With a boyish grin and a stack of books, famed author David Eggers ascended the stage Saturday afternoon in Page Auditorium to talk about his current work—and mostly to show off his clever humor. Eggers, who gained fame for his autobiographical book A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, read to about 650 individuals a selection of his own writing and some short humor pieces published by McSweeney’s, the publishing house he founded.
“I didn’t even write this so I have no right to read it to you,” he said. “But I will do so and take credit for it.”
Eggers read a bunch of lists, such as schoolyard games for unpopular children. “Teeter” was one game on the list that was greeted with a round of laughter. “Studio apartment,” he then said and waited expectantly while the audience glanced sideways.
“I didn’t get that at first,” Eggers said. “They’re not playing house—”
He also focused on the volunteer writing workshop, 826 Valencia, that he founded to help elementary and high school students at all levels develop their writing skills. His stories bordered on the unbelievable as he explained the process of financing the charity.
When Eggers moved his non-profit venture to San Francisco, he said he leased a storefront large enough to house the tutoring program, but the owner required he sell something at the site. The previous workshop in New York had sold amateur taxidermy supplies. Unfortunately, Eggers said, the store next to the San Francisco site already sold amateur taxidermy supplies.
Not wanting to compete and after doing market research, Eggers and his partners decided to sell affordably priced supplies for pirates.
“It’s a real place,” he told the audience. “I don’t know if it’s a comment on San Francisco or what, but this place does really well.”
The profit of the pirate shop pays the rent on the tutoring business where professional writers give free writing advice, remedial help and lessons in English as a second language. The non-profit has grown to include about 600 volunteers who visit schools to help students directly.
Eggers also read a selection of his own work, with pieces ranging from an upcoming biography of a Sudanese refugee boy to a series of letters Eggers wrote in the persona of a dog named Stephen.
He offered to take questions from the audience, but instead audience members yelled out dares and requests. One student threw Eggers a Frisbee and asked him to do a trick. Eggers then hurled the Frisbee into the empty balcony of Page.
Amy Livingood, parent of a Duke junior, said she could not compel her son Matt to join her. “He’s getting a rest from us,” she said. As a fan of Eggers’ books, she appreciated the opportunity to hear him talk. “I liked his jaundiced view of things,” she said. “It was a good alternative to the football game.”
The event was hosted by the Duke University Union as its annual free Parents’ Weekend speaker. “We’re very happy about the turnout we had going up against the football game and everything,” said senior Kevin Parker, president of the Union.
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