McSweeney's Issue 8

McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern #8

by Paul Maliszewski (Guest Editor), Dave Eggers (Editor)

Issue No. 8 is guest edited by Paul Maliszewski and features fiction, essays, letters, and interviews that explore the sometimes-fuzzy boundary between fiction and fact.
There are some stories in this issue that read like fact but are actually fiction.
There are some essays that you will swear must be fiction but are, in fact, completely true.
There's an interview with an artist whose paintings look like the work of a time centuries past and an interview with a person who holds fake press conferences.

With a cover designed by Elizabeth Kairys, this issue contains over three hundred pages of new writing.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Literature, Anthologies, Essays

335 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently wrote a short thing about Dave Eggers and then realized that I hadn't rated or reviewed the many issues of McSweeney's I've read. The early issues were especially influential and inspiring to me.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing in particular about this issue especially stands out

[Chelsea Martinez · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the "fiction-masquerading-as-fact" theme sort of grating and self-righteous.

Also, though he didn't really fit that theme, I ALWAYS find Lawrence Weschler kind of annoying and precocious.

Oh well. I think this issue is an excellent argument for the existence of The Believer - I like to know what I'm getting and therefore fact/fiction apartheid is totally cool with me.

Also, someday I need to travel to eastern Europe because dry and black as I may think my sense of humor is, I just don't get theirs.

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

After four years, today I finished this amazing anthology of short shories feom McSweenys. The time it took me to finish is not indicative of they quality of the book, but rather the time and energy Ive put into a career and building a life. After working four years in an insane beauracracy and experiencing the weirdest election year ever, devoting brains space to reading stories that puposefully blur fact and fiction seems normal and entertaining.

[Tom Steele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is this the most perfect McSweeney's? It's possible.

BUT AM I BEING TRUTHFUL?!

[Holly Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Jonathan Ames story The Nista Affair is worth the price of admission.