Customer Reviews

Eyeheart Everything

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I could go on and on about the stories that I loved in this collection- from the insane personal ads to the tale of the man who was born typing, the guys who trace a phone call with their television to the crazy Mykle Systems Labs advertisements urging the reader to send a dollar to what is presumably the author's address in Portland- but that would be too easy. Instead, I'd like to focus on the afterward.

See, these stories were written by Mykle Hansen before he became famous. These were the things he composed when he wasn't in the international spotlight, before he began considering the perspectives of cannibals and bear hunters. Mykle Hansen may not have always been famous, but he was always awesome.

Eyeheart Everything is a zine. It was originally photocopied at Kinko's and given out to whoever wanted it. It sold some copies at Powell's and caught the attention of a few people. This book is the physical manifestation of one man's vision. A man who was unwilling to wait for the publishing industry to take note. A man who was too hardcore for Dave Eggers.

Dave Eggers. Freaking Dave Eggers. I swear to Jesus, I will kick that man's butt one day.

But I digress.

I love this collection because it represents the humble beginnings of a brilliant mind. Some of the stories are weird, others are hilarious, but all are endearing. This is a book that you want to keep with you, stuffed in your backpack for emergency use. I liked finding the tidbits that would evolve into his later work, the experiments with voice and narrative that would, one day, inspire me.

The afterward is the story of this book and, arguably, is the best part of the collection. The tale of a guy trying to get his work out there at his own expense will always be inspirational to me. And, if nothing else, this book is a testament to the fact that just because it's free doesn't mean it's bad. Look at what this thing has become. Seriously, fifteen bucks for a freaking zine? That's highway robbery.

But I'd pay it again.

P.S. The Kindle formatting of this book is really great. Nice and clean.

Mykle is a great guy and his book is a keeper. I always enjoy picking it up to read and reread the anecdotes/stories. They are funny, witty, and sometimes sweet.

There are a handful of books in this world that I absolutely adore. You know, the ones that go on your desert island list, the ones you would stop to grab on your way out of a burning building. This is one of those books for me. So many stories, so many approaches, so many ideas. It inspires me in my own writing. It is both hilarious and thought-provoking. I actually bought two copies, just in case one goes bad, and I encourage you to do the same.