Rating: 
Summary: Staggering genius, or at least heartbreakingly close!
Review: Don't be fooled by the apparently cute, flippant, or even arrogant title. "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" emphatically is NOT any of those things. What it IS, is an honest (brutally so at times), courageous, intelligent, revealing, tongue-in-cheek, self-effacing, self-critical (painfully, even), and last but not least, dark yet very funny book. What is this book about? Well, that's kind of hard to explain. Among other things, Dave Eggers explores (and has lots of interesting things to say about): celebrity, parenthood, the search for love and real human connection, the quest for meaning in life, the "you owe me because I'm a victim" culture, suburbia, social class, death, youth, and his more-often-than-not attempts at getting laid (with a "sexologist" woman, with a female colleague just after they leave a comatose friend's bedside). Plus, lets not forget the ultimately far more important topics of optimal Frisbee techniques, ideal apartment configurations for sliding in your socks, and the potential dangers of babysitters ("razors, chainsaws") and collapsing decks! And finally, Eggers is an excellent, creative, off-beat, always-interesting writer. I particularly liked the scene, for instance, where Dave is cutting his 11-year-old brother Toph's hair, and all of a sudden they start talking about Dave's magazine's plan to fake the death of former, now somewhat obscure, "Eight is Enough" star Adam Rich as a sendup of...well, all kinds of important things! Eggers, without breaking the flow of the conversation, simply has himself say "You're breaking out of character again," and then proceeds smoothly as the two of them hold a sophisticated, very adult-level debate regarding the ethics, motivations, cultural implications, etc. of such a stunt. Of course, I realize that this device has been utilized many times before in literature, but still, Eggers employs it skillfully - and hilariously. Other scenes, like his "Real World" interview (and encounters with "Real World" star "Puck"), or his trip back to Chicago in search of...well, something or other, are very well done as well. Actually, almost everything in this book works for me, including the powerful scene where he is attempting to stop his cancer-ridden mother's nosebleed, his revenge fantasies on all those who have wronged him or his family, his attempts at getting a magazine ("Might") off the ground, the saga of his mother's "cremains," and much more. Whether or not you think this is a work of "staggering genius" (I think it comes close), Eggers has written an excellent, excellent book which I strongly recommend!
Rating: 
Summary: Rather weak tea
Review: Unlike some of the other reviewers I didn't find HWSG boring, per se. (Although I did heave a sigh or two when it became clear that we were about to embark on another long series of introspective remarks disguised as conversation with somebody else.) However, I do think that for all the revelation we somehow never, as readers, get to the heart of the matter. The book is at its strongest with its moments of observation, particularly about the past life of the narrator. Eggers has the ability to combine sharp imagery with the narrator's emotional overlay to create really evocative moments-- I'm thinking about things like the forest wallpaper in his bedroom or the mother spitting bile into a half moon hospital bin. I also enjoyed the rambling elliptical structure of the book with all its asides and imaginings and loopy discourses. The character of the narrator was strong, and had the combination of irritating and endearing qualities that are the hallmark of a good literary character. However... While the book touches on some very emotional elements and is nominally very open about exposing private pain points, I somehow felt like (with the exceptions of the moments of imagery mentioned above) we as readers were skittering across the surface. It became like a ride at the amusement park-- all the trappings and screams of fear without any actual danger. Particularly at the ending, which was obviously intended to be affecting, I felt finally like all the sarcasm and cheap humor had eroded my ability to be ultimately interested in the narrator or his concerns. I rarely felt gripped by the book and read it with the same kind of tepid emotion as I might a somewhat interesting article in a magazine at the doctor's office. One might argue that it is not the job of the author to provide me with an emotional response to the book, but I generally think that the kind of devices (digressions, diagrams, asides) used to create distance in this book ultimately function to provoke the reader and bring them more closely in. I dislike speculating about the emotional intentions of the author, but I feel like he should have done another round of editing with his own idea of his connection to the material fully in mind. Still, I'm looking forward to the next book from Eggers, given how many strong strong elements there were here.
Rating:
Summary: The Piper at the Gates of Dawn.........
Review: At first, the deconstuctionist thread was a bit irritating, but then as the novel progressed, I found myself completely transfixed. This is the best novel ever written by someone from our generation, hands down. All the naysayers, from what I have read, seem to be in a state of perpetual boredom, not only with their reading habits, but with their lives. To not understand and embrace this novel is like not getting excited about a hot shower, or seeing "Singin' in the Rain" for the first time. Plus, he likes The Flaming Lips.
Rating:
Summary: Needs ruthless editing
Review: About half of this book was enjoyable, and the rest of it was self conscious blather of a still as yet to be fully formed mind. I appreciate the subject, Egger's willingness to talk about it and tell the truth unflinchingly (about his parents' deaths, "burial" and the truncated life of his magazine, Might). I skimmed through the other half of this book, which appeared to be the sort of posturing done by the very young. Some times voluminious is captivating and brilliant. Other times it's like watching a cow chew its cud. I found this to be the latter.
Rating: 
Summary: Stick with McSweeney's, pal...
Review: Eggers' autobiographical monolith is an obscenely overrated exercise in literary masturbation. Numerous witty turns of phrase are smothered under a landslide of fake self-mockery as very real (and intolerably boring) self-aggrandizement. A good month in the hospital spoiled.
Rating:
Summary: One of the year's best books
Review: I read this book over the hollidays, and I couldn't put it down. This is an unique book about a young man who raises his little brother after losing his parents to cancer so suddenly. Eggers talks about having an alcoholic father he hardly knew. He recounts the emotional experience of scattering his mother's ashes in Lake Michigan. He writes about struggling to have a social life while raising his brother like how guilty he feels leaving his brother with a sitter for the first time. He does all parental things like cooking and going to his brother's open house at school. He recounts the trials and tribulations of being an editor for a fledging 20 something magazine called Might. He writes about his friends and his childhood in vivid detail like the young woman who comes out of a coma after falling from a building. Eggers talks about another friend who attempts to commit suicide by shallowing a bottle of pills. This is a very entertaining book by a talented new writer.
Rating:
Summary: Not so good. I wouldn't believe the other reviewers....??
Review: I read everyone else's reviews and bought the book. It really is not that great. He was very funny in some areas, but the book just drags on and on. All he does is whine about his problems using sarcasm and a sense of humor. I feel sorry for him, but not enough to recommend this book.
Rating: 
Summary: A good read
Review: I enjoyed this book, having recently been a 20something. What wasn't told to me was that this is a very sad story. It has its funny moments but for the most part is fairly depressing. Still, a good read giving the reader lot's to think about regarding themselves, family, friends, and the mortality associated with all.
Rating:
Summary: Perhaps the funniest book I have ever encountered!
Review: This novel is at times remarkably heartbreaking and amazingly entertaining. Along with 'Catch 22', this is undoubtedly one of the most humourous pieces I am have read, and certainly one of 2000's finest reads for me. I can see how some would argue that Eggers loses some of the genius in his own attempts to be funny, and the contrived nature of the piece, but I believe it's humourous value far outways the self absorbed nature of the writer. Contrived or not, it's merit as a witty novel by a wonderfully talented upcoming writer can not be argued. Of course, he is self absorbed, to the point our sympathy wavers, but I imagine losing two parents and being left to care for your younger brother, all in the space of five short weeks calls for a bit of excessive sympathy and wallowing. On the whole, 'A heartbreaking work of staggering genius' is often heartbreaking and staggering, but at all times hilarious. Well worth the little self indulgences of the talented author.
Rating:
Summary: haven't read something so original in a while
Review: I've been reading & reading books all year long (yes, I'm kind of a bookworm) & usually what I read can be described in one word: mystery, thriller, love-story, memoir etc etc. But then this book by Dave Eggers came along, & I couldn't put it in any one slot, I couldn't say it was a memoir,or a novel, or whatever. "A heartbreaking work of staggering genius" defies all kinds of labels you could stick on it. Even calling it a "generation X, Y" or whatever book, would be simplistic. The truth of the matter is that this book is just very very different from anything else, has its own, completely unique style & should be read as such. Now, is it good or bad that this book is written so differently? In my opinion, it's very good, very refreshing: reading this, you feel as if you're actually taking walks in Dave Egger's mind. It's as if he puts down on paper not only what's on his mind but also how he gets from one point to another, how he jumps from one topic to another: he doesn't just SAY things. He DESCRIBES why & how he got to be thinking of these things... The story is straightforward enough, but it serves mostly as the background for the writer & his style. Two parents die, right in the beginning of the book, both from cancer. They leave behind 4 kids. Dave kind of takes unofficial custody of the youngest boy, & the 2 of them live together. End of part one. Part two has to do with a magazine that Dave & his buddies publish. Part three is...well, pure Dave I could say! Thoughts, feelings & less action. Sound boring? Not at all. Once you get into this book (& especially when you reach part three, which to me is some of the most beautiful & honest writing I've read in a while)you won't be able to put it down. Yes, I know they say that with all the books! But in this case, take my word for it, you really won't be able to put it down. If not for anything else, because you'll feel like you're being rude to somebody who's in the middle of explaining something to you. When does he finish the explaining? Well...by the end of the book. A lot has been said about the "cute" way the book begins --I mean, even the notes about the publisher etc have notes & comments around them...also, there is an enormous preface which can be seen as original, in that it talks directly to the reader, giving him guidelines for enjoyment of the book. To me, no guidelines are needed in this case. And however "cute" the preface were...if the actual book wasn't any good, it would just be another effort for originality, a failed effort that is. But in this case, reading the book means you've discovered a very talented & intelligent new writer. And for me it meant waiting eagerly for his next book. So come on Dave, when's it going to be?
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