Dave Eggers is signing copies of his book in the bookstore directly beneath my apartment, right now, even as we speak: C or D?

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Am I missing an opportunity to brush with greatness? I haven't read any of the guy's stuff, but what I've heard about him hasn't impressed me. David Sedaris currently fills all of my autobiographical-smart-ass-white-boy reading needs. But people are lined up on the sidewalk outside my building. If you were me, would you be joining them?

― jewelly (jewelly), Friday, 18 July 2003 23:54 (twenty-three years ago)

Shit, I'd go. I liked _Staggering Genius_. And I'd just like to offer that up to the lions before 96 other people post to this thread about Eggers' oh-so-obvious suckage. So go already!

― David R. (popshots75`), Friday, 18 July 2003 23:57 (twenty-three years ago)

go. He's a really nice guy.

― teeny (teeny), Friday, 18 July 2003 23:58 (twenty-three years ago)

also if you have one of his books to sign, he'll draw a cute picture in it.

― teeny (teeny), Friday, 18 July 2003 23:59 (twenty-three years ago)

http://www.bc.edu/publications/bcm/spring_2002/images/ll_eggers.jpg

― Dada, Saturday, 19 July 2003 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Ah, but I don't have any of his books. I was just asking who here would go in my situation; my NOT going is a foregone conclusion. The whole concept of book signings seems weird to me. I went to one of Joyce Carol Oates' a while back and it was ... I dunno ... I liked her and I like her books, but book signings just seem ... stupid to me. And it would be 100 times more stupid in this case since I haven't read any of his stuff.

― jewelly (jewelly), Saturday, 19 July 2003 00:02 (twenty-three years ago)

Of course, I'll probably read his work at some later date, be staggered by its genius, and feel heart-broken that I didn't go. But that's the story of my life, dammit, and I'm not re-writing it now!

― jewelly (jewelly), Saturday, 19 July 2003 00:06 (twenty-three years ago)

he's a good writer and a nice guy. i say go. meet some smart young people--walk up to them and say "hi, i'm jewelly, how are you?". you will not regret it!

― dan (dan), Saturday, 19 July 2003 00:15 (twenty-three years ago)

he was at the (smog) show in san francisco on wednesday night, hstencil had to put him on the guestlist.

― gygax! (gygax!), Saturday, 19 July 2003 00:37 (twenty-three years ago)

Must resist suggesting you dump hot spit on him.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 19 July 2003 01:06 (twenty-three years ago)

Go, his readings are deliriously fun. Wait where the hell is this? Is this in SF? Yeah he is a nice guy despite weird rumors to the contrary that were taken the wrong way (David Sedaris was quoted somewhere as saying that everyone at bookstores where he signed claimed to hate him, which was a joke that was taken too seriously).

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Saturday, 19 July 2003 02:02 (twenty-three years ago)

The only book signing I've ever been to was Tosches. I'm pretty sure anyway, can't think of any other. I've no opinion on Eggars, haven't read him. I reckon I'll get around to finally reading Ulysses or something before I pick up his tome.

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Saturday, 19 July 2003 02:12 (twenty-three years ago)

He's not worth it. Medium-funny at best. Really, a waste of time and money.

― Cub, Saturday, 19 July 2003 03:57 (twenty-three years ago)

gygax! speaks truth, altho Bill declined to give him a backstage pass.

― hstencil, Saturday, 19 July 2003 09:21 (twenty-three years ago)

i fuckin hate the guy. as a writer and an "author."

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Saturday, 19 July 2003 09:34 (twenty-three years ago)

I'd have gone. I loved Heartbreaking... despite of (and, largely, because of) it's insane pretentiousness and up-arse-drivel moments. I imagine he's a very nice guy and I'd love to have a beer with him. Then again I'd love to have a beer with most people.

― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Saturday, 19 July 2003 11:18 (twenty-three years ago)

Signings have never appealed to me - I guess if it was someone I was desperate to just say hello to once I might be keen, but much as I liked Staggering Genius I don't particularly care about meeting Eggers. (haha, I have done a couple of signings myself, I have just recalled, and they seemed really stupid wastes of time - I could never understand it when someone wanted my autograph.)

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Saturday, 19 July 2003 13:47 (twenty-three years ago)

I did actually manage to finish his book despite not caring at all for the last 150 pages or so. Nah. Don't waste yr time. He'll be completely forgotten in abt 9 years at the most.

― Millar (Millar), Saturday, 19 July 2003 14:44 (twenty-three years ago)

I started "Staggering Genius" and thought it was brilliantly written. But I am squeamish and couldn't face reading all the sad and unpleasant details of his mum's illness, so I gave up.

I don't know if he's a good guy or not, but I admire him for doing things his own way and not playing ball with the system. It's not exactly the French Revolution, but good on him.

As for book signings, the idea is that your book will be worth more if the author has signed it or drawn pictures on it. But that would be wasted on me because I always mutilate the books I read, usually by biting bits out of the pages and chewing them.

― thoth (Jake Proudlock), Saturday, 19 July 2003 15:21 (twenty-three years ago)

I understand people not caring for his writing personally but I really don't understand people disliking him personally; he's done an enormous amount for contemporary publishing and 826 Valencia (writing and tutoring center) is a treasure for San Francisco kids. I would have loved something like this when I was young. This thing wouldn't exist without him and I think it's added a lot to kids' lives and he's trying hard to try to open centers like it in a lot of cities.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Saturday, 19 July 2003 15:21 (twenty-three years ago)

Jewelly is it just me or is the bookstore-that-you-live-above-that-shall-remain-nameless kind of an unpleasant place? I always get this attitude which is weird for a store with the selection of an above-average Waldenbooks.

I almost went to go throw stuff at Eggers but decided to limit my smarmy-asshole exposure--the man is talentless.

― adam (adam), Saturday, 19 July 2003 16:02 (twenty-three years ago)

most writers are talentless. the diff with Eggers is that he feels the need to try and make the world cry with him without even dressing it up a bit. I stopped giving a shit when he talked about getting laid. OH WOW BUDDY YOU GOT YR DICK WET? I'M SO SORRY YR PARENTS DIED

the last sentence of that 'novel' rates way up there on the short list of things that you really don't want to get me started about ever

― Millar (Millar), Saturday, 19 July 2003 16:08 (twenty-three years ago)

i got c.l.r.james's sig on "beyond a boundary"!! => he wz v.v.old and his writing is all shaky :(

― mark s (mark s), Saturday, 19 July 2003 16:27 (twenty-three years ago)

Only things I have signed are a Flaming Carrot that Bob Burden sent me with "to my pal Martin" in it, which was nice, and a set of those early Ditko independent things (Mr A, Avenging World...) all signed by Ditko, around the time he did me a cover.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Saturday, 19 July 2003 17:53 (twenty-three years ago)

I used to have an FF trading card (reprint of the cover to #1) that Stan Lee signed for me, but it was ruined by a malicious photo album. I've got Baseball signed by Ken Burns, though, cause it was baseball and Burns was like the only poor fucker other than the Frisbee guy to graduate from my school and actually make some money.

― Tep (ktepi), Saturday, 19 July 2003 17:57 (twenty-three years ago)

I have a few Edward Gorey-signed books, but I didn't get them signed myself. He has a very nice signature, and he seemed to always cross out his name on the title page and put his signature above it.

― s1utsky (slutsky), Saturday, 19 July 2003 17:57 (twenty-three years ago)

haha the frisbee guy has to sign his name "the frisbee guy"

― mark s (mark s), Saturday, 19 July 2003 17:59 (twenty-three years ago)

I passed by a signing today that beats the shit out of Eggers any ol' time -- Henry Winkler at a kids' bookstore signing copies of his new coauthored kids book! Quite happily, he made no attempt at all to look or sound like the Fonz.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 19 July 2003 18:26 (twenty-three years ago)

Man, I would love to get the Frisbee guy to sign something "the Frisbee guy"! I have no idea what his name is. He's a Hampshire legend. He did his Div III (thesis, more or less) on Frisbees: the history, physics, culture, and so on, including a proposed improved Frisbee with better aerodynamics. He graduated and got a job with Wham-O, the manufacturer.

(And he is invoked at every open house to demonstrate "see, a nontraditional education can lead to nontraditional wealth!")

― Tep (ktepi), Saturday, 19 July 2003 18:35 (twenty-three years ago)

Has anyone seen the Ray Charles signature joke?

I hate book signings. I hate meeting "famous" people. They way it turns out, it belittles the famous person and myself.

― amateurist (amateurist), Saturday, 19 July 2003 18:45 (twenty-three years ago)

I'd be afraid of what I'd do. I'd hide under the covers. But first I'd probably give in to temptation, put Pulp's "Common People" on repeat, and point my speakers at the floor.

― Ann Sterzinger (Ann Sterzinger), Saturday, 19 July 2003 21:54 (twenty-three years ago)

Come on, Common People's not that bad.

― N. (nickdastoor), Saturday, 19 July 2003 21:58 (twenty-three years ago)

Are you kidding? It's a great song if it's not, you know, ABOUT YOU.

― Ann Sterzinger (Ann Sterzinger), Saturday, 19 July 2003 22:23 (twenty-three years ago)

it is about dastoor, everyone in the uk knows this

― mark s (mark s), Saturday, 19 July 2003 23:08 (twenty-three years ago)

Scoozmi? Tis not a metaphor in the littlest?

― Ann Sterzinger (Ann Sterzinger), Saturday, 19 July 2003 23:12 (twenty-three years ago)

(You know, applicable to things beyond its font of inspiration, as opposed to Staggering Baggering, which is leadenly, eternally, unavoidably All About Dave.)

― Ann Sterzinger (Ann Sterzinger), Saturday, 19 July 2003 23:22 (twenty-three years ago)

The only readings/signings I've been to were Marjorie Ingall's and Xaviera Hollander's. They were very nice and even signed things for my friends.

― rosemary (rosemary), Sunday, 20 July 2003 03:49 (twenty-three years ago)

Ann really believes it is about me. Fantastic.

― N. (nickdastoor), Sunday, 20 July 2003 12:52 (twenty-three years ago)

Everybody hates Dastoor-ists.
Especially when they think that it's all such a laff.

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Sunday, 20 July 2003 13:00 (twenty-three years ago)

i like eggers a lot...it's too late for you to go to the signing but he's a cool writer and an interesting guy...

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Sunday, 20 July 2003 13:34 (twenty-three years ago)

I very rarely go to book signings. The only ones I can remember are Douglas Adams and Chuck Barris.

Eggers can jump off a bridge for all I care.

― Chris Barrus (Chris Barrus), Sunday, 20 July 2003 13:39 (twenty-three years ago)

My standard comment on Eggers and Heartbreaking Work: The jokey casualness of his style is both the absolute best and the absolute worst part of his writing. I do think he's an entertaining storyteller, and some of his gimmicks have a refreshing, why-not quality ("Let me stop to list all of the meals I made with my brother, and how to make them." All right! Sure!) But then sometimes, that kind of thing seems so tossed-off and ain't-I-clever. And yes, he is clever and funny, but he also has these grand literary ambitions (you get the sense he wrote the book to insert himself into that hip literati that McSweeney's champions), and therefore you sort of expect more out of him.

― jaymc (jaymc), Sunday, 20 July 2003 17:25 (twenty-three years ago)

Actually, it wasn't even that. I got to the "stolen wallet" chapter in Heartbreaking Work and concluded that Eggers was a complete and utter wanker.

― Chris Barrus (Chris Barrus), Sunday, 20 July 2003 17:33 (twenty-three years ago)

"Ann really believes it is about me. Fantastic."

"Everybody hates Dastoor-ists.
Especially when they think that it's all such a laff."

heee!

― Ann Sterzinger (Ann Sterzinger), Sunday, 20 July 2003 18:17 (twenty-three years ago)

(B'nah, don't worry, I was just leaping at the chance to bitch about one of my writing pet peeves.)

― Ann Sterzinger (Ann Sterzinger), Sunday, 20 July 2003 18:47 (twenty-three years ago)

nine years pass...

He'll be completely forgotten in abt 9 years at the most.
― Millar (Millar), Saturday, July 19, 2003

otm?

― buzza, Saturday, 8 September 2012 18:06 (fourteen years ago)

how so? he just came out with a new novel, it was reviewed all over the place

― Mr. Que, Saturday, 8 September 2012 18:16 (fourteen years ago)

he is a philanthropist at this poit, dunno if people read his writing

― puff puff post (uh oh I'm having a fantasy), Saturday, 8 September 2012 18:17 (fourteen years ago)

Oh...he writes?

― Ned Raggett, Saturday, 8 September 2012 18:19 (fourteen years ago)

i like dave eggers.

― tubular, mondo, gnabry (Merdeyeux), Saturday, 8 September 2012 18:20 (fourteen years ago)

sure they do. his latest was on the NYtimes bestseller list for at least a week.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/08/books/review/inside-the-list.html

― Mr. Que, Saturday, 8 September 2012 18:21 (fourteen years ago)

xpost to this post obv he is a philanthropist at this poit, dunno if people read his writing

― Mr. Que, Saturday, 8 September 2012 18:22 (fourteen years ago)

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2012/07/08/books/review/08list-img/08list-img-articleInline.jpg
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2012/07/08/books/review/08list-img/08list-img-articleInline.jpg
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2012/07/08/books/review/08list-img/08list-img-articleInline.jpg

― buzza, Saturday, 8 September 2012 18:23 (fourteen years ago)

I don't consider those people people

― puff puff post (uh oh I'm having a fantasy), Saturday, 8 September 2012 18:23 (fourteen years ago)

that felt so good to type

― puff puff post (uh oh I'm having a fantasy), Saturday, 8 September 2012 18:24 (fourteen years ago)

it was great to read

― you lost me at "chill" (Matt P), Saturday, 8 September 2012 18:25 (fourteen years ago)

very delicious

― you lost me at "chill" (Matt P), Saturday, 8 September 2012 18:25 (fourteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqt21157nYc

― buzza, Saturday, 8 September 2012 18:36 (fourteen years ago)

He doesn't have the PR push of a big punkishing house in the eay that he did with his first book--that's the only difference.

― Earth, Wind & Fire & Alabama (Eazy), Saturday, 8 September 2012 19:40 (fourteen years ago)

Publishing, I mean. wtf

― Earth, Wind & Fire & Alabama (Eazy), Saturday, 8 September 2012 19:41 (fourteen years ago)

i went to a dave eggers reading once, it was before i knew who he was, my sister took me

― lag∞n, Saturday, 8 September 2012 19:48 (fourteen years ago)

one of the characters from a heartbreaking work of staggering genius was there and he stood up and asked eggers a joke question

― lag∞n, Saturday, 8 September 2012 19:49 (fourteen years ago)

what is the what is a p excellent book imho

― lag∞n, Saturday, 8 September 2012 19:49 (fourteen years ago)

^^^

― Mr. Que, Saturday, 8 September 2012 19:50 (fourteen years ago)

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