A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius is a memoir by Dave Eggers released in 2000. It chronicles his stewardship of younger brother Christopher 'Toph' Eggers following the cancer-related deaths of his parents.

The book was an enormous commercial and critical success, reaching number one on The New York Times bestseller list and being nominated as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction. Time magazine and several newspapers dubbed it 'The Best Book of the Year.' Critics praised the book for its wild, vibrant prose, and it was described as 'big, daring [and] manic-depressive' byThe New York Times. The book was chosen as the 12th best book of the decade by The Times.

IMPORTANT CHARACTERS:

• Heidi McSweeney Eggers – Dave's mother, a woman who has to deal with raising her children while suffering from stomach cancer. She dies in January 1992, relatively early in the book.

• John K. Eggers – Dave's father was a heavy smoker and drinker. Dave remembers his father by being drunk and angry when Dave was a child, running around trying to find Dave, Beth, and Bill (Dave's other siblings) so he could spank them. Like Dave's mother, Dave's father has a minor role in the book, as he died November 1991, prior to Dave's mother.

• William D. Eggers – Dave's oldest brother. He isn't mentioned much throughout the book, although we know he lives in Los Angeles.

• Elizabeth Anne 'Beth' Eggers – Dave's older sister. Beth was always the one to watch after her dying mother, and helped Dave raise Toph, their youngest brother, when both their parents died.

• Christopher M. 'Toph' Eggers – Dave's youngest brother and sibling, who he must raise after his parents' death. His name is pronounced 'Tofe.'

• Shalini – In one part of the book Shalini falls from a building patio and must stay in the hospital until she has recovered from her coma. Dave stays with her most of the time to make sure she is okay. The remainder of the time he goes out to the pub to drink and 'check out' girls.

• Sari – A sexologist, with whom Dave fantasizes about having sex.

• Marny – After Dave creates a magazine titled Might, Dave becomes good friends with Marny, a girl with whom he works. He sometimes imagines having sex with her, but Marny always gets Dave's mind off sex and back on focus with the magazine.

• Kirsten – Dave's ex-girlfriend after a couple years who shares the same family backgrounds as he does (dead parents). However, Dave and Kirsten still stay close friends after their relationship is over. Kirsten and Beth both help Dave raise Toph, even after Kirsten and Beth move 2 hours away from Dave and Toph.