Dave Eggers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dave Eggers
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Eggers in 2018
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| Born | March 12, 1970 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
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| Education | University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign |
| Period | 1993–present |
| Literary movement | Postmodern literature, post-postmodern, new sincerity |
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| Spouse | Vendela Vida (2003-present) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | William D. Eggers (brother) Constance Demby (aunt) |
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Dave Eggers (born March 12, 1970) is an American writer, editor, and publisher. He is known for his books and for starting several important projects. His 2000 memoir, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, became a very popular book. It was even considered for the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction, a major award for books.
Eggers also started many groups that help people and promote reading. These include the literary journal Timothy McSweeney's Quarterly Concern, the reading and writing project 826 Valencia, and the human rights group Voice of Witness. He also created ScholarMatch, which helps students find money for college. His writings have appeared in famous magazines like The New Yorker and The New York Times Magazine.
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Early Life and Family
Dave Eggers was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He grew up with three brothers and sisters. His father was a lawyer, and his mother was a schoolteacher. His family later moved to Lake Forest, Illinois, where he went to high school.
Eggers studied journalism at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. However, his studies were interrupted by sad events. Both of his parents passed away when he was young. His father died in 1991, and his mother died in 1992. These experiences were written about in his first book, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. At just 21 years old, Eggers became responsible for his younger brother, Christopher, often called "Toph." They moved to Berkeley, California.
Dave Eggers' Writing Career
Dave Eggers started his writing career as an editor for Salon.com. In 1994, he started Might magazine in San Francisco. This magazine was known for its funny and unique way of looking at different topics. It featured humor and essays by many writers.
First Book: A Heartbreaking Work
In 2000, Eggers published his first book, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. This book is a memoir, which means it's a true story about his life. It tells about his challenges raising his younger brother after their parents died. The book quickly became a bestseller. It was praised for being original and having a unique style.
Novels and Short Stories
After his memoir, Eggers wrote many novels. In 2002, he published You Shall Know Our Velocity. This story is about trying to give money to people around the world. He also released How We Are Hungry, a collection of short stories.
In 2005, Eggers published Surviving Justice: America's Wrongfully Convicted and Exonerated. This book shared interviews with people who were wrongly sentenced to death but later found innocent.
His 2006 novel, What Is the What: The Autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng, was a finalist for a major fiction award. This book tells the fictionalized life story of a refugee from Sudan. Eggers worked with Valentino Achak Deng to tell his story.
Later Novels and Themes
In the early 2010s, Eggers published several novels that looked at important social and political issues.
- A Hologram for the King (2012) was about the Great Recession and the 2008 financial crisis. It was a finalist for the National Book Award.
- The Circle (2013) explored the life of a young worker at a technology company. It showed how new technologies can sometimes have unexpected downsides.
- Your Fathers, Where Are They? And the Prophets, Do They Live Forever? was published in 2014.
In 2016, Eggers published Heroes of the Frontier. He also wrote The Monk of Mokha (2018), another true story. This book is about a young Yemeni American man who wants to bring back the ancient art of Yemeni coffee. He gets stuck in Sanaa during a civil war.
In 2019, Eggers released two short novels. The Parade was about two Western workers paving a road in a dangerous country. The Captain and the Glory was a story that used humor to comment on the political events of the time.
In 2021, his novella The Museum of Rain was published. His novel The Every also came out in October 2021. This book is a follow-up to his 2013 novel The Circle.
McSweeney's and Other Projects
Dave Eggers is the founder of McSweeney's. This is an independent publishing company. It is known for its literary journal Timothy McSweeney's Quarterly Concern, which he started in 1998. McSweeney's also publishes The Believer, a monthly journal edited by Eggers' wife, Vendela Vida.
Helping Others: Philanthropy
Eggers is also very involved in helping others. In 2002, he and educator Nínive Clements Calegari started 826 Valencia. This is a non-profit center that helps children and young adults with writing and tutoring. This project grew into a national organization called 826 National, with centers across the United States.
In 2010, Eggers launched ScholarMatch. This non-profit helps connect people who want to donate money with students who need funds for college.
In 2007, Eggers received a $250,000 Heinz Award for his achievements in Arts and Humanities. He chose to give this award money to 826 National and The Teacher Salary Project.
Visual Art Work
While in college, Eggers took art classes. After his first book, he mostly focused on writing. However, he returned to visual art in 2010. He had a solo art show in San Francisco called "It Is Right to Draw Their Fur." This show featured drawings of animals, often with phrases. In 2015, he had his first solo museum exhibition at the Nevada Museum of Art.
Eggers has also contributed his art to music projects. He provided album art for the band Paul Banks & the Carousels. He also designed the artwork for Thrice's album Vheissu.
Activism and Causes
Dave Eggers uses his platform to support important causes.
- In 2021, his book The Every was released. He chose to sell the hardcover edition only in independent bookstores, not on Amazon.
- In 2022, some of Eggers' books were banned in schools in South Dakota. Eggers went to South Dakota to talk about this issue. He offered free copies of the banned books to any student who wanted one.
- In December 2022, Eggers visited Kyiv, Ukraine, to support PEN America. He wrote an article for The New Yorker about his time in the war-torn country.
- In May 2025, Eggers published a short story called Uncle Patrick's Secessionist Breakfast. This story explored the idea of California becoming an independent country.
Personal Life
Dave Eggers lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, Vendela Vida. She is also a writer. They met in 1998 and got married in 2003. They have two children. Eggers was the main guardian for his youngest brother, Toph. They even wrote children's books together.
Awards and Recognition
Dave Eggers has received many awards for his writing and his work helping others.
Awards from 2000s
- 2000 – Time Best Book of the Year for A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius
- 2001 – Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction finalist for A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius
- 2005 – Named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People
- 2007 – The 13th Annual Heinz Award (Arts and Humanities)
- 2008 – TED Prize
- 2009 – Literarian Award of the National Book Award
- 2009 – Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Current Interest for Zeitoun
Awards from 2010s
- 2012 – National Book Award (Fiction) Finalist for A Hologram for the King
- 2013 – Smithsonian magazine's American Ingenuity Award (Social Progress)
- 2015 – Inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters
Awards from 2020s
- 2024 – Newbery Medal for The Eyes and the Impossible
Images for kids
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Eggers in 2018
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Eggers worked with Sudan refugee Valentino Achak Deng to tell a fictionalized account of Achak's life story.
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Eggers in October 2008
See also
In Spanish: Dave Eggers para niños
