A "Heartbreaking" Work of "Staggering Genius"

[dashboard1190]

So I finished A Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers today.

It was neither heartbreaking or genius by any means.

Every person that has read it that i've talked to has loved it. And stressed how amazing of a book it is.

437 Pages, no plot, and it never ended.

Final Grade: C-

There were a few (no more than 5 parts) I actually enjoyed. One of them being the last section, this quote being my favorite, possibly of the whole book:

"And we will be ready, at the end of every day will be ready, will not say no to anything, will try to stay awake while everyone is sleeping, will not sleep, will make the shoes with the elves, will breathe deeply all the time, breathe in all the air full of glass and nails and blood, will breathe it and drink it, so rich, so when it comes we will not be angry, will be content, tired enough to go, gratefully, will shake hands with everyone, bye, bye, and then pack a bag, some snacks and go to the volcano---."

So, thanks for reading this semi review, but in my opinion, don't "waste" your time reading this book. If you're into autobiographical books, check out either Dry or Running With Scissors both by Augusten Burroughs.

So, why does everyone love it so much?

[matt_rawlings]

I adore the way he writes, and am glad it didn't have a simple or indeed grounded plot or chain of narrative, because thats not how people think!

I love it when it just goes off into random tangents of weirdness.

It is also hillarious and it was just a refreshingly original read.

[dashboard1190]

I adore the way he writes, and am glad it didn't have a simple or indeed grounded plot or chain of narrative, because thats not how people think!

I love it when it just goes off into random tangents of weirdness.

It is also hillarious and it was just a refreshingly original read.

I feel like I should have liked it so much more than I did.

[karly.]

I'm reading that right now actually. It's getting tough to get through, it's starting to get redundant and I find myself skipping over parts where I can predict what he's going to say. ha.

also, everyone I talked to who read it loved it too.

[preppyak]

I adore the way he writes, and am glad it didn't have a simple or indeed grounded plot or chain of narrative, because thats not how people think!

I love it when it just goes off into random tangents of weirdness.

It is also hillarious and it was just a refreshingly original read.
exactly...I mean, I was dying laughing just in the prologue

[jocelyn]

If you're into autobiographical books, check out either Dry or Running With Scissors both by Augusten Burroughs.



Have you read Possible Side Effects? I'm looking for a new read.

I liked Dry over Running with Scissors, but they both rocked.

[dashboard1190]

Have you read Possible Side Effects? I'm looking for a new read.

I liked Dry over Running with Scissors, but they both rocked.

I think i'm going to start that tonight actually (Possible Side Effects).

[jocelyn]

I think i'm going to start that tonight actually (Possible Side Effects).
Sweet, let me know what you think.

[aheroinmyeyes]

Sweet, let me know what you think.
I finished that earlier this week. It was okay, but I guess his stories start to get old and redundant after a little while and a little hard to believe. Kind of like he has to think of things more wild and crazy to top what he did before. It is still enjoyable, though.

I loved A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. It is one of my favorite books. But, then again, no one had ever talked to me about the book before. I had no expectations whatsoever for it. I love the way he writes, it just reminds me so much of myself. When he goes off on tangents and develops these horrible scenarios in his head I can totally relate because I do things just like that. I thought it was really funny, sad, and touching. I guess it isn't for everyone; not everyone needs to like the same books.

[Chico]

So I finished A Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers today.

It was neither heartbreaking or genius by any means.

Every person that has read it that i've talked to has loved it. And stressed how amazing of a book it is.

437 Pages, no plot, and it never ended.

Final Grade: C-

There were a few (no more than 5 parts) I actually enjoyed. One of them being the last section, this quote being my favorite, possibly of the whole book:

"And we will be ready, at the end of every day will be ready, will not say no to anything, will try to stay awake while everyone is sleeping, will not sleep, will make the shoes with the elves, will breathe deeply all the time, breathe in all the air full of glass and nails and blood, will breathe it and drink it, so rich, so when it comes we will not be angry, will be content, tired enough to go, gratefully, will shake hands with everyone, bye, bye, and then pack a bag, some snacks and go to the volcano---."

So, thanks for reading this semi review, but in my opinion, don't "waste" your time reading this book. If you're into autobiographical books, check out either Dry or Running With Scissors both by Augusten Burroughs.

So, why does everyone love it so much?


I was thinking about getting this book, but since I read your review I feel somewhat hesistant now.

[savestheday129]

I was thinking about getting this book, but since I read your review I feel somewhat hesistant now.

Me too. I feel like i want more opinions about it before I decide whether to spend money.

[Stereo Mike]

I have it.

I'm just finishing a couple of others before i start it.... i feel a little apprehensive now.

[matt_rawlings]

I have it.

I'm just finishing a couple of others before i start it.... i feel a little apprehensive now.

Don't you dare! Just go into it like you are reading any other book, then you will fall for it in a big way

[burntheaction]

i can finally read this now that i'm done with uni for the summer. cannot wait.

[dashboard1190]

I was thinking about getting this book, but since I read your review I feel somewhat hesistant now.

Most people love it, i'm one of the few who didn't find it amazing, so decide for yourself.

[A picasso blue]

i havent read it, but most people here think Palahniuk is the greatest writer ever so.. it might be bad

[catscradle]

i havent read it, but most people here think Palahniuk is the greatest writer ever so.. it might be bad
el mayo, so true.

[Darren McLeod]

i love the book... it was hilarious and extremely well-written. Eggers is extremely gifted.

Also, I read Burroughs latest, but I can't remember for the life of me what it was called. The one with the water pouring into a glass but not making it.... it was alright. some stories were great, some were pretty boring.

[crit]

I really enjoy the way Dave Eggers writes. There's a great quote on the cover of one of his other books (You Shall Know Our Velocity!) that I just happen to have sitting right here... "Eggers's frisbee sentences sail, spin, hover, circle and come back to the reader like gifts of gravity and grace." ~ John Leonard, The New York Times Book Review. I think that really sums it up.

[aheroinmyeyes]

i love the book... it was hilarious and extremely well-written. Eggers is extremely gifted.

Also, I read Burroughs latest, but I can't remember for the life of me what it was called. The one with the water pouring into a glass but not making it.... it was alright. some stories were great, some were pretty boring.

The book you're talking about is Magical Thinking. It actually isn't Burroughs' latest, Possible Side Effects is. I agree with you on what you said about it, though.

[Chico]

Most people love it, i'm one of the few who didn't find it amazing, so decide for yourself.

I'm not much of a book reader and I saw in another thread that this book was recommended, so for now, I'll just check out another recommendation.

[Anton Djamoos]

Most people love it, i'm one of the few who didn't find it amazing, so decide for yourself.
I completely agree with you.

[dashboard1190]

I completely agree with you.

What was the plot? I mean, everyone's like "oh what was it about", and I say "um, a guy who's in charge of his brother because his parents died.."

[OveriseFan]

I adore the way he writes, and am glad it didn't have a simple or indeed grounded plot or chain of narrative, because thats not how people think!

I love it when it just goes off into random tangents of weirdness.

It is also hillarious and it was just a refreshingly original read.

Agreed.

I highly recommend You Shall Know Our Velocity! too, even if you didn't like this. I guess it has more of a straight-plot, but still has off-chutes(and ladders) that make it enjoyable.

[A picasso blue]

You Shall Know Our Velocity sounds like such a great name for an album or a song.. or poem. not a band though

[yeknom]

I read about 2 books a week, this is far and away one of my favorite. It's refreshingly original, You shall know our velocity! is great also.

[Throwback]

I think You Shall Know Our Velocity is great. Heartbreaking Work was brilliant, but the actual plot element of Velocity made it stronger. Its just an amazing read.

How We Are Hungry, his collection of short stories, is pretty bad though.

[jklo16]

technically, dry/running with scissors/heartbreaking work of staggering genius are all memoirs, if i'm not mistaken. I really dig hwosg, but i can see how it wouldn't be for everyone. if you do like it though; i recommend "oh the glory of it all". i'm reading it now, and it's quite similiar in the way it is written.

[dashboard1190]

bump.

this book needs more bashing, haha.

[Anton Djamoos]

It's a book about stuff that happened in his life. He met people, experienced tragedy, and wrote about it. The writing is excellent, the story is subpar. I don't know, maybe I just like engaging plot rather than reliving events.

[dashboard1190]

It's a book about stuff that happened in his life. He met people, experienced tragedy, and wrote about it. The writing is excellent, the story is subpar. I don't know, maybe I just like engaging plot rather than reliving events.

The writing was great, but I need to be motivated to keep reading. I didn't care that he and toph were late everyday for school.

[jklo16]

The writing was great, but I need to be motivated to keep reading. I didn't care that he and toph were late everyday for school.


totally. for the most part i enjoyed this book. it almost seemed like he had so much that he wanted to say, that he lost track of where he wanted the story to go. i definitley liked 'you shall know our velocity' better.

[tpnations]

Perpetually late to the party, I'm reading this book right now and really enjoying it. I was laughing aloud in the lunchroom at my office because of some random story he was going off on. People were staring.

Definitely going to check out some of the other books people have mentioned in this thread, as it's kind of a nice change of pace compared to the horrifically violent sci-fi books I normally read.

[guitarpickheart]

Am I the only one who was reminded of that one Anberlin instrumental track by this thread title?

[You Vandal]

I finished this book about a week ago. While I enjoyed it and Eggers is certainly a good writer - it was such s sloowwww read. I felt like it was more of a chore that I had to finish than something I looked forward to doing.

[Colorblind!]

Book actually stunned me and didn't feel like a chore at all. The plot might not be linear and predictable, but that doesn't mean it's non-existent. He had both his parents die within months of each other and was then left in charge of raising his little brother, while being unequipped and hardly mature enough to do so. That's quite the story, and it's told with great humor and humility.
The parts of the story when the narrative wanders off and you realize he's fictionalizing the characters to dialogue with himself are especially brilliant. In doing so, he questions his own motives for writing the memoir and realizes he's exploiting real people in his real life for the purpose of entertaining his audience.

I can definitely see how people wouldn't like it, but I do think everybody should give it a shot: It really is impacting in it's own (albeit quirky) way and everybody should be able to relate to it on some level if you've ever felt unprepared or directionless.

[trustmeimokay]

My favorite book. I've read it probably about twenty times since it first came out. I always find myself coming back to it. I love everything the man has done. Very good writer. Very inspiring. I don't really care for plot, I look for writing style, so his writing is always right up my alley.

[AtlanticRadio]

I was laughing so hard when he was picturing what the baby sitter might have done to Toph. That and the school picture rant. I liked this book a lot.

[Wait_For_It]

Great book. I need to read it again.

[I am Mick]

I liked it. Didn't blow me away but it was an enjoyable enough read

[lauren1234]

I'm reading this book right now for my English class. I've only gotten to page 50, though.

[PaperRival-Jake]

In related news, when Paper Rival were writing songs for the full length record, I would take some Dave Eggers short story stanzas that were easy to remember and use them as lyrics just to be able to write melody over so I didn't have to think about lyrics and melody all at the same time. Well, when the mixed and mastered record was sent to us, I noticed that a line had been left in a song. I was really worried and felt awful because of all the work we would now have to do to be able to either use the line (licensing, permission, etc) or having to go back and re-record something else (which would take forever because we already paid for the mix and master and wold have to do it again).

We decided to call and see what it might take for us to just use the line. His agents said he wanted to hear the song so we immediately sent the cd to him. About three days later we get a call and his agent said he liked the song and was happy for it to be in there. The only thing we had to do was mention in the liner notes where it came from.

Dave Eggers is one of my favorite "modern" writers and to have him like a song I wrote and allow me to use a line of his in it (for free) was one of the best things to happen to me.

[stayillogical]

In related news, when Paper Rival were writing songs for the full length record, I would take some Dave Eggers short story stanzas that were easy to remember and use them as lyrics just to be able to write melody over so I didn't have to think about lyrics and melody all at the same time. Well, when the mixed and mastered record was sent to us, I noticed that a line had been left in a song. I was really worried and felt awful because of all the work we would now have to do to be able to either use the line (licensing, permission, etc) or having to go back and re-record something else (which would take forever because we already paid for the mix and master and wold have to do it again).

We decided to call and see what it might take for us to just use the line. His agents said he wanted to hear the song so we immediately sent the cd to him. About three days later we get a call and his agent said he liked the song and was happy for it to be in there. The only thing we had to do was mention in the liner notes where it came from.

Dave Eggers is one of my favorite "modern" writers and to have him like a song I wrote and allow me to use a line of his in it (for free) was one of the best things to happen to me.

Song and line? You used How We Are Hungry?

[MattRM]

One of my favorite books, but I could see how it would disappoint if you were looking for a really strong plot.

[PaperRival-Jake]

Song and line? You used How We Are Hungry?

Song: Foreign Film Collection
Line: In a moment, i figured out why i'm alive.
like the tired boxer who rests his head on the chest of his opponent.
like a tired lover.
grateful for a moment of peace.

Taken from the Dave Eggers short called "Accident."

Here's the link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2005/apr/16/shortshortstories.fiction

[guitarpickheart]

Song: Foreign Film Collection
Line: In a moment, i figured out why i'm alive.
like the tired boxer who rests his head on the chest of his opponent.
like a tired lover.
grateful for a moment of peace.

Taken from the Dave Eggers short called "Accident."

Here's the link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2005/apr/16/shortshortstories.fiction
I like this a lot.

[PaperRival-Jake]

I like this a lot.

Thanks, but I can't take credit, obviously. It was a very happy accident though.

[guitarpickheart]

Thanks, but I can't take credit, obviously. It was a very happy accident though.
I know- I've just never read anything by the author you mentioned, and that phrase is one that I'd definitely want to read more about.