Sunday, June 05, 2005
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius?
I’m about ¾ of the way into AHWOSG. I like it. I’ve been reading mostly children’s lit lately, so it is a nice change to have a book that is actually written for adults.
The story is about Eggers coming to terms with the deaths of both of his parents, and about the trials of raising his younger brother, who is around seven when both of his parents die. Eggers is a funny but very self-conscious writer, which makes sense considering this is a slightly fictionalized autobiography. He admits in the lengthy forward to the text, and throughout the text itself, that he is adjusting events, changing places and names, and inventing dialog. Several times, characters have been talking away when suddenly they start to address the narrator/ author, accusing him of exploiting them or twisting reality to suit the story or his own self-image. It is clever really, because it shields him from what he would be accused of it he claimed it was purely autobiographical, and if he didn’t acknowledge that he is obsessed with himself and his story.
Does the book live up to its title? It is heartbreaking when Eggers writes about the deaths of both of his parents from cancer, and how he tries to accept this. Staggering genius? Maybe I’ll know when I’m finished. But Eggers is a good writer in his own, self-aware way.
The story is about Eggers coming to terms with the deaths of both of his parents, and about the trials of raising his younger brother, who is around seven when both of his parents die. Eggers is a funny but very self-conscious writer, which makes sense considering this is a slightly fictionalized autobiography. He admits in the lengthy forward to the text, and throughout the text itself, that he is adjusting events, changing places and names, and inventing dialog. Several times, characters have been talking away when suddenly they start to address the narrator/ author, accusing him of exploiting them or twisting reality to suit the story or his own self-image. It is clever really, because it shields him from what he would be accused of it he claimed it was purely autobiographical, and if he didn’t acknowledge that he is obsessed with himself and his story.
Does the book live up to its title? It is heartbreaking when Eggers writes about the deaths of both of his parents from cancer, and how he tries to accept this. Staggering genius? Maybe I’ll know when I’m finished. But Eggers is a good writer in his own, self-aware way.
# posted by Alison @ 2:43 PM 