Both Flesh and Not, David Foster Wallace

This book is a posthumous collection of Wallace's essays that showcases his blend of high-octane intellect and profound human empathy. The collection captures Wallace’s evolution from a self-conscious "would-be writer" in the late 1980s to the cultural giant who wrote the title essay, "Roger Federer as Religious Experience”… a masterclass in sportswriting. Other highlights, such as "The Nature of the Fun," provide an intimate, vulnerable look into the writer's psyche, while Wittgenstein’s Mistress offers a rigorous philosophical workout that fans of his dense, footnote-heavy style will enjoy.

However, it seems to be an uneven nature and the ethical murkiness of posthumous curation. These pieces were pulled from various points in his career and were not curated by Wallace himself; the collection feels like a "B-sides" compilation compared to definitive works like Consider the Lobster. The inclusion of his personal vocabulary lists between essays can feel like filler, padding the page count without offering much. For the casual reader, this read can feel like an echo of an amazing writer.