A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius / Dave Eggers - 1*

[Book Concierge]

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius – Dave Eggers
Digital audio read by Dion Graham
1*

Water the Flowers!

I had heard about this memoir when it first came out and had it on my TBR ever since. I was intrigued by a book written by a young man who took on the responsibility for raising his much younger brother after both their parents died within a few weeks of one another. I expected some tragic, emotionally charged scenes and some sense of enlightenment or inspiration. I read another book by Eggers and really enjoyed it, so when the audio finally came in from the library, I was pleased to finally get to this on our long drive to Texas.

It’s clear that Eggers is intelligent. Obviously, the circumstances that resulted in his guardianship of his baby brother were tragic, and every older sibling’s nightmare. I should have read the reviews by Goodreads members before I decided to finally read / listen to the book.

I found Eggers self-absorbed, immature, irresponsible and totally lacking in any insight. I really pity his little brother who might have been better off raised by wolves.

The most entertaining part of the book is the forward/preface/acknowledgments/copyright notice … which on the audiobook are read at the very end. Had this come first, I might have gone into the book expecting something more on the lines of satire, and (while satire is not my favorite genre) had different expectations and a different take on the work. But I went into it expecting a memoir of a tragic and difficult time in a young man’s life, and some reflection / insight / growth in character as a result. Too bad for me. Well, the preface, etc gets him one star.

Dion Graham does a reasonably good job reading the audiobook. Not his fault that the F bomb is used so often or that the writer gives us a manic narrative. (Not helped by my decision to listen at double speed to get through the 13 hours faster.)



LINK to my review

[NancyJ]

Ugh, 13 hours for a one star book is painful. The title sounds really cool, but it made me suspect that I would find neither heartbreak nor genius in the book. I only read one book by him so far (it was interesting but ridiculous), and it left me with no desire to read another.

[Susie]

It sounds horrible BC!

[Joi]

Eek, this must be the same Dave Eggers that wrote The Circle? I can see that...

[[deleted user]]

13 hours is such a long time for a 1 star! Good thing you were able to double speed through it.

[Doughgirl5562]

This was one of the first books that I read when I first joined a bookclub years ago. I really wanted to like it.

Sadly though, I totally agree with your opinion LOL.