McSweeney's Issue 28 (Mcsweeney's Quarterly Concern) (Hardcover)

by Dave Eggers (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

In eight illustrated books, elegantly held together in a single beribboned case, McSweeney?s 28 explores the state of the fable?those astute and irreducible allegories one doesn?t see so much anymore in our strange new age, when everyone is wild for the latest parable or apologue but can?t find time for anything else. Featuring fable-length work by Daniel Alarcón, Sheila Heti, and Nathan Englander, and different illustrators for each piece, McSweeney?s 28 promises to offer many nights? worth of fine reading.

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Product Details Hardcover: 300 pages Publisher: McSweeney's (September 1, 2008) Language: English ISBN-10: 193478107X ISBN-13: 978-1934781074 Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.7 x 1 inches Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #412,776 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	56% buy the item featured on this page: McSweeney's Issue 28 (Mcsweeney's Quarterly Concern) 3.8 out of 5 stars (4) $18.00
	16% buy McSweeney's Issue 29 (Mcsweeney's Quarterly Concern) $16.32
	11% buy McSweeney's Issue 27 (Mcsweeney's Quarterly Concern) (No. 27) 3.5 out of 5 stars (2) $18.00
	10% buy McSweeney's Issue 24 (Mcsweeney's Quarterly Concern) 4.5 out of 5 stars (4) $18.00

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4 Reviews 5 star:  (1) 4 star:  (2) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:  (1) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 3.8 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 4.0 out of 5 stars The Fable Issue, June 2, 2009 By  Matt M. Martin "No, One" (Fort Collins, CO) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    McSweeney's 28, like issues 13 and 19 and to some extent 17 and 22, is one of their anomalous issues, one seemingly more focused on presentation than content. It's important to realize what you're getting into here: There's not a whole lot of writing; the whole issue can be read in about 20 minutes, but that's not really the point. The issue consists of eight tiny books held in a frame, which can be puzzled together in groups of four to form two nice artpieces. The eight tiny books each feature an illustrated fable by a different author. The fables are all good. Merely "reading" this issue is a fun hands-on experience, both very innovative and hell, actually pretty delightful. It might have been nicer with 12 or 16 fables, but these fables are rereadable and the whole thing is a treat--to anyone with a sense of discovery and a regard for imaginative design and a love of great fiction, this will be like a literary toy. 5.0 out of 5 stars ...but I ALWAYS love McSweeneys, January 8, 2009 By  Justen R. Ries (Denver) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    I have been collecting them since issue 8 and I love that they are all so different. This one reminds me of the adventure story issue, because that one was paperback and someone complained that this issue was too short. It may be short (eight illustrated fables in individual books), but it's potent and thought provoking. As always fabulous artwork too. 4.0 out of 5 stars Good stories, not a whole lot of material, September 13, 2008 By  PolarisDiB "dibness" (Southwest, USA) - See all my reviews    I'm a relative newcomer to McSweeneys, having started reading about McSweeneys 25 or so. As far as literature periodicals go, it's one of the most consistent and the best in terms of writing craft and interesting stories. This latest one, like so many others, is full of interesting stories in an attractive, unique box with puzzle-matching individual books for each story. The issue is dedicated to fables, and they're all really good. They range from surreal to quite classical. The thing is, though, the eight stories in this collection are all really short, and even with taking the time to read the foreward inside the cover of the case and look at the different illustrations (most of which are fantastic), this edition doesn't take very long to get through. I don't want to stress quantity all that much, because frankly McSweeneys is an enjoyable experience for anyone who reads, but this volume is a little expensive for about an hours worth of reading. Nevertheless, one of the neat things about McSweeneys' various ways of printing multiple books and the like is the ability to split up the stories and send them on different paths. One of my favorite things to do with the periodicals is pass them off to friends, though not always in their complete forms. With eight different fables all independently bound, the quantity can be made up by sending different stories to eight different friends, and letting them all pass them on independently as well. It's a fun way of seeing which people end up with what story and introduces a lot of people to some decent writing, so that they can get interested too. No better way to get things read than passing it on, right? --PolarisDiB		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 2.0 out of 5 stars Let Down After being such a huge fan of #27, this issue was a big disappointment. Maybe if I liked Children's Lit more, I would have enjoyed this, but the "fable" genre just strikes me as... Read more Published 8 months ago by I. Gazarek Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 300 pages
• Publisher: McSweeney's (September 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 193478107X
• ISBN-13: 978-1934781074
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #412,776 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars The Fable Issue, June 2, 2009

By	Matt M. Martin "No, One" (Fort Collins, CO) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

McSweeney's 28, like issues 13 and 19 and to some extent 17 and 22, is one of their anomalous issues, one seemingly more focused on presentation than content. It's important to realize what you're getting into here: There's not a whole lot of writing; the whole issue can be read in about 20 minutes, but that's not really the point. The issue consists of eight tiny books held in a frame, which can be puzzled together in groups of four to form two nice artpieces. The eight tiny books each feature an illustrated fable by a different author. The fables are all good.

Merely "reading" this issue is a fun hands-on experience, both very innovative and hell, actually pretty delightful. It might have been nicer with 12 or 16 fables, but these fables are rereadable and the whole thing is a treat--to anyone with a sense of discovery and a regard for imaginative design and a love of great fiction, this will be like a literary toy.

5.0 out of 5 stars ...but I ALWAYS love McSweeneys, January 8, 2009

By	Justen R. Ries (Denver) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have been collecting them since issue 8 and I love that they are all so different. This one reminds me of the adventure story issue, because that one was paperback and someone complained that this issue was too short. It may be short (eight illustrated fables in individual books), but it's potent and thought provoking. As always fabulous artwork too.

4.0 out of 5 stars Good stories, not a whole lot of material, September 13, 2008

By	PolarisDiB "dibness" (Southwest, USA) - See all my reviews

I'm a relative newcomer to McSweeneys, having started reading about McSweeneys 25 or so. As far as literature periodicals go, it's one of the most consistent and the best in terms of writing craft and interesting stories. This latest one, like so many others, is full of interesting stories in an attractive, unique box with puzzle-matching individual books for each story.

The issue is dedicated to fables, and they're all really good. They range from surreal to quite classical. The thing is, though, the eight stories in this collection are all really short, and even with taking the time to read the foreward inside the cover of the case and look at the different illustrations (most of which are fantastic), this edition doesn't take very long to get through. I don't want to stress quantity all that much, because frankly McSweeneys is an enjoyable experience for anyone who reads, but this volume is a little expensive for about an hours worth of reading.

Nevertheless, one of the neat things about McSweeneys' various ways of printing multiple books and the like is the ability to split up the stories and send them on different paths. One of my favorite things to do with the periodicals is pass them off to friends, though not always in their complete forms. With eight different fables all independently bound, the quantity can be made up by sending different stories to eight different friends, and letting them all pass them on independently as well. It's a fun way of seeing which people end up with what story and introduces a lot of people to some decent writing, so that they can get interested too. No better way to get things read than passing it on, right?

--PolarisDiB