Los Angeles Times:

Before we discuss "The Monk of Mokha," let's take a moment to appreciate what Dave Eggers is not. After his 2000 memoir"A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" became a hugely influential bestseller, Eggers could have easily written the same book over and over again for the rest of his life. Or perhaps he might have degenerated into one of those one-hit-wunderkinds who only occasionally deign to issue girthy novels about famous novelists experiencing midlife crises.

Instead, Eggers has spent the massive capital generated through his sudden literary celebrity on ceaseless experimentation. He's written screenplays and children's books and a spray of curious novels that feel nothing like the plodding, self-referential paperweights some of his peers have been crushed beneath. He became a publisher of books and journals, and a relentless advocate for nonprofits, founding literacy centers for underprivileged kids in a half-dozen cities. He is generous with his platform, sharing his fame with writers and causes who deserve greater attention.

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