| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Cheeseman1000 |
Posted - 04/29/2006 : 00:46:01
I've just finished reading A Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Genius (http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0330484559/qid=1146296497/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_3_2/202-6848734-0569410).
I believe this is a book that polarises opinion somewhat, even on this forum: me, I liked it. I liked that amid the vulnerability and angst there's glimpses of invincibility - the brothers driving along the cliff-top, playing frisbee, these were really evocative. I liked how he was sometimes brutally honest with himself: as he states in the somewhat unneccessary preface, it's not just self-consciously self-referential, he knows that he knows it's self-consciously self-referential. This would normally really annoy me, but I found it pretty charming in the end. Eggers appears to realise that he's pretty annoying and doesn't try and talk his way out of it.
I liked it. You?
 I have joined the Cult Of Frank/And I have dearly paid |
| 9 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Broken Face |
Posted - 04/30/2006 : 05:49:20
McSwys is great but frustrating. Each issues comes in a different format - some are softcover anthologies, some hardcover, some come in a box where each story is encased in their own little 10-20 page booklet, one recently came as if a day's delivery of mail - fake ads, stories in envelopes disguised as bills, etc. Sometimes the theme of the issue is 'stories written in 20 minutes' - sometimes its 'crime stories' or sometimes there is no apparent theme at all.
Chabon edited the crime stories/film noir edition. It's good.
-Brian
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| offerw |
Posted - 04/30/2006 : 00:55:40
I didn't like the novel very much. There was some MTV(?) interview bit with the main character which I found extremely grating. Never read any Eggers again.
I'm curious about the McSweenys stuff though. Anything good Brian? I think there is one edition whith a Chabon contribution which sounds promising.
wilhelm |
| Homers_pet_monkey |
Posted - 04/29/2006 : 20:12:12
If only she didn't look like she was gonna eat it.
 I'd walk her everyday, into a shady place
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| Carl |
Posted - 04/29/2006 : 20:06:10
Sorry, yeah, that's a bit gross.
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| Homers_pet_monkey |
Posted - 04/29/2006 : 20:00:38
I am gonna hurl!
I'd walk her everyday, into a shady place
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| Carl |
Posted - 04/29/2006 : 18:05:27
No relation to Samantha Eggar?
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| kathryn |
Posted - 04/29/2006 : 17:44:37
I'm still riding the Eggers backlash eventhough it's so year 2000.
I do agree with Brian, Velocity was better. Or at least less distracting and cloying than the overly self-concious Work.
I’m the only one who can say that this light is mine
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| floop |
Posted - 04/29/2006 : 09:28:12
Shmeggers.
"I don't have any money to buy new clothes and if they paid me to get some I'd probably buy more hoodies." - Mark Wainfur |
| Broken Face |
Posted - 04/29/2006 : 08:27:14
I loved it, and his second work, first novel, AND YOU SHALL KNOW OUR VELOCITY, i think was even better. I subscribe to the literary journal he publishes, McSweeneys.
-Brian
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