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Hologram for the King
Hologram for the King | Dave Eggers
29 posts | 43 read | 26 to read
A National Book Award FinalistOne of the "New York Times Book Review"'s 10 Best Books of the YearOne of the Best Books of the Year from "The Boston Globe" and "San Francisco Chronicle" In a rising Saudi Arabian city, far from weary, recession-scarred America, a struggling businessman named Alan Clay pursues a last-ditch attempt to stave off foreclosure, pay his daughter's college tuition, and finally do something great. In "A Hologram for the King," Dave Eggers takes us around the world to show how one man fights to hold himself and his splintering family together.
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review
ImperfectCJ
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Pickpick

A little Franz Kafka, a little Willy Loman, this novel explores the experience of a man at midlife realizing that he's at the middle (or actually past the middle) of his life. Alternately fatalistically self-destructive and motivated to a point of near-mania, he's starting to understand that he's in the "reap what you've sown" stage in life, and he's not set himself up for the harvest he'd hoped for.

BarbaraBB I enjoyed this one a lot. That setting! (edited) 1y
42 likes1 comment
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Buechersuechtling
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„Weißt du, was der Schlüssel zu deinem jetzigen Umgang mit deinen Eltern ist? Gnade. Wenn Kindern […] heranreifen, werden sie unversöhnlich. Alles außer Perfektion ist Pathos. Kinder verurteilen in alttestamentarischer Manier. Alle Fehler sind unverzeihlich, als ob ein Perfektionsvertrag gebrochen ist. Aber wie wäre es, wenn Eltern dieselbe Gnade gewährt wird, dasselbe Mitgefühl wie anderen Menschen? Kinder brauchen etwas mehr Jesus in sich.“

ljuliel I have no idea what any of those words mean, but I‘ll agree. 👍🏼 5y
Buechersuechtling @ljuliel My dear fellow bookworm, it‘s the German translation of the English quote about parents and unforgiving children. 😄 5y
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ljuliel Oh, ok, thank you ! The only one showing on this screen is in your language. I‘m language- deficient. All I know is English. 😊 5y
Buechersuechtling @ljuliel You‘re very welcome. And don‘t worry, aren‘t we all language-deficient considering how many different languages there are on Earth 🌍❓ 5y
ljuliel Yes, I‘ve never met anyone that could speak every language ! They‘d have to be a genius, wouldn‘t they ? 5y
10 likes6 comments
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Buechersuechtling
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„You know what the key to your current relationship with your parents is? Mercy. When children become teenagers and then young adults, they become unforgiving. All mistakes are unforgivable, as if a contract of perfection was broken. But how about giving the same mercy to parents, the same compassion, that is granted to other people? Kids need a little more of Jesus in them.”

⬆️⬆️⬆️ So unbelievably true‼️Said as a daughter, not as a parent.

review
Buechersuechtling
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Pickpick

I liked this way more than I expected. The combination of the described culture that is so different from our Western one and the protagonist Alan who often is clumsy in more than one way made me grin frequently. Even though I often didn‘t know if it was out of a humouring situation, out of the description of reality or out of shame.

The book is very “American” (fear of Chinese economic ability) in some way but may in general be true worldwide.

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Buechersuechtling
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Trying to find some rest while listening to my current audiobook with a sleep-timer set. It‘s 2 o‘clock in the morning here.

I completely understand that it‘s not supposed to be funny but I really think it is. Alan is waiting in the Saudi Arabian desert for his business partners, the Prince and his assistant and both until now, about hour 2,5, constantly dumping him.

As far as I know, “I get there, when I get there.” is common in Saudi Arabia.

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Buechersuechtling
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Still unsure if Alan for me is a likeable protagonist. He is not evil or disgusting but he just has some level of being unorganised that I can‘t relate to. For me, this feels like a lack of discipline and earnestness.

But I really like where he reveals writing letters to his daughter in order to help her cope with the arguments she has with her mother/his ex-wife. I don‘t know any father who does this and also can‘t imagine many (would) do so.

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Buechersuechtling
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“A Hologram for the King“ is a novel about what the globalized economy does to man. With great empathy and wonderfully absurd comedy, Eggers aims right into the heart of today‘s times; complex, sad, touching.“

Started this audiobook yesterday and I‘m not yet familiar with the story and sometimes I have little issues with the one who reads it aloud.

My life is still an emotional disaster. That might be why I can‘t concentrate.

Come-read-with-me @Buechersuechtling Sorry to hear that things are chaotic- hope things will start to calm down soon. ❤️ 5y
Buechersuechtling @Come-read-with-me Thanks for your commiserations. But I am pretty sure it will take quite a long time until things will improve. Before, it will even get more worse. One of my family members has been in hospital those last weeks and now we have a really bad diagnosis. It‘s … 😭 I‘m my sorry, I‘m in pieces and all in tears. 5y
Come-read-with-me @Buechersuechtling I am so sorry to hear that. I will hold you in my heart and pray that you have strength during this difficult time. ❤️ 5y
13 likes3 comments
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Chiperskee
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Dave Eggers seems like the kind of guy you want to share some beers with.

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Macnjen
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Mehso-so

Well, it just sort of.....ended. I liked the writing but this really is a story where very little happens. It‘s about a desperate man trying to redeem himself. Hmmm. So many threads that just, well, are dangling. Quick read.

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Macnjen
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Next up.

Eyelit That cover is amazing! 6y
9 likes1 comment
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KevinT
Pickpick

A nice book. Odd, but I liked it.

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scowler1
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Pickpick

Eggers never disappoints. I really enjoyed this one, a fascinating glimpse into the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I spent some time there as a child and I think he's really captured the atmosphere of the place. Really authentic, interesting characters. A largely inconsequential plot but that's life sometimes.

Cinfhen Hated this book!!! Ugh 😑 it was torture and I HATED 6y
scowler1 He's an aquired taste I guess. 6y
rather_be_reading cool cover 6y
3 likes3 comments
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amyf0x
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Mehso-so

An aging man‘s hopes and dreams come up against his more realistic failures and disappointments, and mostly lose.

Read April 9-12
Book 14/50

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Clwojick
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I can't get over how beautiful this cover is. Stacking this purely based on how gorgeous it is. ❤️ #LibraryWishlist

Have any of my fellow Littens read this book? Would you recommend? Please let me know. ❤️

DrexEdit I liked it, but it is really slowly paced. 7y
64 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Briguy73
Hologram for the King | Dave Eggers
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Good to be back Litsy! Haven't posted in a long time.This is my first book I have read in a while.So far it's pretty good.

LauraJ Welcome back! 7y
Briguy73 Thank you! 7y
5 likes2 comments
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GinEyre22
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Spiderfelt
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I can't bear to listen to one more story, even if it is written by Dave Eggers, about a middle aged dude who blames everyone else for his mistakes. Gave up after one disc.

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LeslieO
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Good morning, Littens! #bookandcoffee

Hooked_on_books Love that cover--great texture. 8y
38 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Onioons
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A couple of books from yesterday's library haul #greencovers Why do some books insist on leapfrogging over my very long TBR list 🤔#marchintoreading

Suet624 Good question. 8y
62 likes1 stack add1 comment
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LeslieO
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SNOW DAY!!! First one of the year. Looking forward to reading all day!

jmtrivera I'm very excited about actually having a snow day myself! 8y
LeslieO @jmtrivera Snow days are the best little treat! 8y
26 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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LeslieO
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Woo-hoo!

night_shift 🎉🎉🎉🎉 8y
PurpleyPumpkin Yay!🎉🎊🎉🎊 8y
stacybmartin Yay - congrats! 🎉📚🎉👏🏼 8y
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LeahBergen 🎉🎉🎉🎉 8y
Reviewsbylola 🎉🎉🎉🎉 8y
MyNamesParadise Yay!! 🎉🎉👍🏻 8y
32 likes1 stack add6 comments
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Julz422
Hologram for the King | Dave Eggers
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Mehso-so

Oh man. This one. Dave Eggers is clearly a good writer and went into detail with his main character that made me want to continue on with the book even though my gut was telling me it could be a let down. I felt like this book was a Waiting for Godot of sorts, and I kept waiting for the shoe to drop and I'm not sure that I'm glad that I hung on, though I had high hopes

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Julz422
Hologram for the King | Dave Eggers
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Put all of the books on hold at the library...picked this up to read while I'm waiting for those titles to get in. Always wanted to read something by Eggers

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chapter_fifty2017
Pickpick

I always enjoy dave eggers style and stories about when
In a rut ; Run !!! And experience other with all its wonders and pit falls , its not his best one but i think it worth a read .

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Emanubuff
Mehso-so

Worst eggers i've read !

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ChrisBohjalian
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All those post-it notes? A testimony to how much I loved this novel.

Graciouswarriorprincess I love this and do the same thing!👍😀 8y
LauraBeth I saw the movie and actually liked it! I now need to read the book... 8y
Suzze Another #catsoflitsy human! What's his/her name? 8y
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Lindy I flag passages that I like too. Then I share them on Litsy. 😊 8y
ChrisBohjalian @Suzze Velvet. She is mistaken on occasion for a hat. 8y
Suzze @ChrisBohjalian 😜What a perfect name. 8y
Zelma Lots of black cat doppelgängers here on Litsy! ?? 8y
Suet624 Just can't miss with Dave Eggers. Love his books. 8y
50 likes7 stack adds8 comments
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LornaDH
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How many people does it take to put together a two year-old's trampoline? Three. But I'm sitting in reading this.

13 likes1 stack add
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books_boegerpaastribe
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Pickpick

I'm a fan of Dave Eggers. Big fan. And A HOLOGRAM FOR THE KING was just as good as I hoped. Actually... that's not true: it was better.
Dave Eggers is the best - you must read this novel. And the others.

6 likes2 stack adds