The arch tone of the title and the wit of the preface may blind readers to the real wonder of Egger's book:he's telling the truth.In a world of air quotes and the constant misuse of the word "ironic", Eggersis trying very hard to tell a difficult story.He writes of the death ofhis parents in the most unflattering terms, without the soft focus andbelabored sentiment our culture has lead us to expect.The slow death ofsomeone you love is sometimes horrible, and this story never denies that,or the way your mind escapes from that horror and focuses on trivia.Whilethe writing may be self-conscious, it isn't pretending to be anything else,and the wonder is that Eggers is willing to accept everything that comesinto his head, regardless of whether it seems appropriate. No other bookhas so honestly touched me since the death of my father, or more accuratelycaptured what his dying meant to me. Several reviewers have written ofthe way the book loses focus after the first section, but to me that is oneof its strengths.In fiction the protagonist doesn't wander aroundpointlessly, especially not after a significant event like the death of aparent, but in the real world lives are untidy.As a new parent Iappreciated the author's experimental attitude toward child rearing as wellas his attempt to create a fascinating life for himself.The quality ofthe writing made his business woes, his menus, and his Frisbee obsessionequally fascinating.The memoirs of a man who isn't afraid to show his ownwarts, but is touchingly considerate of those closest to him,this is akind and engaging book.
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