“Most observers see Dave Eggers and his fans as existing outside politics. But Eggers’ literary superstardom is prompting an alternative culture that has grown up around him over the last five years. It is a San Francisco- and Brooklyn-based community of writers, artists, designers and, increasingly, children – with a growing national following. They are the readers, contributors and designers of the literary journal-cum-Web site McSweeney’s (first published in 1998) and McSweeney’s Books. They are, especially in the last year, the audiences at McSweeney’s-sponsored conferences, readings and concerts across the country. They are idealistic about education, sentimental about children and impatient with the homogeneous culture that corporations produce.”