Amid the screams of adulation for bandanna-clad wunderkind David Foster Wallace, you might hear a small peep. It is the cry for some restraint. On ...
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Nov 29, 2010
Paul
rated it: 
ON HAVING HAD IT WITH DAVID FOSTER WALLACE FOR THE MOMENT
Given that most of my goodread friends love DFW with immoderate, alarming gusto, this requires some kind of explanation.
There’s a direct parallel between DFW and James Joyce. They both tended perpetually towards the encyclopaedic. They were utterly indifferent to audience expectation - even to the modernist, avantgardish audience they themselves created. Their main books are vast, oceanic, limitless affairs. They More...
Given that most of my goodread friends love DFW with immoderate, alarming gusto, this requires some kind of explanation.
There’s a direct parallel between DFW and James Joyce. They both tended perpetually towards the encyclopaedic. They were utterly indifferent to audience expectation - even to the modernist, avantgardish audience they themselves created. Their main books are vast, oceanic, limitless affairs. They More...
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Dec 13, 2011
Erikaaaa
rated it: 
If there are 12 things i appreciate in the world, i'm sure one of them is repetition for effect and i don't care if it's in music or in humor, anything. I'm not saying that's DFW's best element here, but it's done sooooo masterfully and it just works for me. I love tight and elegant prose, duh, but if you're going to be neurotic then just go all the way and DO IT and don't stop, keep going, it's so good and getting better.
From a linguistic view, yep, it's astounding. The subtleties o More...
From a linguistic view, yep, it's astounding. The subtleties o More...
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Dec 16, 2009
sarah
rated it: 
Usually when some undergraduate English major brings up DFW to me at a keg party I tend auto-file them under "douchebag." Because, let's be honest people - Infinite Jest was profoundly not good. But everything that's irritating about Wallace's thoroughly self-aware postmodern writing style is somehow much more stomachable in smaller bites. Brief Interviews has its highs and lows - the quality is extremely variant between the pieces - but when it's on, it is ON. In fact, Brief Interview
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Nov 24, 2011
Ry
rated it:
DFW's book of short stories are seemingly simultaneously devoted to reinventing the form of the short story as we know it and upholding the virtues of great literature that have been valued for so long.
If I could use one word to describe this whole collection, the word I would use would be, "honest." Because that's what this book is. Pure honesty. The ways in which Wallace captures the voices of the characters, the way he evokes the manners of speech of current-day citizens More...
If I could use one word to describe this whole collection, the word I would use would be, "honest." Because that's what this book is. Pure honesty. The ways in which Wallace captures the voices of the characters, the way he evokes the manners of speech of current-day citizens More...
Apr 21, 2011
Mark
rated it: 
Of DFW's three short story collections, this is the one I enjoy the least. It's certainly his most thematically coherent collection, but perhaps that's part of my problem with it. Though the stories are almost unbelievably well-written and ingenious (this is DFW, after all), many of them either have this aura of impersonality about them or (in the case of the monologues, of which there are many) they are so insularly personal as to feel claustrophobic.
"The Depressed Person," More...
"The Depressed Person," More...
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Dec 13, 2011
Davis
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I wanted to love David Foster Wallace. I mean, I wanted to just totally hang off of every single word...and I did...for about half of the stories in 'Brief Interviews With Hideous Men'. Around 1/2 of the stories are utterly amazing. The prose is dense and luxurious, with a vocabulary that is surely unparalleled in contemporary literature. The opulent use of footnotes may annoy some, I actually found the effect they had to be quite humorous especially in 'The Depressed Person'. The tales which sh
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Mar 23, 2011
Jen3n
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The first time I logged in this book way back when I opened my Goodreads account and was just throwing everything I could remember ever picking up to read at the Goodreads wall in an attempt to not leave anything out. At that time I didn't write a review of this book. Not for any particular reason; I didn't write reviews for most of the books I have in my library. A couple for some I really loathed, one or two for some I liked, a couple for some that I (for one reason or another) felt the nee
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Oct 20, 2008
Travis
rated it:
David Foster Wallace is one of those "love him or hate him" kind of guys. His fans love his quirky stories, textural experimentations, and insights on the human condition. His critics, however, think he's too full of himself and egotistical. After attempting to read "Infinite Jest" last year, I was of the latter group. But after reading "A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again" and trying "Infinite Jest" again, I now consider myself a fan.
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Nov 19, 2007
Scott
rated it:
Well, if I take the last part of "my review / what I learned from this book" seriously, I'd need to say that I learned to not give away anything for free, but rather put an arbitrary price on the item if I wanted to actually get rid of said item. That's what I learned from The Devil is a Busy Man.
I learned that putting a "Q." without actually typing the questions and then only giving the reader the answer to said question is a pretty good gimmick. I learned that More...
I learned that putting a "Q." without actually typing the questions and then only giving the reader the answer to said question is a pretty good gimmick. I learned that More...
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Nov 09, 2011
Jennifer
rated it:
Ugh. Wow, this is just... bad. By page 230, I had had enough. The thing is, it's as if he decided he had to use every trick up his literary sleeve and instead of relying on the ingenuity and originality of his stories, he mucks it all up by trying too hard to be "unique." There are the brief interviews, which in and of themselves are interesting (saving this reviewer from having to give the author of one of my favorite books of the year one measly star). Then there are several short st
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Dec 16, 2009
Eleanor
rated it:
I think I seriously offended a friend when I told him that this book made me want, at times, to hurl it across the room. That I never did tells you something. David Foster Wallace is clearly an arrogant, egotistical prick -- I'm sure if I met him I'd detest him, find his "I'm smarter than you" demeanor even slimier in person than in print.
Still, he is clearly a gifted writer, and when he lets his bag of tricks (many of which I find offensive) drop away what remains is bril More...
Still, he is clearly a gifted writer, and when he lets his bag of tricks (many of which I find offensive) drop away what remains is bril More...
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Nov 26, 2008
Eli
rated it:
So, so much to like about this. Around halfway through I started wondering whether I was still enjoying it, and then a couple of pieces really shook me, moved me more than anything I've read in a long time. There is such a considered rawness to DFW's writing, this emotional intelligence and brutality of style.
There were a couple of stories I was bored by and one (Tri-Stan: I Sold Sissee Nar to Ecko) that I skipped after reading the first page because I just hated it. The repetition, More...
There were a couple of stories I was bored by and one (Tri-Stan: I Sold Sissee Nar to Ecko) that I skipped after reading the first page because I just hated it. The repetition, More...
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Mar 23, 2009
Laura
rated it:
I just finished reading Brief Interviews With Hideous Men. This book is some kind of a literary masterpiece yeah. I just didn’t enjoy reading it that much.
I understand what this book is supposed to be, and it’s very eye-opening to note what he is doing/trying to do/succeeding to do in any one of these stories, but it is simply not enjoyable to read. It is rather like– as a child does in one of the earlier stories in this book, the only story I enjoyed– finding yourself forced to leap off o More...
I understand what this book is supposed to be, and it’s very eye-opening to note what he is doing/trying to do/succeeding to do in any one of these stories, but it is simply not enjoyable to read. It is rather like– as a child does in one of the earlier stories in this book, the only story I enjoyed– finding yourself forced to leap off o More...
Jan 26, 2012
Michael
rated it:
From Trade Paperbacks:
THE GOOD PEOPLE OVER AT THE RUMPUS recently published some thoughts I had on David Foster Wallace's "Brief Interviews with Hideous Men."
The piece, which ran in their Last Book I Loved series, is something of an advice column, borne out of my strained efforts to have a casual conversation about such a strange book.
THE GOOD PEOPLE OVER AT THE RUMPUS recently published some thoughts I had on David Foster Wallace's "Brief Interviews with Hideous Men."
The piece, which ran in their Last Book I Loved series, is something of an advice column, borne out of my strained efforts to have a casual conversation about such a strange book.
That last bit will also require explanation, if they aren’t already aware, which prompts that face people tend to make whenMore...
Aug 28, 2011
Alanmartinson
rated it: 
Brief Interviews with Hideous Men is the worst kind of writing. It stems from narcissism in both his writing and his story-telling techniques, which are all for the author's gratification, and certainly not the reader's. While complex writing can be the result of complex issues or emotions, BIWHM inserts complex and repetitive writing for no apparent reason other than the author's gratification. Perhaps it is a result of my lack of reading skill (although I have always done well on reading co
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Jul 30, 2011
This collection of stories has some real gems: funny, self-referential, and full of familiar types who you know you met ("We couldn't possibly have met the same guy, right?!"). I personally love the meta-fiction aspects of much of Wallace's writing, as it puts a spotlight on what it means to tell a story and how we all have these stories and constructs of self running around inside our heads; sometimes reading Wallace makes me feel like I need psychotherapy, but in a good way, a "
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Jul 08, 2011
Zach
rated it:
There is no denying DFW's genius, particularly in the area of psychology, where many of his stories read like case studies (albeit clever, humorous ones) more than fiction. To me, sometimes the stories rambled on longer than they needed to, rehashing the same point in admittedly (subtly) different ways, driving home an idea, but driving it to the point that I was tired of it. DFW also writes with a deep detachment from his subjects. I am all for detachment. I love detachment. I think there
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Feb 05, 2011
Anita
rated it:
I wanted to love this book. I wanted to love David Foster Wallace. I bought this book after I had a dream. I dreamt of a strong-jawed man with long hair and later, when I saw the tail end of the movie based on this book, I Googled "David Foster Wallace" and realized he was the man I had dreamed about. So because I am sort of daft, I felt this was a sign.
It wasn't and I feel sort of odd that I didn't love this book from a literary icon.
It had its moments. " More...
It wasn't and I feel sort of odd that I didn't love this book from a literary icon.
It had its moments. " More...
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Aug 01, 2010
The Awdude
rated it:
This is DFW's funniest collection, also his most experimental. The range and variety of humor in these stories is astounding, schizophrenically comprehensive, and at its best laugh out loud hilarious. The same could be said about his multifaceted experimentation; he pretty much empties out the tool kit and uses everything he's got. It takes some (a lot) of patience on the reader's part, especially for stories like "Octet" and "Church Not Made with Hands," the latter of which
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Feb 26, 2010
Mia
rated it:
Definitely won't be most people's cup of tea. It's several (I didn't count, but maybe 30? 40?) different interviews with various people (not all just men, actually) where you do not hear the interviewer's questions, only the responses. Each interview has a completely unique voice (because people have unique voices) and some of them are so incredibly fantastic that you have stop a minute and just admire the fact that an author so brilliant as DFW can completely get inside the head of another huma
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Jan 25, 2010
Kat
rated it:
If ever there was a more fitting title for a series of shorts, I'm not aware of it.
David Foster Wallace quickly became one of my favorite writers after I first picked up this book on the recommendations of one of the clerks at City Lights bookstore in San Francisco. DFW makes you think, makes you sad, makes you angry, and makes you shrug...a lot. He's so good at capturing the ugliest part of the human condition, and those who have gone too far over the deep end, on paper in a way th More...
David Foster Wallace quickly became one of my favorite writers after I first picked up this book on the recommendations of one of the clerks at City Lights bookstore in San Francisco. DFW makes you think, makes you sad, makes you angry, and makes you shrug...a lot. He's so good at capturing the ugliest part of the human condition, and those who have gone too far over the deep end, on paper in a way th More...
Sep 24, 2009
Read the STOP SMILING review/essay about the film adaptation of Brief Interviews with Hideous Men:
In John Krasinski’s film of Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, many of the Interviews are conducted at a desk, in front of a bare wall, with a microphone and pitcher of water — like a table read, really, which makes sense given that Krasinski’s first exposure to David Foster Wallace’s stories came as an undergrad taking part in a staged reading of the monologue-length pieces. Mak More...
In John Krasinski’s film of Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, many of the Interviews are conducted at a desk, in front of a bare wall, with a microphone and pitcher of water — like a table read, really, which makes sense given that Krasinski’s first exposure to David Foster Wallace’s stories came as an undergrad taking part in a staged reading of the monologue-length pieces. Mak More...
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Jun 28, 2009
Greg
rated it:
This (along with "Good People") is probably the best introduction to DFW's fiction that I've found, featuring pretty-short stories in a bunch of different styles and voices. You're pretty much guaranteed to find one that you'll fall in love with, like one of the titular interviews or his second-person voice in "Forever Overhead":
More...Happy Birthday. Your thirteenth is important. Maybe your first really public day. Your thirteenth is the chance for people to recognize t
Jun 14, 2009
Gilly
rated it:
Wallace takes on a range of defense mechanisms and fantasies that are built into our society and that prevent us from loving others purely and generously. He pokes fun at surgical enhancement and irony, and he shows how twisted people become when they try to replace experience with sensation, feeling with feeling good. Most of all, he forces us to confront the ways we use others to sustain our own sense of self-worth.
The writing is full of what could seem like meta-fictional gimmick More...
The writing is full of what could seem like meta-fictional gimmick More...
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Mar 25, 2010
Michael
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
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Jul 28, 2011
Tim
rated it:
I don’t know if there’s anyone who’s had more insight into the modern human mind…or if there is, I don’t think anyone can even come close to articulating it like David Foster Wallace can. Nothing is sacred, and everything is exposed. It was eerie reading his snarky insights on therapy/psychotropic drugs…for obvious reasons. Besides that, even the long winded parts of this book were entertaining. It was fascinating, as I’d noticed with “Infinite Jest”, to see how far his creative mind could stret
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May 31, 2011
Jacob
rated it:
This is probably the best introduction to DFW and the way he operates. Also a great way to understand the fierce loyalty he inspires in fans. DFW here is at his least pretentious and most forthright in terms of themes, styles, and the structure of his writing. If you want to understand him and know why he's important in the vast landscape of pomo literature, read this book.
Infinite Jest may be more famous, and overall probably has a lot more merit in a lit/academic sense, but Brief In More...
Infinite Jest may be more famous, and overall probably has a lot more merit in a lit/academic sense, but Brief In More...
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Jan 04, 2011
Gottlieb
rated it:
Insecurity, Insensitivity and Intensity. Incredible. Inspiring? Idunno.
This was one DFW that I was not so convinced of most of the time, but found some great bits in it as well, especially at the very end - e.g., it isn't easily noticed, how there is a constant weaving of different threads going on in all these stylistically highly heterogenous and innovative (that should go without saying with DFW, of course) stories and sketches, they are not finally resolved or anything, you can't More...
This was one DFW that I was not so convinced of most of the time, but found some great bits in it as well, especially at the very end - e.g., it isn't easily noticed, how there is a constant weaving of different threads going on in all these stylistically highly heterogenous and innovative (that should go without saying with DFW, of course) stories and sketches, they are not finally resolved or anything, you can't More...
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Jan 12, 2010
Carrie
rated it:
Listened to part of this one on audiobook and can only remember the part about the boy on the high dive on his birthday and some description of a horizon. Oh, and there was one disturbing vignette where an abusive, but well-spoken man keeps talking about his proclivities (am I right? It's been a while and I can't quiiite remember). The descriptions are intricate and poetic, but I generally dislike poetry, so I felt conflicted while listening to this book. Do I appreciate the way these flowery fr
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