A Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Genius and Mistakes We Knew We Were… (2000)

This is one of my favorite books of all time. It strikes a perfect balance between humor and poignancy. The voice is so genuine; it draws readers in and makes them feel like they're right next to the narrator as he navigates daily life. The relationship between the narrator and his brother rings true. I also liked what Eggers did in terms of experimenting with diagrams that accompanied anecdotes that might have been tossed off as frivolous otherwise but shed light on defining moments in the characters' relationship and growth as individuals. This book reminds me of a modern Catcher in the Rye but with a lot more hope and humanity, less despair. ( )

Eggers starts this running at a million miles an hour, but tries to sustain that pace for the whole book and I think that loses a lot of what makes the early parts special. It's a bit of a cut above the rest of the crowd, but not enough of a cut to really make a difference in the end. ( )

This is the kind of book that I have only grown to appreciate in recent years; if I had picked it up when first published ten years ago, I would not have gotten it at all. As it stands, I got a few laughs and "hmms" out of it. The narrator is self-deprecating and humorous, although at times the rambling can become tedious. ( )

are the reviews on the first couple pages fabricated?

wavered between 3 and 4 stars for me while reading and I hate that I can't help but think this way while reading, now. ( )

The premise is soul-crushing, but the prose is exhausting. ( )