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kateraed's review against another edition
4.0
Feels like a conversation with a friend.
The only frustration is Lipsky projecting himself into DFW's intentions. More than once he does [little parenthetical interpretations] that made me think: that's what that sentence would mean if YOU said it, not necessarily what DFW meant. Lipsky isn't great at differentiating the two.
And, he has DFW on such a pedestal, which shows up in weird little ways, like thinking he himself is slipping into a midwest accent because DFW has a strong personality, when really that's a very human thing to do when traveling and surrounded by an accent, regardless of the "strength" of the person you're with.
Still, totally worth it for DFW's words, which really are the bulk of the book -- Lipsky's low EQ is easily pass-over-able.
The only frustration is Lipsky projecting himself into DFW's intentions. More than once he does [little parenthetical interpretations] that made me think: that's what that sentence would mean if YOU said it, not necessarily what DFW meant. Lipsky isn't great at differentiating the two.
And, he has DFW on such a pedestal, which shows up in weird little ways, like thinking he himself is slipping into a midwest accent because DFW has a strong personality, when really that's a very human thing to do when traveling and surrounded by an accent, regardless of the "strength" of the person you're with.
Still, totally worth it for DFW's words, which really are the bulk of the book -- Lipsky's low EQ is easily pass-over-able.
rebadee's review against another edition
5.0
Although of course you end up realizing what a kind, brilliant soul we lost when DFW left us.
dwlejcjvg's review against another edition
3.0
Some parts are really, really good. Some parts drag on.
undeadletters's review against another edition
4.0
Really great and breezy and such a joy when Wallace is speaking. Most of the parts where Lipsky is writing are pretty bad, but fortunately those aren't very frequent. I'd have loved to hear/read Wallace geek out a bit more about other authors and books. He talks about Barth a lot and DeLillo and he describes Barthelme's "The Balloon" as giving him an "erection of the heart" and holy shit if that isn't awesome and apt.
I don't know. If you like DFW this is more than worth your time.
I don't know. If you like DFW this is more than worth your time.
the23rdjoker's review against another edition
5.0
True of my entire life, but especially nowadays in the age of overwhelming TV inundation made all the more addictive because everything's "unmissable".
Also added to my pop culture addictions:
Reading this book, and seeing DFW's thoughts and philosophies splashed across the page in (admittedly often quite awkward to read) transcript form.
And now I need to rewatch The End of the Tour all over again, to catch all the bits of dialogue they ripped straight from the pages of this book, and transplanted to Jason Segal and Jesse Eisenberg's mouths...
necklace_53's review against another edition
5.0
I would recommend this book for everyone who wishes to begin reading David Foster Wallace. This book will help them understand his chain of thoughts and certain aspects of his thought process which he underlines in almost all of work.
stewreads's review against another edition
5.0
A very special book for David Foster Wallace fans, that should be read even by people who know very little of his work. It’s incredible, shedding light on the author’s work, life, and thoughts on fame, television, entertainment, etc.
But most importantly, it’s about Wallace as a human being. Not some mythic never-do-wrong literary god, but a real person with feelings and passions, opinions and interests. It’s a shame he’s gone.
But most importantly, it’s about Wallace as a human being. Not some mythic never-do-wrong literary god, but a real person with feelings and passions, opinions and interests. It’s a shame he’s gone.
jackflagg's review against another edition
3.0
It's a great book for DFW fans, but otherwise I think the movie summarized it pretty well.
renatasnacks's review against another edition
4.0
I had weird deja vu reading this because it's basically an expanded version of the article David Lipsky wrote for Rolling Stone after DFW's death. Actually I kept thinking my Kindle was skipping around or something and then I finally realized that I *had* already read parts of this. Anyway, it's pretty much just the transcripts of the tapes Lipsky recorded while he was following DFW around on his Infinite Jest book tour. If that sounds like something you would like, you would probably like this.
mattstebbins's review against another edition
2.0
Lipsky's had the opportunity to write about DFW with quiet skill in the past; Rolling Stone then killed the assignment. With this book, though, I can't help but wish Lipsky'd been edited as it might have, had RS chosen to run it. There are moments of great gravity, dense specifics scattered throughout - but most of the time, unedited reads as unedited.
(Save yourself time and frustration; you're better off just reading this: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/30/books/review/Kalfus-t.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all And yes, I realize the whole stream-of-consciousness transcription was supposed to be reflective of DFW's thought process, etc, etc, but I don't care. That's just like my opinion, man.)
[2.5 stars for the hope of what editing might have done.]
(Save yourself time and frustration; you're better off just reading this: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/30/books/review/Kalfus-t.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all And yes, I realize the whole stream-of-consciousness transcription was supposed to be reflective of DFW's thought process, etc, etc, but I don't care. That's just like my opinion, man.)
[2.5 stars for the hope of what editing might have done.]