McSweeney's Issue 43

McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern #43

by Dave Eggers (Editor), Charles Baxter (Contributor), T. Coraghessan Boyle (Contributor)

With not one but two books to hold in your hands, and not two but four incredible fold-out die-cut covers to traverse with your eyes, Issue 43 packs in a pretty incredible procession of payoffs—there are new stories from Charles Baxter, T.C. Boyle, and Catherine Lacey, along with a stunning set of pieces from the newest nation in the world; there is nonfiction exploring the fate of revolutionaries in Libya and former contributors in New Orleans and long-term inmates in the United States Penitentiary in Marion, Illinois; and there are all kinds of other things to discover, too, in between those Gregory Euclide–designed covers, which you will spread out and peer through and pore over until you can take no more.
Don’t let yourself miss this one!

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

300 pages, Paperback

First published January 15, 2013

About the author

Dave Eggers is an American writer, editor, and publisher. He is best known for his 2000 memoir, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, which became a bestseller and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction. Eggers is also the founder of several notable literary and philanthropic ventures, including the literary journal Timothy McSweeney's Quarterly Concern, the literacy project 826 Valencia, and the human rights nonprofit Voice of Witness. Additionally, he founded ScholarMatch, a program that connects donors with students needing funds for college tuition. His writing has appeared in numerous prestigious publications, including The New Yorker, Esquire, and The New York Times Magazine.

Reviews

[Marc · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh. Uh. Ummm. Yeah, so, about once every other year I buy a copy of McSweeney's. The design is always topnotch. The writers are well-known and impressive. And somehow when it all comes together it feels a little lesser than it should. I've got to assume that has to do with the editorial choices to combine things the way they do. No bad stories. No bad writing. Just nothing that ever really shines and the pieces never seem to compliment one another. A solid level of quality, but nothing unexpected.

[Waldo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't really enjoy any of the stories in this issue. None were particularly bad either, just nothing jumped out at me and screamed 'this is actually really good' either. The book of fiction from South Sudan was interesting because it isn't something I'd normally seek out to read, and based on this small sample isn't something I'd be likely to seek out again, but it was still worth reading.
I've felt this way about the last few years of McSweeney's actually. When I first started subscribing about 6 years ago I enjoyed nearly every issue, it had lots of quirky stories in it, the occasional piece of interesting journalism and the odd gimmick like the issue that was 8 tiny books with fables in, all of which I enjoyed. The last year or two the journalism quota seems to have gone up, and when it isn't journalism it is general non fiction pieces about whatever is in the news lately, the middle east, Occupy etc. In this issue alone there was a piece about a girl visiting her father being held for 65 years on charges of funding terrorism because he ran a charity, and an extended piece about how the rebels overthrew Tripoli and the downfall of Ghadaffi. Neither were bad, it's just also not why I first started subscribing to McSweeney's in the first place. At least in the past there has always been one stand out short story that I really enjoyed, but this issue didn't even have that.
I've got three more issues to catch up on, I've probably missed one and I'm still contemplating whether or not to re-new my subscription when I can afford it.

[Dylan Zucati · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been about ten months since I've read this and while I don't remember anything from it, I remember it being good. Good meaning well written, though not necessarily thrilling or consuming. Like reading the New Yorker or assigned reading in a class without context.

[Jim Lang · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the slimmest issues of McSweeney's yet (although it is packaged with another anthology), but it's also one of the more focused. I loved the short story by TC Boyle, a writer I shouldn't be ignoring. There are also two terrific non-fiction pieces; one a young woman's accounting of visiting her father in prison (he's been convicted of supplying money to terrorists, despite the fact that the organization he supported was also receiving funds from USAID at the same time), and the other a description of the fight to liberate Tripoli during the Libyan uprising.

The other stuff in here is very good too.

[Eszter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ha, I didn't know you could review journals on Goodreads, but then why not, I guess. This issue of McSweeney's was pretty solid, though I have to say I enjoyed the letters and the nonfiction pieces much more than the fiction pieces this time around. The long piece at the end, chronicling the leadup to the uprising in Tripoli, was especially great. I can't imagine what it must have been like for the author to conduct all of those interviews right when he did, putting himself in some danger, too, and having to remain objective under those particular circumstances.

[Josh Hornbeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

McSweeney's 43 is another fantastic collection of short fiction and nonfiction. My favorite story from this collection was TC Boyle's "Burning Bright," a piece filled with foreboding and a slow-building dread. There's also a great essay by a young woman whose father was caught up in the war on terror and a piece of long-form journalism from the front lines of the Libyan revolution. Finally, it's bundled with a collection of short fiction from South Sudan, giving voice to a people and nation who have had their voices silenced all-too-often. A great read.

[J L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely worth the read. The collection of shorts has a fair amount of variety, from the heart wrenching tale of an innocent man behind bars to a lyrical tumble into one woman's mania. Makes for a fast read, too. I purchased this bundled with "There is a Nation" (which I am currently reading).

I also enjoyed both cover art and general design; very clean and straightforward (if you're into that sort of thing. I'm a visual artist so I give points for style).

[Yuliya · Rating 4 out of 5]

read with a big interest the story of lybian rebels and their revolution while a revolution is going on in Ukraine and is becoming dangerous. I hope we won't turn into anarchy with wrong people taking the power.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

A slim and speedy volume, light in artwork and so-so in the main section (disliked the long t.c. Boyle story, liked all of the nonfiction). The South Sudan story section was very interesting, would have been nice to have some substantial nonfiction to accompany that as well.

[Kerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good fiction by T.C. Boyle and Charles Baxter.

[Jason Linden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very solid, but unspectacular issue.

[Joe Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zero Hour was incredible.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very good but not great issues. T.C. Boyle's story is quite striking, and the additional anthology of South Sudanese fiction is a worthy peel into an ignored corner of the world.

[Mills College Library]

Coll.

[Jennifer Albright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautiful, sweet book.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This issue of McSweeney's has one book devoted to fiction from South Sudan, which is the whole reason I bought it and it did not disappoint.

[T.C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good News...

[Eli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely cover. Less lovely content.

[Christopher Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A few great pieces. A couple that are not. But the WORST COVER DESIGN for a book of all time. Not user friendly at all. Your hand disappears through the big gaping hole.

[Christopher · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not bad, not great---middle of the road McSweeney's goodness.