McSweeney's Issues One Through Three [Paperback]

Dave Eggers (Editor)

Book Description

Series: Mcsweeney's | Publication Date: August 1, 2006

Dave Eggers launched Timothy McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern in 1998 as an outlet for writings by himself and his friends, such as David Foster Wallace, who had been rejected by other, established journals. Eggers’ irreverent approach included a pioneering design that incorporated chapbooks, drawings, and all manner of cultural confetti previously unseen in the lit-mag format. McSweeney’s became an instant hit, showcasing the work of major new voices as well as literary luminaries such as William T. Vollman and Joyce Carol Oates. Long out of print and available only in the pricey collectors’ market, the first three issues appear in this omnibus, reproduced precisely as they first appeared. Longtime fans can revisit some of the best of the early McSweeney’s, while those new to the journal will see what all the fuss was about. A bracing range of topics include John Hodgman writing on the topic of cavemen, Jon Langford on Lester Bangs, Gary Greenberg on the Unabomber, and much more.

Product Details

• Paperback: 500 pages
• Publisher: McSweeney's; 2nd edition (August 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0971904766
• ISBN-13: 978-0971904767
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.6 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,016,871 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Warts and all, December 25, 2009

By 

Roger E. Sadler (Temple, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: McSweeney's Issues One Through Three (Paperback)

This is an incredible buy to get the first three issues. They are now on issue 33. Even as reprints, you get to read and see them just as they were, warts and all. There are 1.7 lbs and 500 pages of paper. It's not all going to be great. Less than a penny a page. And McSweeney's has always been for readers, even if they are reading facsimile advertisements as one issue was.
I have "The Better of the First Ten Issues" and now I get to read the dross. Hooray for McSweeney"s. Mistaking these as the first three actual issues is a moot issue. It never crossed my mind that these were reprints.

I'm just going to start at page one with a bookmark and read until I get to page 500. And if something disappoints me I'm not afraid to skip to the next story. This book just feels wonderful in the hand.

3 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Where On the Ad Does It Mention that these are Reprints?, March 7, 2009

By 

RJ (Sydney, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: McSweeney's Issues One Through Three (Paperback)

It's McSweeneys and to some extent it's what I would expect: a mix of very good and interesting (and occasionally not) pieces of writing. I have heard that the earliest volumes were more uneven than the later. But my problem is not with the writing but that fact that these are reprints and nowhere in the advertisement for these did I see that mentioned (clearly or otherwise) so I bought two.

I love my McSweeneys but I don't love how Amazon have advertised this particular set of mags. As soon as I have the time to work out how to get a refund I intend to pursue one.