of twenty" and their self-aware struggles in a pure, thoughtful way. The second part of the book meanders, yes, but maybe it does so because the twenties are largely about meandering through life. Another complaint, that Eggers is self-aggrandizing or overly absorbed with his own problems seems unfounded. He is not self-aggrandizing. This is a memoir. It's about him and the people in his life. That's the form of the genre. Most importantly, Eggers lets readers see how, even in the face of the difficult situation and the typically painful transition, he can still see his life sparkle and wants readers to do the same.
Rating: 
Summary: Here he comes to save the day!
Review: Upon reading the opening section of this book (all the stuff before the first chapter), I was impressed by Eggers' skill as a writer. I understood why many were calling him a genius (including himself). The first half of the book was just as interesting, but much more emotional and heartfelt. However, after the Real World interview near the middle of the book, the tone of the book changed. Not to say it wasn't well written. However, reading about a person's pain and rage caused by the near simultaneous deaths of his parents begins to wear thin after awhile (especially after several years pass by in the story); you feel like you want to grab the author by the shoulders, shake them real hard, and tell them life goes on and all that bottled anger isn't going to do anyone any good. Also, with a person with Eggers' since of humor and world view, it becomes extremely difficult to tell when the person is joking and when they are actually serious and in pain (while reading the book I was constantly being reminded of Andy Kaufman). Nevertheless, Eggers' story is heartbreaking and the "new" section added with the paperback makes things much clearer. The book is heartfelt and heartbreaking, and through reading it one can come to a deeper understanding of just how close comedy & tragedy, tears & laughter, and life & death really are.
Rating:
Summary: Fuel for the fire
Review: I was optimistic in the beginning, but I see that I am not the only one to give up on this windbag book. I actually hurled it into the back of the car I was reading in. I had just finished a disgusting part about 'feces man' when the next chapter started with yet more of the same subject. I then looked it up here to see what other people thought of it. I am not alone. Having said all that, I do think that Eggers is a talented writer; I like the creative additions to the book; I like the relationship he has with Toph. But somewhere along the line he lost me and I no longer cared. Don't waste your money and time.
Rating:
Summary: Stephen King has some new competition...
Review: This terrifying little tale of macabre should not be read by the faint of heart! Thankfully, it's been rumored that Jeff Goldblum has been optioned to play Toph in the film version.
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