About six years ago I read a book and it was one of those that just stuck with me. I picked it up again this past weekend, thinking it may have lost some of its luster. It didn't. So I am here to recommend Dave Eggers book A HEARTBREAKING WORK OF A STAGGERING GENIUS to all hardcore readers. Dave Eggers was the a founder of Might magazine in San Francisco. After going defunct, Dave moved on to an editing job in New York with Esquire. In this novel, young Dave, the Tragic Guy (his description), records his journey from college student, son of parents who both succumb to cancer within a month of each other, to guardian by default of his 7-year-old brother, Toph. This is modern Peter Pan with an unresolved ending. Dave never wants to grow up, and he has all the hip reasons why he shouldn't have to. Dave is bitter, angry, scared. He likes that. He likes the attention. Maybe his raw existential howling is a tribute to all of the young stoic single parents who had a stiff upper lip before him. It really is a must read, especially for those under 30. All the media stuff, the friends in trouble stuff. For those of us older, wiser and just as tired as Dave, we will see our parent selves and perhaps recognize that doing the best you can is very often good enough. Enjoy.
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