A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again
Essays and Arguments
Ratings83
Average rating4.2
A collection of insightful and uproariously funny non-fiction by the bestselling author of INFINITE JEST - one of the most acclaimed and adventurous writers of our time. A SUPPOSEDLY FUN THING... brings together Wallace's musings on a wide range of topics, from his early days as a nationally ranked tennis player to his trip on a commercial cruiseliner. In each of these essays, Wallace's observations are as keen as they are funny.
Filled with hilarious details and invigorating analyses, these essays brilliantly expose the fault line in American culture - and once again reveal David Foster Wallace's extraordinary talent and gargantuan intellect.
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Another fun and interesting collection of essays (which makes me think that maybe I like essays, even though I'm most often not in the mood for one). Favorites: "E Unibus Pluram" (of course), "Getting Away from Being Pretty Much Away from It All", and "A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again".
A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again - 4 stars:
After my third book by David Foster Wallace, I’ve come to a few conclusions:
- He loves tennis in a way that’s hard to overstate.
- He seems to deliberately restrain his sense of humor—perhaps because he found it distasteful or not “serious” enough.
- He uses 100 words where 10 would do.
- His nonfiction is great; his fiction, more hit or miss.
On the essays:
- “Derivative Sport in Tornado Alley”: Beautiful, honest, and evocative.
- “E Unibus Pluram”: I know it’s a well-known piece, but I almost DNF’d the book because of it. Exhausting, monotone, and seemingly endless. Just when you think it’s over, another tirade begins.
- “Getting Away from Already Being Pretty Much Away from It All”: Fun, well-written, and eye-opening—a glimpse into a part of America I had completely ignored.
- “Greatly Exaggerated”: Didn’t leave much of an impression.
- “David Lynch Keeps His Head”: Deep, original, and thought-provoking. Made me see Lynch in a completely new light.
- “Tennis Player Michael Joyce...”: The true standout. A brilliant dive into the soul of tennis, written with deep knowledge and an open mind.
- “A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again”: The most accessible piece. Finally, some less constrained humor and a lighter tone—a well-deserved breather at the end of a remarkable, if often exhausting, collection.
Essays that I could relate to - the state fair, the cruise - were fantastic. Others that I felt less of a connection to - tennis, TV, David Lynch - contained great writing and a lot of interesting ideas, but also felt like they went on too long. I think I'm ready for his fiction now.
