A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius

By: Dave Eggers

Narrated by: Dion Graham

Length: 13 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

Dave Eggers scored a worldwide phenomenon with this memoir that topped national best-seller lists and has since become a staple for summer reading and book clubs. A compelling voice for Generation X, Eggers hererecounts his early 20s, caring for his younger brother after their parents’ unexpected deaths and his endeavors in a variety of media.

©2000 David K. Eggers (P)2010 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

“Not just for the MTV-fan age group, this is a very entertaining, well-written book.” ( Booklist)

Please do listen

For this is a very special and beautifully rendered recording of this book. I listened with rapt attention and was very moved. Superb!

Ready For Ritalin

What made the experience of listening to A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius the most enjoyable?

Youth and beauty conquer age and cunning.

What other book might you compare A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius to and why?

Fortress Of Solitude meets Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close.

Which scene was your favorite?

Any time the two brothers "got" each other.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Persistent yet patient.

Any additional comments?

Characters could be more believable?

Overall Awesome

Reader is animated and fun, he makes the entire book exciting, I couldn't take my headphones off!

Book is deep, funny, and wildly entertaining

Overly Dramatic Narration (but tricky to navigate)

Is there anything you would change about this book?

It's not my place to change the story.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Interesting trailblazer in the "creative nonfiction" genre. So sophomoric, though. Would make it less self-indulgent.

What three words best describe Dion Graham’s voice?

Smooth as silk.
Dion Graham has a wonderful voice, but his acting chops are perhaps too dramatic for this book. Dave Eggers' literary voice is manic, yet at the same time ironic and Midwestern. The situations are extreme. The narrator must have had trouble deciding where to put dramatic emphasis. On the whole, the narration seems too emphatic.

Could you see A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Question completely beside the point.

Any additional comments?

This book might be better enjoyed on the printed page, despite the narrator's talent. A thought-provoking work in some ways, boring in others.

Well done but sometimes painful to listen to.

I read the 50/50 reviews before I bought it but only selected it because it was a moderately fictionalized autobiography. I liked the characters before I started because they reminded me quite a bit of my own family, circumstances, and life. As I got into it I was impressed by the continual stream of consciousness writing style but had to put it down at a few points where the stream became manic ramblings of someone who seemed on the border of a breakdown. From having had to take on my brother's three small children for tragic reasons, the borderline breakdown felt too close to home. The author writes with candor, alacrity and wit and the majority of the book, I was so engaged (again, from personal experience) that I wanted to interrupt and advise him in a few of his quandaries.

Amazing Narrator

The narrator was outstanding. He brought such range, and passion to this work, that he kept me thoroughly engaged. I actually attempted to read this in paperback form several years ago and did not finish it, but with his narration I loved this book.

Genius

Genius on every level. The narrator is fantastic, he captures the feel and pacing of the book perfectly.

<shrug>

I have to disagree with everyone who slagged off the reader - i thought he did a great job. Unfortunately I wasn't very interested in the book itself, no matter who was reading it. Funnily enough, I loved the preface (which is at the end...) but the rest of it I could take or leave. Not awful but not great either.

Explosive chaos with humor and tenderness

Any additional comments?

This book has wide appeal, I have no doubt. It is written in the rapid fire language of the modern sensibilities with both humor and insight. One thing that might be noteworthy is the building of tension through this superb narration: I had to read it in smaller chunks rather than listen for long periods of time, otherwise, the chaos tended to be overwhelming. It has a great sense of voice for the current generation, and a good feel for confusion that is fueled by youthful optimism, only the best kind. I'd listen to it again, though…. later, after I rest my brain a bit.

Okay story, frustrating narrator

The writing was creative at times, overblown others. I could appreciate it as a work of art more than a story, playing with the traditional rules of literature. The narrator, though, was *awful;* he ruined the book for me. It took me awhile to realize that the book itself wasn't necessarily written at a feverish cadence, but the way the narrator read the words--like a manic meth head having a psychotic break--made me anxious just to listen to it. Several times I found myself repeating back sentences in a different tone and finding the book much more enjoyable. I would read the hard copy book itself for a book club or something so I could discuss it with friends, but spend your credits on a better listen.