Dave Eggers' first book, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Since then he's written two more novels and launched an independent publishing house, which publishes books, a quarterly literary journal (McSweeney's), a DVD-based review of short films (Wholpin), a monthly magazine (The Believer) and the Voice of Witness project.
Meanwhile, Eggers has established himself as a philanthropist and teacher-at-large. In 1998 he launched 826 Valencia, a San Francisco-based writing and tutoring lab for young people, which has since opened six more chapters across the United States. He has extended his advocacy of students by supporting their educators, instituting a monthly grant for exceptional Bay Area teachers. His TED Prize wish is for more people to follow him into getting involved in your local school -- and talk about it -- through the website Once Upon a School.
“Many writers, having written a first best-seller, might see it as a nice way to start a career. He started a movement instead.” — Time
The blogosphere is all a-blog of a new cringe-inducing spoof published at McSweeney’s. Its title, “Atlas Shrugged Updated for the Current Financial Crisis” sums it up well enough. But here’s an excerpt: “I heard the thugs in Washington were trying to take your Rearden metal at the point of a gun,” she said. “Don’t let […]
Continue readingAs part of its new Education Issue, GOOD Magazine is holding an open call for new projects that answer the question: How can you help local public-school children? You can browse some project ideas on GOOD’s website, and submit your own great idea for helping local schools. Then take the next step with your project […]
Continue readingThere’s a great blog over on our sister site, TEDPrize.org, with news of all the 2008 TED Prize winners and interesting updates. This year’s wishes are interactive and amazing, with lots of great things happening right now. Keep up via the feed. From the TEDPrize.org blog: + Karen Armstrong at The Chautauqua Institution — last […]
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