Comments on: The Rumpus Long Interview with Dave Eggers

By: Doug McBride

Doug McBride — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 05:23:29 +0000

Wow! Listening to Dave Eggers talk about this stuff is like watching a hero discover that he has even more powers than he knew about. The writing, and humanitarian efforts that are offshoots of the writing are sort of a known and appreciated quantity at this stage, but still fascinating. Even more compelling to me though, is the chance to hear Eggers talk about his efforts to create a sustainable business model for serious journalism. Illuminating, exciting and hopeful to say the least. It’s like he’s firing a flaming arrow across the night sky, allowing us all to see the landscape in a different way. It’s going to be up to the rest of us to realize that we too can light up the darkness with our own arrows. That might just be me getting a little too excited, but in this case, I’m more than happy to be excited. Trying to ensure that we live in a world with a free and effective press is a noble cause indeed, so fire away Dave. Thanks to Stephen Elliot for putting together a fascinating interview!

By: narayani menon

narayani menon — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 10:50:08 +0000

How interesting… and how wonderful that Dave is addressing the issue of print’s inevitable and necessary revitalisation. I worked on an essay last year about how McSweeney’s is at the forefront of defeating this supposed hegemony of the virutal text, and this proves it!

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:18:26 +0000

With positivity like that… Dave will have a forever fan in me! It’s such an invigorating breath of fresh air to hear someone in the business talk about how print publishing is far from dead. YESSSSSS!

By: Gordon

Gordon — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:59:12 +0000

Can I get in on this U of I, SF, south Sudan convergence?

Just read What is the What before coming to Juba, capital of the south, where I’ll be working for the UN for the next year… and yes I graduated from Champaign in 93, lived in SF from 94-98…

Thanks to Dave for providing a timely glimpse of the complex situation in Sudan, and a note for the record: VAD, a Dinka, came across as a saint, and south Sudan’s hero, John Garang, was also Dinka…two facts that left me with a rosy view of the dominant tribe. I was then surprised to learn from colleagues and friends here that the Dinka have mixed reviews to say the least, and are “known” to be an agressive, even violent tribe, who have made the most of their association with Garang by dominating Government and Army positions and otherwise making off with many of the spoils of war. I share the generalization as just that, not as an endorsement, but rather to broaden the picture for interested readers.

By: jvanpelt

jvanpelt — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 12:37:02 +0000

Dave Eggers on TED:
http://www.ted.com/talks/dave_eggers_makes_his_ted_prize_wish_once_upon_a_school.html

By: Ole Tangen Jr

Ole Tangen Jr — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 11:49:37 +0000

Eggers is designing a newspaper? Good news. But as he said here, it will: “look and read like a daily newspaper.” Isn’t that one of the main problems of the daily newspaper? They are too large, with too many folds and cannot be read comfortably in the tight quarters of a subway. Not to mention the difficulies of navigation.

The newspaper needs a redesign as an object, not just a new business model.

Please McSweeney’s, you redesigned the book, now redesign the newspaper!

By: enronmoney

enronmoney — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 22:31:53 +0000

That is not how I pictured the upcoming McSweeney’s newspaper edition. It’ll be on that days news? It’s going to have a business plan to help out small newspapers? Interesting stuff.

By: Quick Q

Quick Q — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 22:01:12 +0000

Wonderful interview, I can’t wait to pick up a PRINT copy of Zeitoun!

By: Chellis

Chellis — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 20:12:34 +0000

Great interview, Steve! Eggers constantly impresses me. I saw Away We Go and am reading What is the What, so I am being reminded lately of how talented he is as a writer and a go-getter. But what most impressed me most about this interview was his ability to not give you credit while you were fishing for a compliment. Nice work, Dave!