Despite a number of posthumous publications (most notably the unfinished novel The Pale King), David Foster Wallace has been dearly missed by a devoted readership since his death in 2008. Faithful fans will be excited to find a new anthology of Wallace's nonfiction, Both Flesh and Not, which contains 15 previously uncollected essays.
The first essay, "Federer Both Flesh and Not," is, without a doubt, the perfect beginning for a Wallace collection, covering a topic that he loved--it's an ode to tennis and one of its greatest players, Roger Federer. The remaining essays are wide-ranging in topic, from contemporary young writers to AIDS to the U.S. Open to Terminator 2. Also included are several in-depth book reviews and the introduction Wallace wrote for the 2007 edition of Best American Essays. Interspersed between the essays are a selection of unusual words and definitions taken from Wallace's personal vocabulary list.
Not all of the essays in Both Flesh and Not are equally powerful, but the mix of subject matter and the variation in breadth don't detract from the powerful pull of Wallace's writing. His insatiable curiosity and his divergent passions are clearly on display here, as is his ability to expound on pop culture just as authoritatively as literature or philosophy. Though Wallace will always be missed, readers won't want to pass on this chance to enjoy his work once again. --Roni K. Devlin, owner, Literary Life Bookstore