With one broad stroke, Eggers is forgiven for fathering the glut of precocious / pretentious writing that seems to make up 90% of today's "cultural" zines, journals, novels, and websites. The writing is strong, clear, and (gasp!) actually conveys emotion without relying on the crutch of irony. Finishing the book on a fully-packed airline flight, I found myself wiping away tears as my next-seat neighbor struggled out of his safety belt.

Michael Sippey