I dunno - maybe you have to be 20 years younger than I am to identify with these characters. This is an ambitious book and I believe the author overreached. If the stream-of-consciousness thing were new - this would have been a breakthrough. Since its not, it just doesn't carry the emotional punch anymore.

The story is compelling enough in its essential circumstances - orphaned brothers try to cope and come of age - and, it seems to me, try like hell not to grieve. I guess the most poignant thing about it is how it points up what it's like to lose parents too early in a society that really has no structures anymore to effectively integrate the survivors. But Mr. Eggers could have used a really good editor - it gets repetitive and starts to be just whiney. I would have liked it better if it had been about 150 pages shorter. As it was, I was grimly triumphant when I finally finished it.

Release planned for Wednesday, July 17, 2002 at Fisaga's in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania USA.

I'm releasing this where young people hang out.