Chicagoist: Convince Us: David Finally Wallace

bopo

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 16:37:13 -0600

I'll second Guest 5's recommendation. The title essay in A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again is one of the best and funniest essays I've ever read.

guest

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 12:45:59 -0600

and, it wasn't the only suggestion CHICAGOIST!

pantagrapher

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 12:42:58 -0600

It's certainly not his best work, but it's the only DFW offering (aside from Brief Interviews...) that fits in with the spirit of Convince Us. Collections are a pain in the ass to review. IJ is too long. BotS is just right. By the way, anyone else looking forward to the movie version of Brief Interviews? Rumor has it DFW has been pleased with the screenplay.

Walrus

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 11:44:44 -0600

Yeah, I agree that his short story or essay collections are a better place to start. I like his writing and even I have a hard time getting through his novels...DFW is kind of like the literary equivalent of prog rock; it's amazing, but sometimes it's best consumed in small doses.

aaronz

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 11:36:15 -0600

As a longtime DFW promoter, I'm going to have to strongly agree with Tankboy here. I'm perhaps his biggest fan and I think Broom is not only his weakest work but generally not that great at all. It was written when he was young and still finding his voice. For fiction I'd start with Brief Interviews, although Oblivion is probably my favorite story collection. Infinite Jest, of course, is amazing, but if you're just getting your feet wet, you'll probably want to start lighter. Consider the Lobster is his nonfiction at its finest. In other words, starting at the beginning is not always the best route.

guest

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 11:04:06 -0600

Nooooo. Don't start with BotS or you'll ruin your appetite for more. Do "A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again" or "Oblivion." They're much, much better. --whet

guest

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 10:44:31 -0600

Oh God, you're jumping into David Wallace because you want something quick after the astoundingly dry Paul Theroux? You think you're going to read a David Wallace in a week? Wow. Good luck with that.

guest

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 10:25:04 -0600

Broom is manageable. And the Great Ohio Desert is awesome. "they did Kuwait." LOL

pantagrapher

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 10:10:40 -0600

That's right, mofos.

Tankboy

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 10:09:38 -0600

I love DFW, and think it's great you're taking him on, but I'll be honest and admit Broom might not be the best entry point. I probably would have suggested one of his short story or essay collections ... but enjoy anyway!