Dave Eggers (writer and publisher)

Episode overview

Dave Eggers (Contrapposto, The Circle, and A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius) is a bestselling author, founder of McSweeney’s, and Pulitzer Prize finalist. Dave joins the Armchair Expert to discuss the strange family lore behind McSweeney’s, growing up in John Hughes-era Illinois, and falling in love with writing and designing books as a kid. Dave and Dax talk about moving to Berkeley to help raise his little brother after his parents died, shaking up literary readings with They Might Be Giants, and building a creative community out of rejected magazine pieces. Dave explains why kids should be published, how writing can give order to chaos, and why the happiest creative life might be the one with the least preciousness.

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Short transcript highlights

These brief excerpts are navigation aids selected from different points in the transcript.

1. 0:09Dave Eggers is a bestselling author and founder of McSweeney's.
2. 55:30So you have Ethiopia and air train, restaurants and businesses and places from Uganda that are going to South Sudan
3. 2:05:04This is a cover song from the artist formerly known as Delta.