You Shall Know Our Velocity! By Dave Eggers

Reviewed by Mike Degen

Click the photo to purchase You Shall Know Our Velocity

I picked up the novel You Shall Know Our Velocity! without knowing anything about the author, Dave Eggers, whose previous publication A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius had apparently rewritten the memoir genre. The cover art, the title, the terse two-sentence synopsis on the back cover— $32,000 must be given away in a week, around the world. But why —made me want to give this a shot. A praise excerpt likening its protagonists to Holden Caulfield sealed the deal.

YSKOV! is Dave Eggers's first novel and, for me, introduced the kind of wit and writing-style that I realized I'd been looking for in a book. Will and Hand's is a travelogue of sorts, the story of two friends who wish to disseminate a hunk of money in the form of traveler's checks to random strangers around the world to help mourn the recent loss of a mutual friend. With an eye for the comic, the awkward and the human spirit, Eggers has produced in his novel a stunning portrait of life and its many quirks.

Eggers's voice is loud, obnoxious and brilliant. His descriptions are poetic. His comedy poignant. At times he even had me laughing aloud. I can't remember the last time that's happened. The scene that comes to mind is when Will and Hand arrive in Senegal , their first stop on their world tour, and believe they are being kidnapped by a man they think is a cop. In an attempt to confuse the man they purposefully talk faster hoping that, even if the man had some knowledge of the English language, if they spoke extra-fast he would definitely not be able to understand them.

It is these moments that make this novel the memorable read it is. At its heart, it is a life-affirming tale, an introspective look of a person dealing with the death of close friend. But intermittent photos and handwritten notes aside, YSKOV! is simply an entertaining read.

The reader is acquainted with Will and Hand as they roam aimlessly through the world trying to decide to whom and how to give their money away. All the while Will is haunted by his memories; of his dead friend, of how he was beaten in an alley and how each new country reminds him more and more of places in America.

But it is the story that Eggers seemed meant to tell. His writing is fluid and real. At once YSKOV! is funny, dark, ambitious and universal. Fans of Staggering Genius, David Sedaris, of a good story will want to give this book a shot.