tim_ohearn's reviews
382 reviews

DFW employed a fluid style of writing that I found to be stunningly intellectual yet completely devoid of comedic elements. Cynical without being funny. Upon seeing the year of publication printed at the end of each essay I came closer to the conclusion that I was either too young or too stupid to be reading this book. One conclusion that I had no problem reaching following each essay, however, was that I desperately wished the next passage be written by Chuck Klosterman instead.


Comparing the two author's writings on OJ (which are barely comparable*), DFW's stemming from his coverage of KFI radio personality John Ziegler in the essay "Host" (which is by far the best in this collection**) and Klosterman's coming from his most recent work "I Wear The Black Hat," DFW's prose and witty footnotes are notably overshadowed by Ziegler's rants, especially

Spoiler

the heated argument with Daryl in Temecula

. Klosterman, writing during a time in which OJ's conviction for another crime was known (and a book titled [if] I DID IT was published by the Goldman family), portrayed OJ as a villain and provided an extremely entertaining analysis (by comparing him with other athletes who were vilified). DFW, on the other hand, offers a glimpse into the world of a man who has lost his job (twice) due to tastelessly making a joke about Simpson on-air (the second time when coerced to retell the story of the first occurrence). Regardless, Ziegler is raw and bold in his coverage of and attitude toward the ten year anniversary interview (in 2004, with Katie Couric) and DFW manages to utilize one of Ziegler's off-the-cuff responses to a remark made in the news prep room to construct a brilliant conclusion. DFW sets up the narrative in a way such that it isn't nearly as thought-provoking, or funny as Klosterman's essay, but is so much more powerful and relevant because it features a version of OJ that no longer exists in anyone's mind besides perhaps that of the tortured John Ziegler who, you guessed it, ended up getting fired from KFI***.


I hate to reach such a flimsy conclusion- but the only virtue I can identify in all of David Foster Wallace's writing is that it is "real." Regardless of the subject matter of any of the ridiculous assignments he had, he delivered. And while his humor did not strike me, it has pleased many, and that I did not enjoy it does not make this a book that you cannot enjoy yourself.


*Though both mention the Kobe Bryant rape allegations at least once
**My rating of two stars is attributable in its entirety to this single essay.
***Due to completely unrelated events years after Host was originially published

Several times, Wolfe's dull narration caused my attention to wane to the point that I had to put the book down for a few days. This is a fantastic example of an ethnographic/autoethnographic (I am uncertain of Wolfe's level of participation) text and, though I am far from an authority on the matter, I feel safe in proclaiming this the quintessential book on the Hippie movement.

Not nearly as gripping as Liar's Poker. The narrative doesn't dig as deep, either, as the book isn't one flowing story but rather five separate ones. The topics can be best summarized as Kyle Bass, Greece, Ireland, Germany, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. The themes are all intertwined and amusing references, particularly to Greece, are frequent later in the book. It's a great read if you are as infatuated with Michael Lewis as I am. I wish I had known that it is considered to be a follow-up to The Big Short, but that's next anyway. This can easily be read in an afternoon. I strongly recommend Liar's Poker as the first book if you are trying to get into Lewis' writing.

I thought that the intro by Eric Hobsbawm, though already 16 years old, made the book considerably more accessible to a younger audience. My rating isn't an endorsement of the ideas contained within, but rather an assessment of how well the book met my expectations.

It didn't really do it for me. John Edson never worked at Apple, and I'm inclined to agree that "Design like LUNAR" (the design company that Edson is currently the President of) would have been a more fitting title. While Steve Job's Apple is undeniably the poster child for "design", I don't think that the author provided any truly groundbreaking insight into Apple's process. Edson's real contribution comes from his sharing of his experiences at LUNAR where the firm worked closely with major corporations on innovative projects. It wasn't by any means a bad book, but was by no means groundbreaking and I doubt its viability as an instruction manual for actual designers. All of the examples in the book are still relevant and recognizable. And the Pontiac Aztek is still the ugliest car ever made.