A hologram for the king amiably ambles through a narrative desert, saved by an oasis of a performance from the everdependable tom hanks. The a hologram for the king community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. The protagonist of dave eggerss latest novel, a hologram for the king, is decidedly herzogian. A hologram for the king is a novel by dave eggers that involves the attempts of american businessman alan clay to stabilize his finances, find happiness in life. A hologram for the king is based upon dave eggers 2012 book of the same name, and boy does it feel that way. In october 2012, the novel was announced as a finalist for the national book award. It was adapted as a film of the same name, released in 2016 and starring tom hanks and sarita choudhury plot.
A hologram for the king takes us around the world to show how one man fights to hold himself and his splintering family together in the face of the global economys galeforce winds. A hologram for the king proves that eggers forte is nonfiction a heartbreaking work of staggering genius and zeitoun or, at least, fiction based on nonfictional events what is the what. A hologram for the king features tykwers known style of repetition and alternative music choices, and is a sad misfire. Its a disappointment, then, when a hologram for the king transitions this antifatalism into a succession of epiphanies you can get wholesale. A hologram for the king is a 2016 comedydrama film directed, written and coscored by tom tykwer, based on the 2012 novel of the same name written by. A hologram for the king summary how alan failed to get his groove back. As the narrative changes from a fascinating circle to a flat journey for alan to find his new self, it drags to metaphorical checkpoints, like when yousef drives alan off a different path, and later. In a hologram for the king, dave eggers takes us around the world to show how one man fights to hold himself and his splintering family together in the face of the global economys galeforce winds.
It was the most contemporary novel id read in a very long time so i felt like it couldnt wait. The a hologram for the king community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and. A novel is primarily a business novel, and is about alan clay and his adventures of business in saudi arabia. In a hologram for the king, eggers inserts himself into the psyche of alan clay, a latterday willy dave eggers is a phenomenon. This study guide consists of approximately 19 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of a hologram for the king. An excerpt from dave eggerss a hologram for the king. A hologram for the king is a 2012 american novel written by dave eggers. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of beyond good and evil and what it means.
A hologram for the king by dave eggers 26,338 ratings, 3. I didnt know a hologram for the king was based on a book until the end credits rolled. A hologram for the king is rated r under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian for some sexuality and nudity, strong language and brief drug use. Tom tykwers adaptation of the dave eggers novel has americas everyman, tom hanks, getting his groove back in an exotic locale. A hologram for the king proves its entertainment just to stare back at tom.
A hologram for the king, in theaters april 22, is actually an adaptation of dave eggers 2012 novel of the same name. A novel is primarily a business novel, and is about alan clay and his adventures of business in saudi arabia clay used to be one of the. Dave eggers new novel hits you with prose as stark and as luminous as its saudi arabian setting. A hologram for the king is a 2016 comedydrama film directed, written and co scored by tom tykwer, based on the 2012 novel of the same name written by. In a hologram for the king a kind of death of a globalized salesman, alight with all of arthur millers compassion and humanism eggers at once pushes that project forward and. This taut, richly layered, and elegiac novel is a powerful evocation of our contemporary moment and a moving story of how we got here. This taut, richly layered, and elegiac novel is a powerful evocation of our contemporary momentand a moving story of how we got here. Alexander black yousef is a versatile american actor chosen from a worldwide search to play the 2 nd lead opposite tom hanks in a hologram for the king.
A hologram for the king treads lightly and elegantly, considering its weighty subject matter. The film adaptation of the dave eggers book feels like a visual interpretation of a novel, a movie that ultimately is too jampacked with small vignettes because director tom tykwer didnt. In my opinion, this book is about much more than just the decay of american business. Looking back on my viewing experience, that explains a lot.
A hologram for the king is a novel by dave eggers that involves the attempts of american businessman alan clay to stabilize his finances, find happiness in life, and. A hologram for the king 2016 financial information. A middleaged man scrapes for his identity in a saudi arabian city of the future. Alan clay, a 46 years old american sales man reaches jeddah in saudi arabia to peddle a holographic teleconference system to king abdullahs newly planned yet to be constructed economic city in the middle of a deserted land. Were considering expanding this synopsis into a fulllength. Its about the life of a poor man who tries to deal with his difficult situation. In a hologram for the king, eggers inserts himself into the psyche of alan clay, a latterday willy loman, a longtime salesman for the late lamented schwinn bicycle company who has been retained by an ibmlike global firm to sell a huge package of it services to the octogenarian king abdullah of saudi arabia. As tom tykwers adaptation of david eggers novel proves, its. It is unfair to say that booktofilm adaptations do not work, but. In the upcoming movie tim, he lost 40 pounds and gained 15 pounds of muscle in order to play both tim and tims ego. Hes a middleaged escapee from a disastrous marriage, a ruined career, and various massive failures in adulting. Mcsweeneys is publishing the hardback edition of a hologram for the king, and in your acknowledgments, you thank the entire staff at the thomsonshore printers in dexter, michigan. Alan clay, the main character of the book hologram for the king, is the one from that unfortunate crowd.
A failed american sales rep looks to recoup his losses by traveling to saudi arabia and selling his companys product to a wealthy monarch. The a hologram for the king community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. Unfinished business, writes herzog to a friend in saul bellows classic novel of male midlife crisis. The full title of this book is a hologram for the king. A hologram for the king tom hanks plays an american business adrift in saudi arabia in this striking but only partial realization of dave eggers novel. A hologram for the king isnt a true story, but theres. A hologram for the king, by dave eggers the new york times. This book by mcsweeneys founder eggers zeitoun, 2009, etc. A hologram for the king chapter 1 chapter 17 summary. A hologram for the king, by dave eggers the independent.
This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of a hologram for the king by dave eggers. In a rising saudi arabian city, far from weary, recessionscarred america, a struggling businessman named alan clay pursues a lastditch attempt to stave off foreclosure, pay his daughters college tuition, and finally do something great. With tom hanks, omar elba, sarita choudhury, ben whishaw. A hologram for the king hit a very particular nerve in me, tykwer recalls. A hologram for the king by dave eggers book summary. Author of 17 books and two screenplays, including fiction, nonfiction, and a memoir, several of them bestsellers. Talking with dave eggers about a hologram for the king. A summary of overall analysis and themes in friedrich nietzsches beyond good and evil. In a rising saudi arabian city, far from weary, recessionscarred america, a struggling businessman pursues a lastditch attempt to stave off foreclosure, pay his daughters college tuition, and finally do. So hes heading to king abdullah economic city kaecpronounced cake in saudi arabia to help reliant corp.
A hologram for the king is a 2016 comedydrama film directed, written and coscored by tom tykwer, based on the 2012 novel of the same name written by dave eggers, and starring tom hanks as a washedup corporate salesman, who goes to saudi arabia to propose a business deal sidse babett knudsen, tom skerritt and sarita choudhury also star in this international coproduction between france. It is a book about the kind of guy who might have good reason to support donald. After all, the trailer suggests a plot about lovable tom hanks making his way through the desert, having hilarious cultural misunderstandings, and finding love. He is known to go to great lengths to portray characters. When i read a hologram for the king, i noticed different aspects that i would like to develop. Its very much about now, yet it still it has the sense of a classic novel in that its a book for all times. Chicago turabian humanities citation style guide eggers, dave, a hologram for the king. This summary of a hologram for the king includes a complete plot overview spoilers included. Financial analysis of a hologram for the king 2016 including budget, domestic and international box office gross, dvd and bluray sales reports, total earnings and profitability. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Eggers first conceived of the story when the character of alan clay popped. That novel was a globetrotting tale about giving away money. A hologram for the king is a novel by dave eggers, published in. Unfortunately, whenever eggers tries to concoct a compelling novel, he falls flat.
416 36 521 1096 403 679 1299 372 1094 870 1430 1255 540 796 999 969 861 1182 1013 1355 1485 577 484 786 546 676 1092 1276 430 155 837 784 754 1342 1288 273 1343 1183 535 839 696 749 1247 439 1477 114 423 1228 1140