Congratulations if you are keeping up!

There has now been quite a shift in the overall tone. What does everyone think so far? What do you think of Toph?

I am enjoying chapter one far more than the intro. The only problem I have is the tense. Everthing is in present tense. When he is writing about things that happened in the past, it is still in present tense. It's not that I can't keep up, it's just damn annoying.

On the other hand, I do enjoy his writing style, as far as his use for language. Chapter one is (as far as the language) very poetic.

-Steve

it is very poetic. I'm really starting to feel for his mother

Whoa, slight tone change, huh? I keep going back and forth on this thing. I'll read some and really be enjoying it, then i hit spots that just drag me down. I'm not sure if it's the subject matter or the way Eggers handles it or both?

Anyone else having this see-saw thing happening?

It is strange how some sections seem so easy to read and able to keep my attention, then, in the blink of an eye, I can hardly read the thing.

As for toph, he's an annoying little guy, isn't he? seemingly spoiled, and maybe portrayed that way simply because it seems that he would have been used to getting what he wants when he wants all the time at this period in his life. Hard to say. Maybe eggers was setting toph up to be the only thing that makes him look good to date (i.e. feel sorry for me, I had to take care of this bratty little kid because he's more similar to me in age. Life is unfair--my siblings should be doing this so I don't miss out on my twenty-something years...)

I did find some of it hard to follow--especially back and forth between the deaths of mom and dad(and unfortunatly, I got bored enough to not want to re-read it too much). I kinda liked how he described and detached it, but was having issues with dad in the driveway. My problem with the detachment was that it made time stand still. So, it seemed like an undeterminable eternity before Beth realized what was going on with dad. I guess the way he described it was a little distracting. I understand why he did it that way, I think, but I'm not sure how well it worked.

Well, those are my impressions to date. I'm actually to about half way through part 6, so I suppose I'll have to slow down, or finish quick...

robyn

<small>
p.s. Quick comment that should have probably been in the other section. I also have to say that I'm wimpy, and really appreciate books that have some sort of jacket blurb that tells you what the book is about. I was immediately annoyed by the fact that the only thing I could read about the book before buying it was a bunch of crap written by critics, whose opinions I usually don't hold in high regard.

end wimpy rant...

Alright, I finally got my copy from Amazon, how much do I have to read to catch up to you guys? I think we should decide on the book much earlier next time.

You've only got about 60 pages. You could skip the intro to catch up. It's not too bad. I read that much in about an hour or so.

robyn

Ever had one of those books where you're just not sure what to think?

That's the point I'm at right now.

I'm only at about page 75. So far I've found my self feeling happy and sad, shaking my head in amusement and amazement, and at times befuddled. He has a fairly unique way of presenting things that much is certain.

Yes, Scarecrow, agreed.

I keep wanting to say, "I don't like this book." But then I find myself continuing to think about it. So, I guess Eggers is doing his job.

This is a frustrating read.

I'm catching up (currently at page 33). I've been reading it during lunch, which I think is not the best time to be reading, what with the spitting and the bile and everything.

At this point, I'm enjoying it more that I did the intro.

-Andy

1 word: wow.

Talk about taking a "180" from everything before chapter 1. Well, I caught up in the matter of a day or so!

backtrack
Thoughts: Everything before ch. 1 was funny as hell! I really like his style, or lack of depending on how you want to look at it. Quite a few times I found myself almost laughing out loud. The first 'blurb' that made me smirk was the [bellow his picture] "They have no pets".

Some of the other things I really liked were: The copyright page, rules of enjoyment, changing characters names & location/time, the piranha/sinking canoe story, and more.

I'm almost tempted to take a picture of myself & the book to send in for the "CD interactive" version, but I really wonder if that's just some hoax he has in there. Also, if that was originally put in the hard cover version, I'm sure he's already had 200 people send in for it. If I do decide to take a chance, I'll also send in $5 bucks to see if I really receive a large "The Deaths - flow chart".

WTF's up with that crazy stapler!

Now onto Chapter 1.

In this chapter I feel as if Eggers was my personal 'Virgil'. He took through my own layers of "hell" so to say. His visuals and thoughts about his mom having cancer really got to me, because they were dead on (no pun intended). Back in Sept 99, I went through the same thing when I lost my Father to cancer, and it was as if he was writing about me. It brought back everything I went through, and made me remember about things I had forgotten (or at least hid in the back corners of my mind). The phlegm, a non-moving parent living on a piece of furniture, a bed downstairs, the person slowly dying in front of your eyes, their eyes, the yellowing of the skin, that final trip to the hospital, the last words you heard them say.

Eggers has a way with words, where even though he's pulling you through the lowest of lows, he tosses in a little 'something' in the writing to keep you hooked, to not put down the book. I've just started going into chapter 2, and will probably be done w/ ch. 3 by the time I get home tonight.

Overall, I'm very pleased with what I've read, even though it was probably one of the "hardest reads" (for personal reasons) that I've ever had.

regards from sunny San Francisco!

-keyser "okay, gotta get back to work" soze
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[Edited by Keyser Soze on 05-10-01 at 06:39 PM]