Join global connections program coordinator and book enthusiast kaitlin hennessy to discuss the circle by dave eggers during the next online fiction book club. Dave eggers is the author of many books, including the circle, the monk of mokha, what is the what, a hologram for the king, and the lifters he is founder of mcsweeneys, an independent publishing company based in san francisco that produces books, a humor website, and a journal of new writing, mcsweeneys quarterly concern mcsweeneys also publishes voice of witness, a nonprofit book. I joined a book club with some friends, and its the first time that ive done a book club in years. Dave eggers is the author of ten books, including most recently your fathers, where are they. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Lastly, the book the circle by dave eggers was not well received in our book club, but there was a really good discussion about the book and technology and this book would come up in subsequent gatherings, which meant that it really did stick with many members. A heartbreaking work of staggering genius is the moving memoir of a college senior who, in the space of five weeks, loses both of his parents to cancer and inherits his eightyearold brother. Compass coffee chinatown 650 f st nw washington, dc 20001. See all books authored by dave eggers, including the circle, and a heartbreaking work of staggering genius, and more on. About this book the questions, discussion topics, and author biography that follow are designed to enhance your groups reading and discussion of dave eggers a heartbreaking work of staggering genius. Dave eggers what is the what tells the story of a young sudanese boy who has been forced to leave his home and his tribe due to the civil war raging in his country. Eggers is also the founder of mcsweeneys, a literary journal, a cofounder of the literacy project 826 valencia and the human rights nonprofit voice.
The first 30 pages of his book the preface, which eggers tells impatient readers to skipprovide an incisive and hilarious dissection of the 300plus fast pages that follow. When i finished reading dave eggerss chilling and caustic fifth novel, the circle, i felt like disconnecting from all my online devices and retreating for awhile into an unplugged world. The final scene of the novel contains such ferocity. Not surprisingly, my book club s discussion of zeitoun was very tinged y the controversy surrounding the main subject and his family. But all of these industry titans could learn a thing or two about chutzpah from dave eggers, because with the circle, eggers has written a nearly 500. I think i did it once or twice in new york, and it was good motivation to read a book and fun to talk to other people to learn their thoughts. Dave eggers most recent novel, heroes of the frontier concerns josie, a nolongerpracticing dentist, and her two children, ana and paul. Dave eggers new novel the parade explores americas follies abroad. Apr 28, 2017 killers of the flower moon the osage murders and the birth of the f. Dave eggers takes a trip to alaska in heroes of the frontier.
Zeitoun eggers litlovers book club recommendations. We hope that they will provide you with a variety of ways of thinking and talking about this extraordinary and unique book. Apr 03, 2018 i joined a book club with some friends, and its the first time that ive done a book club in years. We are a friendly, chatty, opinionated group, with both male and female members, and we choose meeting dates mostly every 46 weeks and books mostly fiction, but some nonfiction as. The circle vintage by dave eggers reading guidebook club. Dec 20, 20 the circle was a controversial, exciting, and interesting pick for novembers book club book, so we had plenty to talk about. In the monk of mokha, dave eggers tells mokhtars truelife tale of starting from the bottom. Book club discussion of dave eggers the circle youtube. President, i was hoping to find out why your left eye sneakily looks at its counterpart on the other side of your nose.
Mokhtar is an inspirational character, and dave eggers has written an entertaining, inspirational, and informative book. By 10pm, shed made her way through all the intracompany messages and alerts, and now turned to her own outercircle account. Mcsweeneys publishes voice of witness, a nonprofit book. Even if youre not familiar with the lost boys and their struggles to escape from wartorn sudan, youll be drawn into this pseudoautobiography. Mar 15, 2019 dave eggers new novel the parade explores americas follies abroad. Dave eggers books list of books by author dave eggers. Reading guide for a heartbreaking work of staggering genius.
But all of these industry titans could learn a thing or two about chutzpah from dave eggers, because with the circle, eggers has written a nearly 500page satire of the tech world while appearing. He is the editor of mcsweeneys, a quarterly magazine and book publishing company, and is cofounder of 826 valencia, a network of nonprofit writing and tutoring centers for young people. Inherently narcissistic, the triumphs described are too often boastful and the tragedies too often exploitative. While he is best known for his acclaimed 2000 memoir, a heartbreaking work of staggering genius, as well as for novels like what is what and the circle, eggers has also published childrens books, short stories, and even collections of animal portraits. The silent book club, a global meetup for introverts, now connects them remotely a book club for people who dont like book clubs, founded in 2012 in san francisco and now boasting six chapters. He is the husband of writer vendela vida with whom he has two children. A heartbreaking work of staggering genius by dave eggers. Half the sky by nicholas kristoff on may canceled. Killers of the flower moon the osage murders and the birth of the f. Recommended to book clubs by 3 of 4 members the circle is the exhilarating new novel from dave eggers, bestselling author of a hologram for the king, a finalist for the national book award. Dave eggers new novel the parade explores americas follies. What is the what is an astonishing, eyeopening, and heartbreaking book that defies classification. When hurricane katrina struck new orleans in 2005, one of the residents who chose to stay and protect his house and business was a.
Notes about this book xv gives a sense of how the book was written, whose point of view it reflects, and eggerss efforts at accuracy and truth in his depiction of events. The circle vintage by dave eggers reading guidebook. Eggers is economical up front, placing josie and her family in the midst of their journey, with josies alcoholfueled wandering mental state driving the books narrative. The hundredyearold man who climbed out of the window and disappeared by jonas jonasson. Eggers is famous for his book, a heartbreaking work of staggering genius. In his discussion about the current popularity of memoirs pp. Dave eggers born march 12, 1970 is an american writer, editor, and publisher. I have recently moved to luxembourg and am looking to become involved in an english book club. These boys came to be known as the lost boys of sudan. When mae holland is hired to work for the circle, the worlds most powerful internet. She hadnt visited in six days, and found 118 new notices from. When mae holland is hired to work for the circle, the worlds most powerful internet company, she feels shes been given the. A hologram for the king, a finalist for the national book award.
Vip book club podcast 62018 the circle state library of north. When mae holland is hired to work for the circle, the worlds most powerful internet company, she feels shes been given the opportunity of. Jul 06, 2015 the audio book reader is particularly adept conveying the frenetic pace of information overload. Can i please be added to your newsletter and included in updates about the book club. He, along with thousands of other boys his age, flees to neighboring ethiopia and eventually kenya to survive. Dave eggers has 232 books on goodreads with 12486 ratings. How do you think this helped andor hindered the story. Books dave eggers david foster wallace mark leyner gone. Dave eggers grew up near chicago and graduated from the university of illinois at urbanachampaign. Dave eggers is the author of twelve books, including the monk of mokha. Join the very important patron book club discussion. Eggers is economical up front, placing josie and her family in the midst of their journey, with josies alcoholfueled wandering mental state driving the book s narrative. Official bio, author website, book information, journalism, links to nonprofit organizations, and speaking engagements booking, david eggars.
Dave eggers is the author of many books, including the circle, the monk of mokha, what is the what, a hologram for the king, and the lifters he is founder of mcsweeneys, an independent publishing company based in san francisco that produces books, a humor website, and a journal of new writing, mcsweeneys quarterly concern. Dave eggers new nonfiction tale is about coffee and the. Dave eggers is the author of many books, including the circle, the monk of mokha, what is the what, a hologram for the king, and the lifters. Reading valentinos horrifying story can make the mere act of reading a book feel frivolous. The circle is the exhilarating new novel from dave eggers, bestselling author of a hologram for the king, a finalist for the national book award. He is the founder of mcsweeneys, an independent publishing house in san francisco that produces books, a quarterly journal of new writing mcsweeneys quarterly concern, and a monthly magazine, the believer. Reconstruction and deconstruction in dave eggers latest. Soon to be a major motion picture, the circle is the exhilarating novel from dave eggers, bestselling author of heroes of the frontier. Juness book discussion is about the circle by dave eggers. Book club gatherings will be held in the online blackboard collaborate ultra room on. Jan 24, 2018 in the monk of mokha, dave eggers looks at a yemeniamerican struggling in san francisco and hoping to achieve the american dream via coffee. The author who held this position for me was dave eggers. As part of our new privacy initiative, well discuss themes of social media, surveillance, ethics, and of course, privacy in eggers thoughtprovoking new novel. Online resources and questions for your book club to connect your groups lives, interests and personal experiences to books you discuss.
The enthusiastic, inexperienced partner goes by nine. Eggers admits that the book is a memoir but encourages his readers to think of it as fiction. Dave eggers scored a worldwide phenomenon with this memoir that topped national bestseller lists and has since become a staple for summer reading and book clubs 4 out of 5 stars it was hard to move onto another book after this. He becomes part of a group of lost boys trying to make their way to ethiopia, a tale which is told in parallel to the equally harrowing time deng. The power of literature, though, is to bring remote stories to life. In dave eggers novel the parade, two private contractors from a. Maes friendship with annie changed from the beginning of the book. Once youve read it, the story of valentino achak deng refuses to leave your mind. The lifters, the monk of mokha, the circle, a heartbreaking work of staggering genius. Together with about twenty other book lovers we dutifully waited in line for our turn to meet dave eggers and to have our books signed.
A heartbreaking work of staggering genius by dave eggers book. Dave eggers is the editor of mcsweeneys and the author of three books. It is unusual for a novel to be included on a professional reading list, which is most often entirely nonfiction, but the circle by dave eggers is the rare novel whose entertainment value is matched by its potential for interesting and valuable professional discussion the story centers on mae holland, an ambitious young new employee of the circle, a tech company behemoth not unlike. Find discussion questions and reading group guide for zeitoun by dave eggers. The story unfolds against a background of roadside campgrounds in the wilds of alaska, where josie has gone to escape a series of barbs that have been hurled her way in recent years. When mae holland is hired to work for the circle, the worlds most powerful internet company, she feels shes been given the opportunity of a lifetime. The book lady book club has been meeting continuously at our bookshop for over 15 years. The adventure itself is riveting, but when you add in the history of coffee, the story becomes even more elevated. He is founder of mcsweeneys, an independent publishing company based in san francisco that produces books, a humor website, and a journal of new writing, mcsweeneys quarterly concern. The first 30 pages of his bookthe preface, which eggers tells impatient readers to skipprovide an incisive and hilarious dissection of the 300plus fast pages that follow. Dave eggers new novel the parade explores americas. Id be the first to admit that dave eggers writing can be quite facile the circle is certainly evidence of that, but love him or hate him, he sure can tell a story. Eggers has said that he hardly did any research when writing this book.
Sign me up to get more news about literary fiction books. Among the epigraphs that eggers considered, and then didnt use, for the book are why not just write what happened. Topics covered include what eggers gets wrong, what he gets right, and. The monk of mokha by dave eggers reading guidebook club. So, this month, we chose to read the circle by dave eggers. By choosing to portray the response to the hurricane through its effects on one family, what kind of story or history does he achieve. The circle was a controversial, exciting, and interesting pick for novembers book club book, so we had plenty to talk about. He wrote the bestselling memoir a heartbreaking work of staggering genius. The book has no chapters, and is just broken up into three parts. The circle offers a superb platform for high school english class discussions of the pros and cons of the volume of information collected and stored today and the power wielded by those who control it.
Both dave eggers and the critic are correct with dates. Eggers expresses ambivalence about having written this book because he feels guilty about exploiting his familys misfortune and exposing a private matter to the public. Its mildly disconcerting, to say the least, as you deliver important speeches such as your famous and ingeniously penned axis of evil speech and, just as youre hammering home your point about freedom, your eye checks to see if its buddy is still in the. So josie and her children paul and anna flee suburban ohio for the westernmost reaches of the 50 states, alaska, in dave eggers latest, heroes of the frontier. The three best dave eggers books and the order to read them in. Mar 12, 2020 dave eggers is the author of four books, a heartbreaking work of staggering genius, you shall know our velocity.