David Foster's Wallace's "A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again" is one of the few modern American masterpieces out there. Through a non-fiction narrative of incredible descriptions, philosophical thought, and endearing revelations, David Foster Wallace takes readers on a tour of his impressive observation and writing skills.
A handful of his essays and 90's driven rhetoric is a bit harder to follow, coupled with the constant need for a dictionary/thesaurus/Wikipedia/bigger brain to read his work. But it is possible to sludge through some of his technical writing savvy, and when an essay hits you in the write way, it's the closest thing to teleportation (except teleportation).
These essays for me included two prime examples of a skilled writer let loose in familiar situations. The first, an essay chronicling the Illinois State Fair. DFW's detailed accounts in the 4-H building, the baton-nista competition, and human description acquired while people-watching at the Illinois State Fare is full of laughs and intriguing insights.
After his encounter and subsequent essay on the Illinois State Fair, Esquire sent him on a Mega Cruise Luxury Cruise Ship. And this, in my opinion, is the best and most reflective of his style and talent. This essay is consequentially the title essay of the book and also the very last 100 pages of the thick manuscript. Worth the ride the whole way, it will make you think differently on how you see and interpret the world, take it for a spin.
-Brad
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