What Is the What writes: "Over the course of many years, Dave and I have collaborated to tell my story... I told [him] what I knew and what I could remember, and from that material he created this work of art." The book is typical of Eggers' style: blending non-fictional and fictional elements into a non-fiction novel or memoir. By classifying the book a novel, Eggers says, he freed himself to re-create conversations, streamline complex relationships, add relevant detail and manipulate time and space in helpful ways—all while maintaining the essential truthfulness of the storytelling. However, not all critics were impressed. Lee Siegel sees
How Sweet to Be an Idiot How Sweet to Be an Idiot How Sweet to Be an Idiot is the first solo album by Neil Innes, formerly of The Bonzo Dog Band and later of The Rutles, and was released in 1973. Innes later said of this time Stewart Mason, reviewing the album for Allmusic, described it as "split between tongue-in-cheek parody and straight pop songs" and containing "solidly melodic Beatlesque pop", but was critical of the "unfortunate sterility to Innes' self-production". The title track was released as a single but failed to chart. It was a more instrumented version than on the album, arranged by