As a book critic, I don't have much time for recreational reading but after reading the compelling reviews in the New York Times and Harper's, "2666" seems to be an absolute must-read, a literary event, if you will, and those don't come along too often. Strengthening the Harper's high praise was the fact that the author of the essay-length review admitted up front that she absolutely despised Bolano's "The Savage Detective" and yet she still approached the posthumous release with more than an open mind. That's what pretty much sold me on it.