Rating: 
Summary: not too impressed
Review: I wasn't too impressed with this one. It did nothing for me. Eggers sex life and relationships did not interest me. From the looks of some of the positive reviews here, it seems to be a definate women's book, for the fact that it is so neurotic.
Rating: 
Summary: Better than "The Real World"
Review: I must be about the same age as Eggers. I've always enjoyed learning about how a person gets from point a to point b. This is an entertaining journey through Eggers life and his desire to frame and share his experiences, tragedies, thoughts, fears, insecurities, hopes... This is so much better than "The Real World".
Rating: 
Summary: I cant think of an appropriate title for this review
Review: After reading this book, I both want to smother Dave and marry him! I would like nothing more than to sit and pick his brain for hours, and shake the crap out of him at the same time. This book provides an honest look into a the angery, confused, pessimistic, carefree mind of a young person who has experienced a loss. It hints on self pity without hinting on self pity. This is the book I dont have the guts to write. It is both an internal and external search into the meaning of life and its consequences. It can be used, like he self admittedly used his friends, to escape one's own troubles. His writing is all the genius the title conveys, and even made me whip out the dictionary once or twice. This is NOT some twenty something out to make a buck (tho I am sure that is a small motivating factor). This is a young man gripped with fear and frustration at the path he has been lead down in life. I MUST read for anyone who has experienced a loss, esp. of a parent. I now know that I am not alone with these feelings. Dave, if you read this, yes, it sucks having these losses, but bravo for your bravery in writing it down! Thanks for the read....you'll receive my picture and my book soon.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Title...not much else to offer.
Review: Some may have enjoyed Dave Eggers story about his unfortunate loss of his parents, leaving him the difficult task of bringing up his younger brother but; I found it to be a rant. Some of the story was witty and a little funny, especially his introduction. But, all in all, I found the story to be pretty ordinary and somewhat boring. It was full of chapters and pages that drifted back and forth with sometimes not much actual story movement at all. It sometimes went virtually no where. Although Eggers whacky, dysfunctional thinking process saved the story a little; I couldn't wait to finish the book so I could finally start reading something interesting. But, Good luck to Dave and Toph anyway.
Rating:
Summary: Emotional honesty
Review: The arch tone of the title and the wit of the preface may blind readers to the real wonder of Egger's book: he's telling the truth. In a world of air quotes and the constant misuse of the word "ironic", Eggers is trying very hard to tell a difficult story. He writes of the death of his parents in the most unflattering terms, without the soft focus and belabored sentiment our culture has lead us to expect. The slow death of someone you love is sometimes horrible, and this story never denies that, or the way your mind escapes from that horror and focuses on trivia. While the writing may be self-conscious, it isn't pretending to be anything else, and the wonder is that Eggers is willing to accept everything that comes into his head, regardless of whether it seems appropriate. No other book has so honestly touched me since the death of my father, or more accurately captured what his dying meant to me. Several reviewers have written of the way the book loses focus after the first section, but to me that is one of its strengths. In fiction the protagonist doesn't wander around pointlessly, especially not after a significant event like the death of a parent, but in the real world lives are untidy. As a new parent I appreciated the author's experimental attitude toward child rearing as well as his attempt to create a fascinating life for himself. The quality of the writing made his business woes, his menus, and his Frisbee obsession equally fascinating. The memoirs of a man who isn't afraid to show his own warts, but is touchingly considerate of those closest to him, this is a kind and engaging book.
Rating:
Summary: i wonder if you know...
Review: ... how difficult to make people laugh out loud, actually is. the fact that mr. eggars is able to do so on a regular basis throughout this distinctive and original work is not to be taken lightly. i don't know why he is (occasionally, and only occasionally) being derided for his 'clever' phrases and seemingly easy jokes on the true and genuine hardships of his own somewhat (to some) sordid and "unamerican" journey through life -- but I for one would like to applaud his ability to make mildly depressed people sit up out of their cynacism thrones and chuckle, not to mention FEEL. his is far, far ahead of his time in his willingness and skill in transforming a memoir into a cohesive and heartfelt event/piece of undeniable literature. I would absolutely be slain with jealousy, were I not so grateful for a talent such as his to rise unbidden to a marketing-driven industry which should never in its right mind recognized such a gift, but somehow they did. we have the publishing house he is with to thank for looking beyond ordinary, formulaic fare and allowing his quixotic brilliance to shine forth, with added PR and promotion and all! I adore this boook and have given it to everyone I know who is ready for the next step in consciousness. Dave? thank you, thank you, for such hilarious, fresh, luminous and honest work.......
Rating: 
Summary: Starts off strong, then loses steam
Review: Reading this book, I felt like a teacher who receives an essay from a student who is obviously very gifted and intelligent, but still has to give him or her a "C" because they didn't follow the assignment well. Eggers is obviously a very good writer with great wit and creativity. However, after starting off strong, I found myself really struggling to get through the latter 2/3rds of the book. I know some will accuse me of being some kind of conformist slime for suggesting this, but I think that Eggers could have written a stronger work by focusing more specifically on the story of raising his younger brother after his parents death and less on a variety of different topics from his friends, his work, his love life, etc. Part of the problem is that none of Eggers friends are ever really described well enough to know one from the other (with the exception of one of two) so that a name could come up consistently throughout the book and I still didn't remember anything about him or her to differentiate from anyone else. That being the case, the latter 2/3rds of the book would probably be interesting if you actually knew these people personally and didn't need further description, however for those of us without this luxury, it was kind of like being on the outside of an inside joke. I admired that Eggers could write about a topic as tragic as the death of his parents so close to one another without relying on cheap sentimentality. And Eggers has a terrific sense of humor that really comes across in his writing. I admired his writing skills enough that I look forward to reading more of his work in the future. However, I definitely wish I had taken the author's own advice on this book and quit after the first three or four chapters when the book started meandering in too many different directions.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent, Visceral, Outlandish, Sad, Funny
Review: This book is an amazing work of art. I say 'a work of art' because few things in life can be classified as such. This is an autobiographical story about its author, who edits the immensely brilliant Timothy McSweeney's Quarterly (If you've never heard of it nor have never bought one, please do not as we, the fans, would like it to remain as unaccessible to the public at large as possible). Can you please pass the salt? Regardless, A.H.W.o.S.G. is a current masterpiece, a classical tale of one lad's struggle to regain his compassion and control and, more important, his identity in the face of tragedy. This books spills the beans of a human soul. Some will cringe at the pure bare nakedness of it. Others will embrace it. Enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Entirely enjoyable
Review: What a great discovering--this engaging, engrossing book is both deeply moving and funny. Laugh out loud funny. A truly original voice and I am looking forward to more of Eggers work. I did not give it 5 stars because, it lost some momemtum towards the end and smacked of twnety something self-indulgence. But that aside, it is the best book I have read in a long time. I wonder if I would like Mr. Eggers, if I met him in person. I know I would like his brother Toph.
Rating:
Summary: Fun For All
Review: The irrepressible, always cynical, David "Dave" Eggers goes on a wild romp through his own traumatized suburban Chicago past to find glory and fame. This book is further evidence that the discrete application of the word "cancer" will allow you to get away with anything. I found the most compelling character in the book to be Dave's hopelessly enguardianed brother, Toph, who often seems to have the appealing audacity to wonder what his brother is so worked up about. Meanwhile, the author is unable to deliver on his promise of HEARTBREAKING, perpetually distancing himself from pain with near-constant self pity and perfect irony. Read it. It's fun. But it may not leave an entirely satisfactory aftertaste in your mouth.
|
