Dave Eggers

[Ou Be Low hoo]

I think this guy is one of the best young authors around at the moment...

I read 'You Shall Know Our Velocity' first...I picked it up as a result of the cover...the title intrigued me and the picture seduced me...it just seem to fit.

I thought all the characters were perfectly realised and I recognised traits of my friends in many of them...Hand is hilarious with his 'second-language' English trying to mix it up with the locals...

The ending is perfection and it left me thoroughly satisfied - unlike many books that suffer from a conclusion unfitting of what has preceded them...

Following on from this, I read 'A Heart-breaking Work Of Staggering Genius'...although it wasn't as immediately likeable as 'YSKOV', it had a depth of emotion that flowed perfectly with the entertainment of the text. As for the ending...it is simply stunning.

Has anyone else read either of these? If so, what are your thoughts...?

 

[Ashlea]

I read "A Heartbreaking Work" and enjoyed it. It's a very honest memoir.

 

[novella]

It's Dave Eggers. Can you edit your thread title?

I started HWOSG, but I put it down, not because the writing was bad, but because I couldn't face that story at that time.

 

[Ou Be Low hoo]

It's Dave Eggers. Can you edit your thread title?

God, I must be an idiot!

I started HWOSG, but I put it down, not because the writing was bad, but because I couldn't face that story at that time.

Apart from the obvious heart-break at the beginning, I thought the book was uplifting in general.

However, THAT ending...what are your thoughts on it?!?!?!

 

[Ya Krunk'd Floo]

I love Eggers' two novels so far, but I don't have much time with what McSweeney's puts out. 'You Shall Know Our Velocity' is great fun and A Heartbreaking Work had me intrigued from the start. I thought the ending was his literal expression of the frustration he felt. It was a cathartic release, n'est pas?

 

[lies]

I read the introduction to HWOSG the other day and am really looking forward to starting the actual book. I didn't want to at first because my sister really liked it and I'm always disappointed when someone highly recommends something, but I think it might be my cup of tea after all.

 

[Ya Krunk'd Floo]

Read it. Read it NOW! I absolutely adored AHWOSG, it's a real 'tour-de-force' from an author coming into his prime...

'You Shall Know Our Velocity' is much lighter in tone, but I think I might love it even more. Some of the characters are hilarious...

 

[curiouswonder]

I've read both and thought they captured the kind of restlessness and turmoil and humor and hope that seem to be wrapped up in each other in American 20-something culture.

Read it. Read it NOW!

Totally agree.
J

 

[dana/librarian]

eggers is definitely my favourite author, and ahwosg is my favourite book, but i must say, i read yskov - also fantastic, but his latest book, "what is the what" is undoubtedly a masterpiece in both literary, global and social senses. blending fact and fiction, the book is the story of a sudanese refugee. a touching, heartbreaking and humanizing read i would recommend to any intelligent reader.

 

[acton]

I read A Heart-breaking Work Of Staggering Genius and liked it and I'm so glad to hear that his other work is great! Thank you for the recommendations

 

[sparkchaser]

I liked how You Shall Know Our Velocity just started on the cover page and all the copyright information and such was reserved until the end. Very nice.