A Memoir Based on a True Story

A Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Genius

A Memoir Based on a True Story

Published: 13, February 2001

Author: Dave Eggers
Genres: Biographies & Memoir, Comedy & Humor, First Person Narrative, Satire

Rating: 75/100

Recommended: 80/100 Yes.

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Check the summary of this book here:

A Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Genius Summary

The Review:

The novel is as ostentatious and self-centered as the title implies. Eggers is a twenty-something who is not only trying to make his own place in life but also dealing with mortality and raising his younger brother. It may be viewed as a coming-of-age story in which the narrator must learn to live with the death of his parents. Perhaps it's a novel about death in which the living are introduced as supporting characters. In any case, the book is genuinely brilliant.

There are acknowledgment pages before even getting to the opening page of the work. These are multiple pages of small print ravings that make up the acknowledgment section. You are more than welcome to skip this portion, according to Eggers. I highly encourage you to refrain from doing so. It's lengthy, but it's also amusing, and it sets the tone for the remainder of the work.

I was already aware that this book seemed to elicit powerful emotions before I ever opened it. Some individuals despise it, while others adore it. The way you react to Eggers' writing will determine how you respond to this book. You'll love this book if you like his stream-of-consciousness, crazily extraneous, always-on-the-verge-of-a-panic-attack style of narration. If you're looking for a simple, linear story, this is the worst book you'll ever read.

A touching and amusing memoir. The writing is unique and casual. The personal story Eggers shares is painful, yet he conveys it without being self-pitying. The tales told by Eggers are vivid and often funny. This is an excellent book, and his other works are also worth reading. But what I am saying about this book is from my point of view as I mentioned earlier that this book is not for everyone.

One of the reasons I enjoyed this book so much was that I treated it as if it were a novel about a fictional character rather than a real person. It was quite helpful in understanding the sarcasm, hatred, rage, and energy that this novel exudes. Another thing that touched me was the author's resolve and love for his young brother, despite the fact that he was still a student at the time of his parent's death.

This is one of those books that divide readers as to whether they should hate it or love it, and I am one of those who liked it. Let's see what everyone else thinks, so once you've finished the book, please leave a remark or message with your comments.

Final Thoughts:

A beautiful and heartbreaking biography but not for everyone and that is the only reason to give it low points and recommendations.

I was astounded by the author's decision to write this book at a period when he was neither renowned nor well-known, and yet he produced a biography about himself. Call it pride or whatever you want, but he succeeded in writing a masterpiece that became a best-selling novel and was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction.

It is one of the very few books that were able to make me laugh out loud.

It's also unusual. You will probably despise this work if you are seeking for a more traditional narrative structure or a more mature and lovable main character. You will probably enjoy this book as much as I do if you are searching for something that pushes the boundaries, looks at novel writing as an art form and isn't afraid to reveal the world in all its brutal reality.

Synopsis:

“"Exhilarating…Profoundly moving, occasionally angry, and often hilarious...A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius is, finally, a finite book of jest, which is why it succeeds so brilliantly" (The New York Times Book Review).

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius is the unique, moving memoir of a college senior who, in the space of five weeks, loses both of his parents to cancer and inherits his eight-year-old brother. In his distinctive style unlike any other memoir, Egger's story is an exhilarating debut that manages to be simultaneously hilarious and wildly inventive, as well as a deeply heartfelt story of the love that holds a family together.”

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World's Scariest Places Book 1

Suicide Forest

World's Scariest Places Book 1

Published: 14, December 2014

Author: Jeremy Bates

Genres: Action, Adventure, American, Anthologies, Classics, Fantasy, Fiction, First Person Narrative, Horror, Literature, Movie Tie-In, Mystery, Psychological, Shape Shifter, Supernatural, Suspense, Teen, Thrillers, Werewolf, Young Adult

The Review:

This novel is set in Japan's famously terrifying Suicide Forest. I'm glad the author was able to capture the majority of the terrifying atmosphere, and he did a fantastic job of making the reader use all five senses while reading this well-crafted work.

First person narration is one of my favorite storytelling styles, and this book has it, with the main character narrating everything that happens. Normally, any good book transports you to a world that feels like a movie playing in your head, but I believe a first-person narrative does the job best.

As all Jeremy Bates fans are already aware of his character development and how realistic his characters are, they can be so real and annoying that many readers begin to dislike the book rather than understanding his brilliant writing. The simple fact that they do not understand is that if all of the characters are perfect, there will be no more stories, just as Superman cannot be loved because he is perfect. (Because the topic of Superman is vast, we should discuss it when I review any book or comic featuring him.)

I had no intention of starting this series, but after reading and reviewing four books in a row from “The World's Scariest Legends” Series, I decided to continue and finish this one also, so that I could have a full author page of Mr. Jeremy Bates ready to show his fans.

The thing about this author's characters is that you either despise or love them, and you feel their pain. Furthermore, the stories can be quite frightening, depending on who is reading them.

I observed something in one of the earlier books, and that was the author's expertise of Japan and its culture, and this book proves it once more. The last book I saw it in was The Man From Taured, and he conducts insane amounts of research on the book and topic he is writing about, which is a fantastic characteristic in a writer who chooses to write about tales and genuine places from our real-world but adds his own twist to them.

The way this novel sneaks up on you is terrifying, and if you read it before or near bedtime, chances are you won't be able to sleep; it features a lot of gore from previously dead bodies, as well as a touch of the otherworldly.

A slightly large and creepy book that can be finished in two to three sittings unless you plan to stay awake all night. I enjoyed the story and narrative style, but I had some concerns about things that had just happened and the reader was not aware of, such as the equipment that suddenly becomes available even though the party was not prepared for it. However, I believe the author assumed that the readers are intelligent enough to understand that when someone plans to leave for an adventure, they pack everything necessary for the trip.

Synopsis:

“OVER ONE MILLION READERS HAVE TAKEN THE JOURNEY TO THE WORLD'S SCARIEST PLACES. NOW IT'S YOUR TURN.

From USA Today and #1 Amazon bestselling author Jeremy Bates comes a tale of mystery and horror set in Japan's ancient Suicide Forest, a place that is easy to enter but, for some, impossible to leave. Goodreads Choice Awards finalist for horror. For fans of Stephen King.

Just outside of Tokyo lies Aokigahara, a vast forest and one of the most beautiful wilderness areas in Japan...and also the most infamous spot to commit suicide in the world. Legend has it that the spirits of those many suicides are still roaming, haunting deep in the ancient woods.

When bad weather prevents a group of friends from climbing neighboring Mt. Fuji, they decide to spend the night camping in Aokigahara. But they get more than they bargained for when one of them is found hanged in the morning—and they realize there might be some truth to the legends after all.”

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Rating: 90/100

Recommended: 95/100 Yes.

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Come Closer

Published: 2003

Author: Sara Gran

Genres: Adult, American, Contemporary, Demonic Possession, Fantasy, Fiction, First Person Narrative, Horror, Literary, Literature, Mystery, Psychological, Supernatural, Thrillers

The Review:

A fantastic and terrifying tale of relationships, obsession, psychological damage, and possession told from the first-person perspective. An easy and fast read  that can be finished in one sitting and that makes it an even better candidate for recommendations.

This book may be read in one sitting, but the impression it will make on your mind will endure a long time. Even the faintest sound, such as a creak or a tap, will startle you.

I call it an incredibly written novella because of its size but the way it is written is proof of how clever and genius Sara Gran is in her craft. The story starts innocently but it is like water being boiled and the more it gets heated the more it starts to boil and that is how you are going to feel with the progression of the tale.

It is scary and a lot more creepy in many other ways than a normal horror novel because some of the readers can actually see themselves In place of the main character and basically relate to her and then the possession, which can be a stuff of nightmares for many readers.

This review is brief since I don't want to give anything away about the narrative by writing anything about it except that it is highly recommended. The only reason I'm giving it fewer points is because of its size and the fact that it's not for everyone, but the only way for a reader to find out is to read it. I believe that if a book receives more than 50% points, it is readable by most people, with a few exceptions. As a result of this theory, this book has higher recommendations and is readable by the majority of readers.

Synopsis:

““What begins as a sly fable about frustrated desire evolves into a genuinely scary novel about possession and insanity. Hypnotic” (Bret Easton Ellis, author of American Psycho).

A recurrent, unidentifiable noise in her apartment. A memo to her boss that’s replaced by obscene insults. Amanda—a successful architect in a happy marriage—finds her life going off kilter by degrees. She starts smoking again, and one night for no reason, without even the knowledge that she’s doing it, she burns her husband with a cigarette. At night she dreams of a beautiful woman with pointed teeth on the shore of a blood-red sea.

The new voice in Amanda’s head, the one that tells her to steal things and talk to strange men in bars, is strange and frightening, and Amanda struggles to wrest back control of her life. Is she possessed by a demon, or is she simply insane? Described as “a new kind of psychological thriller” by George Pelecanos and “this year’s scariest novel” by Time Out New York, Come Closer has become a modern classic “with a kick that will stay with the reader for days afterward” (The Dallas Morning News).”

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Rating: 80/100

Recommended: 90/100 Yes.

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Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt Review

Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt

Published: 2005

Author: Anne Rice

Book 1 of 2: Life of Christ

Genres: Religious Historical Fiction, Biographical Historical Fiction, Christian Historical Fiction, Jesus, First Person Narrative, Young Jesus

Check the summary of this book here:

Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt Summary

The Review:

Anne Rice's book Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt tells the account of Jesus as a little boy growing up. It is told from the perspective of Jesus as a seven-year-old kid. In this book, we are confronted with the true potential of an unsure, insecure Jesus who is unsure about what he is to accomplish, who he is, and what his purpose in the world is. He is a child - a learning child - and I feel Anne Rice does an excellent job of presenting this viewpoint and I started reading the next book Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana as soon as i was done with this one.

Anne Rice's first book that I read was "Interview With The Vampire," and I only read it because I saw the movie and knew I had to read the book to get all the answers that I didn't find in the movie; and from that first book, I became a fan of hers and read all of her previous books, including The Beauty series. 

Because "Christ The Lord: Out of Egypt" moved my heartstrings and is very close to my heart, I am reviewing this book first, rather than "Interview With The Vampire."

The first thing you notice is that you can't put this book down once you start reading it; once you start, you won't be able to stop until you finish it. Anne Rice has the ability to draw you in and keep you captivated for the duration of a story, and she does so in all of her books and stories. I own the paperback, hardcover, and audio editions of this book; I only do this with books that are at the top of my list of all-time favorites.

She has done extensive research on the subject, which is evident as you read the book. When I was reading the book, I felt like my emotions were running wild, especially in the last few chapters. While young Jesus is speaking or thinking, your heart melts and wants to burst out of your eyes, and your hair may stand on end, and you should brace yourself for the chills. Such poetry in words is extremely rare in books. You must also listen to the audio version of this book to understand what I am referring to.

Many people don't realize or comprehend that Jesus spent his childhood in a Jewish-influenced era; this story is told from the perspective of a young Jesus. The way Jesus thinks and speaks is as if he is speaking directly to the reader, and I am confident that many readers will change their minds and feelings about Jesus after reading this book.

There is an overabundance of attention paid to the helpless infant and the man dying in agony on the Cross in popular Christianity. Anne Rice has constructed the tale of Christ as a live person after consulting with several religious and archaeological specialists for historical authenticity. The first volume, Out Of Egypt, portrays Him from roughly the age of 7 through His early, pre-teen years. You are shown the entirety of His family life, as well as the cuisines and customs of the period, the way they cared for their old, and the general practices of devout Jews.

You can feel the tension in Mary and Joseph's relationship, which is worsened by the fact that their kid was physically enlightened by an angel. You can observe the social tensions caused by conflicts, as well as the nature of information transmission, which is occasionally hampered by gossip. For example, the crowds are becoming increasingly concerned about this intense man named John, who is baptizing people in the river, prompting some very human "What should we make of that?"

Step by step, you can sense the firmness and force of things. She hasn't altered anything about Jesus' tale; instead, she has polished it to a high gloss by placing it in context with the realities of life at the time. There are no spectacular effects or large choirs in the background; simply Jesus' trials and character, presented in a straightforward and truthful light. A one-of-a-kind, hundred percent recommended masterpiece.

You can read a few words from the author Anne Rice about her research and coming to faith during her research for this book at the end of the book.

Final Thoughts:

This is a significant departure from the topics she has previously addressed. This is a wonderful narrative of Jesus as a youngster, unaware of his true nature. This work achieves an almost impossible combination of reality and fantasy.

This book is not intended solely for Christians, and it is not intended to be religious propaganda. Anyone can read it and gain a lot from it while maintaining their own faith.

The Audiobook is also fantastic; the voice actor is incredible, and you truly feel as if you're sitting with young Jesus, listening to his thoughts. 

I thoroughly appreciated this respectful and ostensibly historically accurate depiction of Jesus Christ's early life. Anne Rice brings to life a narrative that I, for one, had never heard before, thanks to comprehensive study and brilliant imagination. I don't believe you will be dissatisfied.

Synopsis:

“Having completed the two cycles of legend to which she has devoted her career so far, Anne Rice gives us now her most ambitious and courageous book, a novel about the early years of CHRIST THE LORD, based on the Gospels and on the most respected New Testament scholarship.

The book’s power derives from the passion its author brings to the writing and the way in which she summons up the voice, the presence, the words of Jesus who tells the story.”

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Rating: 100/100

Recommended: 100/100 Yes.

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The Young Messiah (2016) (PG)

https://rebrand.ly/The-Young-Messiah-2016-PG

Interview with the Vampire (1994) (R)

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Queen of the Damned (2002) (R)

https://rebrand.ly/Queen_of_the_Damned_2002_R

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