A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers is a "creative" non-fiction memoir.

The author begins his story as a young man about age 20 whose father and mother die of cancer 5 months apart. He's left to raise his 7 year old brother. He suggests that parts of his writing is fiction. Ah, well. I suppose any autobiography writer doesn't remember all the details and has to make up some parts.

Some people in my book reading group didn't like it. The first chapter is pretty graphic in descriptions of his caring for his mother in her last days. They would have preferred it to be a cleaned up version without what they considered the awful reality of his experience.

They also objected to use the F word through his descriptions of how he and his friends related as they enter into adulthood with one another.  In his immaturity, his saving grace is he is very careful to raise his little brother with high standards protecting him from growing up too soon. He takes special care in attending parent teacher meetings at school, for example, even though he worried that he might lose his brother due to people thinking him an inappropriate guardian because of his age.

Yet, of course they still related as brothers rather than a parental figure and child.

He doesn't have any opportunity to grieve or have closure, yet it's all expressed in his behavior throughout the book. Life has to be lived. His responsibilities come first. It's difficult for a young man who hasn't reached maturity.

It appears to me that the author is a bonafide manic-depressive with a little bit of paranoid tendencies. Either that, or he is in permanent panic mode because of his circumstances. Yet he copes and is successful enough to hold it together eventually, and in collaboration of friends, sets up his own business.

I really loved the book because the writer has an interesting prose style that goes against anything we've ever been taught is the standard way to write. I was fascinated by his style.

I also liked the book because a great part of it takes place right where I live, in the San Francisco bay area. I'm not sure readers in other parts of the country would relate to his descriptions of neighborhoods and travels in the region which  viscerally touch me.

Hope I didn't share too much.

Read what happens to Dave Eggers after he reaches maturity


You also might like to read chapter one in the NY Times.


Note:
My photos are San Francisco scenes. First is, Lombard Street. Second is the Dutch Windmill. Third is the Golden Gate Bridge.

Quake

January 13, 2011
Hmmm.... Earthquake

Talking to my niece from the midwest, she asked if I was okay. I'm fine. It's like when you have a tornado nearby. It's exciting, gets the adrenaline going. And when it's over with no significant damage to people or property, there is that "whew"!

At least with tornadoes you have some warnings. With quakes, they just happen. Truly, quakes happen here every day. Hundreds of them. But, they are so small you don't feel them.

A 3 point quake, if it is nearby feels a bit like when you are sitting in the car and the wind is blowing. You don't notice it very much at all.

A 4 point, if nearby, gives a little jolt.

A 5 is more like some stupid jokesters are jumping on the back bumper of your car.

A 6 is more like someone jumps on your car and it starts rolling. At this level, some books might fall off shelves, or whatever.

A 7 is when you instinctively run for the door.

An 8 caused severe damage back in 1989 here where I live for about 100 miles all around.

We had a distant cousin who died in it when the upper stories of his apartment fell on him in San Francisco. Others died in that too.

If you have ever watched a program on earthquakes you have probably seen a bridge crack open and car fall into the crack. That happened here in Oakland during that quake. The house I live in right now has been through that quake and it is fine. So, I guess I'll be all right if a bigger one happens.

What Inspires You?

"We are more than what we do, much more than what we accomplish, far more than what we possess."

~~~ William Arthur Ward 

 Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, California

Running Away from Fire

The part of California where I live has patches of redwood forest encroached upon by civilization. The fire started in a rural area about 7 miles from where I live. Even though I am in a city (and surrounded by strawberry fields), I am well protected from it spreading to my area or home.

On highway 129 heading east outside of Watsonville.
Smoke is coming from Corralitos

Strong southerly winds drove the smoke and ash directly into town, and further. I haven't had an asthma attack in at least a year and I didn't want to wait around to see what would happen. Since my son and his wife live in San Francisco, it made sense to go stay up there. I put my cat in her travel cage and the two of us went together.

Conveniently, I had a medical appointment today at UCSF. So, I used a tank of gas to complete two tasks at $4.15 a gallon!

The fire has moved further up the mountain since the wind has turned north, and I think it's safe to go home and sleep in my own bed tomorrow. The weatherman says it looks like we will be having rain this weekend.

The picture above, I took with my cell phone as I drove out of town. Notice the size of the trees in the middle line and you can get an idea of the size of the cloud of smoke. The hills are in the background, where the fire has now moved up into.