Remember that quote from lit class in high school, "The best-laid plans of mice and men oft go awry?" Throughout their whirlwind globe-trot, the two main characters in You Shall Know Our Velocity-Dave Eggers' highly anticipated follow-up to 2001's A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius-epitomize Robert Burns' dishearteningly accurate commentary on life.
Eggers, one of the literary world's whiz-kids, chronicles the misadventures of Will and Hand as they attempt to travel around the world in a week. With a naiveté that is shocking for two characters who have just experienced the death of their best friend, the indecisive pair fashion various routes around the world, always attempting to target the hot spots of poverty.
How's Chicago to Saskatchewan to Mongolia to Qatar to Yemen to Madagascar to Rwanda to San Francisco back to Chicago sound for a brief get away?
The notions of the International Date Line in the Pacific, the lack of direct flights between Greenland and Rwanda or the need for visas to enter many countries simply baffle the men, and they are constantly forced to amend their plans.
Through Will's repeated flashbacks, Eggers finally answers the obvious question: Why is Will joyriding to six countries in seven days? Apparently, Will earned $80,000 posing as the logo man for a lightbulb company, but feels an overwhelming urge to hand his unjustified windfall over to the world's needy.
Will's plans are immediately foiled at the airport, however, when the flight to Greenland, their first destination, is postponed indefinitely. Losing time, the duo opt for Senegal instead. Once they arrive, they begin their search for unassuming people who most deserve the money. Their idealism runs out of steam-"the grand design was movement and opposition of time"-and Hand and Will are distracted by clubs, strip bars and beautiful strangers.
Eventually Will realizes "nothing we did ever resembled in any way what we imagined." Achieving satisfaction after having given away the money is extremely difficult because they fail to make even an ephemeral connection with another person.
Although Eggers attempts to develop both Hand and Will through Will's flashbacks, the evolution of the characters is very one-sided. Will's mental stability is questionable when he talks to himself, and his memories concerning his best friend's death and his recent beating constantly haunt him. Hand's outward self-assurance is merely a mask for his confusion about the world.
Stylistically, Eggers' book is very unique, featuring the very beginning and end of the story on the front cover: "Everything within takes place after Jack died and before my mom and I drowned in a burning ferry...." Eggers also incorporates sketches pertinent to the story throughout, such as the note that bears the lyrics to "Jawbreaker" by The Scorpions-"Here I am/ Rock you like a hurricane."
In Velocity, Eggers, a bold and convincing writer, creates an engaging, though oftentimes unbelievable, adventure that is ultimately held together by his own fantastic command of his craft.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.