Helpful Score: 1
Dark, witty and very David Foster Wallace.
Helpful Score: 1
This book is a post-postmodern book of short stories with a very stylistically intrusive author. I loved it because occasionally David Foster Wallace will describe some emotion or experience in such direct, perfect language that I can barely stand it. When he stops playing with form and function and stops winking and nodding at his content, he is a master of recreating the human experience in fresh words. I recognized myself in his characters and it was brilliant. HOWEVER! His style is not for everyone.
I give the book 5 stars because A) it contains occasionally nuggets of gold and B) it's a necessary read if you are a fan of / student of modern literature.
I give the book 5 stars because A) it contains occasionally nuggets of gold and B) it's a necessary read if you are a fan of / student of modern literature.
David Foster Wallace's Brief Interviews with Hideous Men is a compilation of vignettes/interviews told entirely from the male point of view. And yes, these men are truly hideous! The cast of male narrators range from the garden variety exploitative womanizer/woman-hater, to the seriously deranged, to the truly frightening!
Each story/interview is compelling in the same way that rubberneckers are drawn to vehicular accidents: shock and horror are mixed with fascination. Women readers in particular will appreciate Wallace's laser penetration into the dark recesses of men's souls. One interviewee calls his deformed arm âthe assetâ because he uses it to manipulative women into sleeping with him. Another male narrator brags about sexually exploiting a hysterical jilted woman. Several stories are detailed rants from men who hate women.
While the interviewees/narrators are various degrees of repugnant the stories themselves, however, are exquisitely crafted with layers upon layers of details. For example, one story is a lengthy exposition on diving that is also about suicide. Wallace's craftsmanship is truly impressive!
Brief Interviews with Hideous Men is a fascinating, albeit disturbing, examination of the dark side of the male psyche.
Hachette Audio; Unabridged edition (September 8, 2009)
Advance Review Copy Provided Courtesy of the Publisher.
Each story/interview is compelling in the same way that rubberneckers are drawn to vehicular accidents: shock and horror are mixed with fascination. Women readers in particular will appreciate Wallace's laser penetration into the dark recesses of men's souls. One interviewee calls his deformed arm âthe assetâ because he uses it to manipulative women into sleeping with him. Another male narrator brags about sexually exploiting a hysterical jilted woman. Several stories are detailed rants from men who hate women.
While the interviewees/narrators are various degrees of repugnant the stories themselves, however, are exquisitely crafted with layers upon layers of details. For example, one story is a lengthy exposition on diving that is also about suicide. Wallace's craftsmanship is truly impressive!
Brief Interviews with Hideous Men is a fascinating, albeit disturbing, examination of the dark side of the male psyche.
Hachette Audio; Unabridged edition (September 8, 2009)
Advance Review Copy Provided Courtesy of the Publisher.
"Dark" is not the word for it: it's a black hole; but wry & incredibly funny. DFW winks as his hideous men reveal their horrible flaws. I
Hated this book, didn't read past the first 20 pages. I think you would have to be a real literary genius to appreaciate and enjoy this form of literature.
Of DFW's books of short stories which I have read, I consider this one closest to Infinite Jest in style and tone. There are also hints of The Broom of the System here.
If you have not read any Wallace and are looking for a good introduction that will also give you a taste (albeit not an exact taste, because none of his books are exactly similar; he was always growing as a writer) of what to expect from his magnum opus, then this is a great choice.
Wallace's style is different in many of his short story collections: for example, The Girl with the Curious Hair and Oblivion, while both excellent, did not prepare me for Infinite Jest. I read Infinite Jest before Brief Interviews and loved it; and now, I have NOT been disappointed by Brief Interviews With Hideous Men.
If you have not read any Wallace and are looking for a good introduction that will also give you a taste (albeit not an exact taste, because none of his books are exactly similar; he was always growing as a writer) of what to expect from his magnum opus, then this is a great choice.
Wallace's style is different in many of his short story collections: for example, The Girl with the Curious Hair and Oblivion, while both excellent, did not prepare me for Infinite Jest. I read Infinite Jest before Brief Interviews and loved it; and now, I have NOT been disappointed by Brief Interviews With Hideous Men.
If that's what I want, I can watch Fox News any time
