McSweeney's Issue 82

McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern #82

by Dave Eggers, Alejandro Zambra (Contributor), Dave Eggers (Founder)

Genres: Short Stories

359 pages, Hardcover

First published June 18, 2026

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

[Paul Dembina · Rating 4 out of 5]

As usual McSweeney's is packaged in an unusual way, this time a siamese-twin type double book.

An above-average issue, even the letters page was really good.

A large proportion (about 40%) of this issue is taken up by a 150 page novella by Tom Bubul.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

The short story collection and the cool M fold had this book sitting comfortably at four stars but Three Renes story by Tom Bubul pushed this to five.

[Nathan Holic · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Three Rene’s” was amazing. Had it been published as a standalone book, five stars, chefs kiss. The story of a dissolving marriage and dimming prospects for adulthood ambition, told through the eras of that couple’s different alcohol preferences? Oh man. And the final sequence in Italy, an almost “Once Upon A Time in Hollywood” level dread to the couples vacation. Like 50-60 pages of propulsive narrative you can’t put down.

But the issue of the journal itself? Very forgettable stuff this quarter, I’m afraid. The final story, a sort of 70s/80s Jack and Diane style odyssey of high school kids making bad choices, is flipping awesome, though.

Between that final story and the novel(la), this book is worth the price of admission. But at the same time, there’s almost an entire journal worth of material that I truly did not care for. Your tastes might differ, of course.

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Several really good short stories, starting with the wonderful "A Christmas Story" -- then a little bit dragging in parts, but then concludes epically with Tom Bubil's "Three Renés" novella, which got under my skin slowly, but eventually I could not put it down until I finished it. I had no idea where it was going (aside from one inevitable outcome), and am still wondering about Gio.

[Timothy Curry · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the first time, I was feeling less than bowled over by the Quarterly Concern. And then I flipped over this uniquely designed tome and tore through Tom Bubul's "Three Renés" to my great delight. Well done, Timothy McSweeney, well done.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eclectic collection - Tom Bubul's piece is 150 pages and great storytelling!