also, i don't think you have to be an addict to be affected by this book.

My interest in understanding you or your point is long gone chief.

Now you can take your point, shove it up your ass, and go fuck your mother.

"Discussion" over.

What I'm saying is that out of 1.8 Million books, it's up there with Harry Potter and Dan Brown. With that many people, it's simple pragmatism that assumes that most of those people aren't into it for the message. They just want to know what all the fuss is about. Do you think the millions of teenage boys buy P.O.D. records to learn about Jesus? Of course not. Some do, but most don't. They just like to rawk.

If just one person got fixed up because of it. That's fantastic. But that doesn't mean the book is above criticism for any reason.

I agree with you last point. I don't like Eggers or this dude or others like them because (Augusten Burroughs, Dave Peltz) cos I find the writing leaving something to be desired, and there is no larger truth contained within their work. Its all "Look at me, my life was fucked up, now I wear trucker hats and get blow jobs from models."

Not my cup of tea I guess. I would rather they go out an write something meaningful, or write without remorse or regret, or write something that attempts to draw attention to the human condition. And then go out an bang models or do coke or whatever.

I find the Was Bad, Made Good story too boring for words. Especially if it was behavior of their own that caused it, and that;s why Mr. Frey is gar in my book.

I wouldn't disagree, but this string originated when I questioned Busty Rhode's assertion that it helped all these people with addictions and other problems. That's where I said a great majority picked it up for the gore factor.

...

Sorry for being polysyllabic. Next time I'll pare it down to grunts and pictures for you.

the only reason i entered into this discussion was because i thought it was fascinating that so many people felt compelled to comment on a story about a book they had never read. i think it sucks that he lied, but it doesn't change the fact that i enjoyed the book, and took from it what i did. frankly, i'm amazed by this entire controversy- considering how many asshole, sleazy millionaires there are in this country, i'm not sure we should be picking on a fucking writer.

Just because we don't pick on all scumbags, doesn't mean we can't pick on this one. Also alot of scumbag millionaries are smart enough not to court attention like this he did. He asked for the attention. And why is calling someone on the lie they told picking on them anyway?

I can't believe so many people want to defend such a con-man. Is it the worst thing that's ever happened? No. Is it the worst thing that happened this week? No. But that doesn't make him right or any more sympathetic in my eyes.

seems like the whole thing blowed up so big because it was promoted so big on the oprah show. the guy wanted to be badder than bad so he lied. seems to be a problem between him and how the publisher decided to market the whole thing. bad choices people.

not a fan of recent memoirs because most of them are a) completely uninteresting and b) so very, very poorly written.

i did read dry and found it to be hysterical. it was well written and i could just smell the alcohol on every page. pretty witty guy but i won't read anything else by him. it's like it would be too much plus this held my interest because it took place in advertising and i was completely AMAZED at how much this guy could drink and still go to work. the first half of the book is better than the second.

to me, eggars is a one trick pony. i enjoyed staggering genius but find the rest of his work far too self conscious and overly clever to enjoy.

years ago i picked up a copy of keith haring's journal and read about 30 pages and had to stop because there was such a sense that he had written this "journal" for others to be amazed by. it was terribly insincere and i just couldn't take it.

i don't have the energy for this conversation any more. i don't think the lies he told were substantial enough to affect the message of book, or warrant this sort of response, but i don't think you can understand that unless you actually read it. i think a lot of writers lie, and i think a lot of people know that. it makes me sad to see people latch on to this issue, because reading and writing and books should be promoted for what they are, not disgraced. whatever.

I understand this sentiment, sort of, but what magnitude of lies would affect the message of a book? Because my impression is that he has never borne any resemblance at all to the person he depicted in the book.

Again. just because other writer's of non-fiction lie and don't get caught doesn't make him right or have anything to do with it.

Democracy should be promoted for what it is and not disgraced. Does that mean we can't call out scumbag officials? Reading should be promoted and for this very reason it is necessary to make sure journalist and similar elk should be held accountable for what they write. Do you really think going to jail or not going to jail or getting arrested for crack and not getting arrested for crack is not substantial?

It's not like people are gonna go back to using crack because this dude is a liar.

yes, i really do, because these details are ultimately inconsequential to the rest of the story. like i said, you can't really understand unless you've read the book.

i can't say, but that wasn't my impression.

I feel like I have read the book. My secretary was obsessed with it.

If this guy's name were preceded by "Reverend", you people would have a field day with it.

I read Staggering Genius a couple years ago and basically enjoyed it, but I did feel like it was kind of stunt writing. Despite that, I am giving You Shall Know Our Velocity a chance and find that I really, really enjoy it, it feels far less self-conscious than Genius did. How his other work fares, I'm not sure - I'll get around to checking it out when I get around to it.

I think Eggers is one of those writers who isn't out to make a major statement, preferring instead to hint around the edges of bigger statements by focusing on a lot of everyday things. I can't say I've found anything truly profound in Eggers' writing, but he makes getting from the first page to the last enjoyable. In general, I'd much rather read about someone's observations of everyday life than a major effort to make a big statement, because more often than not I find those kinds of things stilted and calculated, and they usually don't pay off very well in the end.

touFUCKINGche

stunt writing...that's an interesting thought.

let me know how velocity is. i doubt i would read it but would love to hear your opinion.

i think eggars wants to speak for a generation and as far as i can tell he and his band of cronies believe that's what they are doing. sometimes i question this opinion and wonder if it's just that i'm older and just can't relate. then i realize that i'm right in the first place and bask in my smug tenure.

I haven't read through this thread because I don't want to find out what happens in the book, but I'd just like to say that the writing isn't at all unique or interesting. The repitition of every phrase is especially annoying and seems forced. It's like he's trying to be a modern day Beat writer, but sucks at it.

The storytelling is pretty good though, I guess. Whether he made it up or not, it's above average as far as interesting stories go.

Ive read bits of it...my wife read the whole thing.

I have a couple big problems with the book. As mentioned, it was rejected as fiction since its just not that good of a book. Its predictible, not particularly interesting in its writig style and just the sort of thing lots of struggling writers crank out and get sent back with reject letters. Its appeal is in the personal struggle/reality aspect of the story.

My problem with it from that standpoint is that it shits all over many principals of recovery that have helped millions in favor of his own little personal theory that all it takes is willpower...which feeds into the typical american do-it-yourself...therapy, psychology and all that crap is bullshit mentality, further stigmatizing rather than helping people who constantly struggle with recovery in their daily lives...while selling in boatloads by reinforcing a strong cultural myth.

He wasn't some hardcore addict who overcame it by sheer force of will. He was a frat boy who drank too much..dabbled in a little other stuff...and got popped for a DUI and figured his life was interesting enough with a little embellishment to make a pretty good book. OK...maybe he can just will himself clean...but the violent, dangerous addict pertrayed in the book would very likely need much more than a little internal pep talk now and then to get himself straight.

I really dislike Oprah and her followers.

as do i...but i love that little jiggling chicky in your post...i get enthralled with that every time i see it