#21: A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers

Being that this book is a somewhat tragic memoir, I expected the author to tell his story, be brave, not ask for sympathy, and act like sad things would never again. Instead, I got a “please look at me, I survived hardship and did so much for my family!” book. And that’s ok, as it’s obviously how Eggers felt. While he was in college, both of his parents died within a few weeks of each other, leaving he and his siblings to raise their youngest brother. There is often humor in the anecdotes about his life, especially when he interviewed for MTV’s The Real World, making it seem as though he might be the only one in the world with simultaneously tough and entertaining stories to tell. I think of writing (and reading for that matter) as a way to purge all that might be building up inside oneself that is somehow inappropriate to say aloud. A Heartbreaking Work feels like it was written with the goal of someone, somewhere being able to say “wow, it sucks you had to go through all that and I’m impressed that you made it.” I’d say this goal has probably been met.

Side note: I was reading this book by the fountain at Washington Square Park a few days ago and looked up to see an older gentleman accross from me was reading it as well. Naturally, we exchanged thoughts. He gave it a B+ where as I gave it an A-. Just one more reason to read in public…