Synchronized reading: A.H.W.O.S.G. - #1 Rules and Suggestions

[beelikej.livejournal.com]

Here it is: the first post to discuss A Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers. To seperate meta from the actual story, this is the place to leave your comments on all the text that precedes chapter one.

( Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start )

In conclusion: I advice to skip this part and start reading chapter one, even though the book wouldn't be the same without these beginnings:) Discuss!

Synchronized reading: A.H.W.O.S.G. - #2 PART I (chapter 1)

[beelikej.livejournal.com]

Okay, read that part where I said I loved people who dared to fuck with decorum? I lied. I love rules. And one of the rules in book-publishing and lay-outs is that YOU NEVER START A BOOK ON PAGE 1. You count the cover, so if no other information is added, the first page of a story will always be page 3.

Anyway, when you have reached page 1 of A Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers I invite you to go to this post to share your thoughts on all the pages that come before (all those with roman numerals, x, xi, xii, etc;)

If you have finished PART I (Through the small tall bathroom window, etc), this is where you can leave your comments on that chapter.

( ...the December yard is gray and scratchy, the trees [are] calligraphic )

I would love to talk about the use of language or other writing issues, like how this chapter is divided in different sections (dialogue, use of flash-backs, wandering thoughts), but I lack time at this moment. So maybe you want to mention those. Or maybe you want to exchange quotes or talk more about the emotional aspects of this first chapter. I'd love to hear what you feel, either about the writing or the content of Part 1.