A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again: Essays and Arguments

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David Foster Wallace made quite a splash in 1996 with his massive novel, Infinite Jest. Now he's back with a collection of essays entitled A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again. In addition to a razor-sharp writing style, Wallace has a mercurial mind that lights on many subjects. His seven essays travel from a state fair in Illinois to a cruise ship in the Caribbean, explore how television affects literature and what makes film auteur David Lynch tick, and deconstruct deconstructionism and find the intersection between tornadoes and tennis.

These eclectic interests are enhanced by an eye (and nose) for detail: "I have seen sucrose beaches and water a very bright blue. I have seen an all-red leisure suit with flared lapels. I have smelled what suntan lotion smells like spread over 21,000 pounds of hot flesh . . ." It's evident that Wallace revels in both the life of the mind and the peculiarities of his fellows; in A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again he celebrates both.

Customer Reviews:

Detailing certain paradigms w/r/t what can loosely be considered the contemporary pomo condition.......2007-08-07

I came to this book of essays via 'Brief Interviews with Hideous' men, a recent DFW short story collection (which I found one of those books I wanted to enjoy but couldn't). This essay collection I found I wanted to enjoy, and I certainly did.

Some pieces contain long stretches of genius. The title piece and 'Getting Away from Already Being Pretty Much Away from It All' are both superb dissections of a luxury Caribbean cruise and a Midwestern country fair respectively. DFW, by merely turning up and observing, picks out with his genius power rays of observation, in hillarious and telling detail, the social rhythms and pulses of these occasions. The Caribbean cruise piece must rank as one of the great modern essays as the detail slowly accumulates to reveal a nauseous portrait of overprivileged wealthy American tourists going through their bovine (with DFW's accompanying 'bovinecophobia) activities, waited on to a ludicrous degree by servants and lackeys, with the express purpose of making sure their every whim is catered for. The Illinois fair piece similarly illuminates the Midwestern condition (people go on holiday to meet people, as opposed to the East Coast where they go on holiday to escape from people) and their dietary habits, their activities (horrendous sounding carnival rides, which the author finds terrifying) and their livestock and rural baking traditions. Credit too for whichever editor of Harpers had the foresight to send DFW on these trips. He certainly taps into a vibe that fairly rips off the page when he writes up such events.

DFW is truly a massively reconstructed Midwesterner. His influences and nostalgia all points Illinois way (as evidenced by a cool piece on the physics of tennis, and his junior ranking years), but his sensibility is all hip and modern - he is well up their with the savviest and smartest of New York writers, in fact he is well above the vast majority of them.

You get the sense that there is no modern feeling that DFW doesn't understand, or try to grapple with. Reading these pieces is to engage with a creative and comic mind of the highest caliber. Unlike many writers, DFW is a true polymath, equally at home in the figures and thought processes of science as he is with pure art. Whether it be the subliminal commercialism that infects so much of contemporary US life, the disturbing suspense (rather than the 'pleasant' commercial suspense) of David Lynch movies, or the unique difficulty modern writers have in grappling with the immense televisual culture, DFW casts illuminating, if at times abtruse, analysis on the situation.

I do feel his style is a little loose limbed at times - my, admittedly probably more hidebound British ear, found the liberal smatterings of 'sort of' 'kind of' and the ubiquitous 'like', though thankfully not ',like', which no one pronounces. And some sentences are clearly only for the super intellectual academic studier of pomo texts. The worst piece, 'Greatly Exaggerated' which trips around various French post modern type deconstruction of the author style theories, is full of sentences like the following: 'What Hix offers as a resolution to the debate is a combination of a Derridean metaphysics that rejects assumptions of unified causal presence and a Wittgensteinian analytic method of treating actual habits of discourse as a touchstone for figuring out what certain terms really mean and do'. Erm, quite.

Still, DFW is known as a super smart intellectual, and he can be forgiven the odd slightly pretentious indulging in his higher planes of thinking. For the majority of this book is accessible, and original, and sheds great light on a whole sweep of contemporary US life, and most importantly is often very very funny in a genuinely warm and human way, which is a trait I find lacking in certain youngish hipster authors.

DFW is virtually unknown in the UK. Unlike some of his contemporaries (particularly Franzen and Safran Froer), he has failed to gain much of a readership over here. His books are only stocked on the shelves of the largest or most enlightened stores. I hope this changes and more non US readers discover his unique voice. As for me, I am limbering up with his most recent essay collection 'Consider the Lobster' as a final wind up before tackling the immense 'Infinite Jest' - any views on how a British reader might find that book from people who have tackled that magnum opus?

4.5 stars.......2007-07-23

As many have said, the title essay in this volume by Wallace is worth the price alone. I've been on a cruise before as well, and holy hell are Wallace's thoughts in this essay spot on. Every sentence drips with truth.

Of course, as with anything by Wallace, you've got to meet him half-way or you will not like/understand him. This collection, because most of these essays were written for magazines or as argumentative essays, is actually very conservative writing-wise for Wallace: there are no grammatical and syntactical acrobatics and page-long insanities that inform his book-length long works, or his more aggressive short stories (like the wonderful but taxing Oblivion).

Of particular relevance in this collection is a nearly 15 year old essay E Unibus Pluram, about the corrosive effects of irony as a literary tactic aimed at television. While some reviewers have suggested this essay is outdated (and in terms of its more topical references/subjects, it is), I think it probably holds more relevance than ever, with the kind of unfathomably corrosive effects that reality TV and MTV and etc. have had on youth culture and the English language. And this is coming from a ripe old aged-22-years fogie.

There are some portions of essays that drag, but I acknowledge that may be due to my own lack of interest (say, in tennis, for the second to last essay). This collection is full of some very funny and informative essays (including one on David Lynch) that are moderately readable even with little knowledge/experience of the subject. If you are just getting into reading Wallace, this is a great way to introduce yourselves before picking up his MUCH more experimental fiction.

A Supposedly Good Book I'll Never Read Again.......2007-02-21

I picked up this collection of Wallace's essays largely based on his reputation as one of America's young, "genius" writers, in the line of Franzen and Powers and while he amply demonstrates his exhaustive vocabulary and keen sense of observation, his selected subject matter is often mundane. The title essay, ultimate in the collection, recounting his 7-day Caribbean cruise, is by far the best work in the collection, but even it wonders off in the weeds with long passages of minutia that seem pointless except to demonstrate the author's verbal pyrotechnics. I find Wallace's signature stylistic trait, the liberal use of long digressive footnotes, to be distracting. Reading him is like browsing a Web page with numerous URL links to other far-flung pages, clicking on each link in sequence just to check out the reference and then navigating back to the original. By the time you get back, you've lost context and the author's original point -- rereading previous paragraphs often ensues. Suffice it to say, this 'two steps forward, one step back' reading experience is frustrating.

I'll rate this book a ***+ or ****- (since we don't get half stars) primarily based on the occasional nugget of wisdom or spot-on description Wallace sprinkles through his essays. It's certainly worth picking up, particularly a cheap remaindered copy, for the two or three decent essays in this set, since it's easy to skip the clunkers (like his visit to the state fair) and move onto the next piece.

Like an amusing dinner guest.......2007-02-11

You know those people who have everyone at your table laughing so hard they can hardly eat? Reading Wallace's essays is just like listening to one of them, complete with hysterically funny asides (long footnotes that will crack you up). Just don't try to read his stuff while eating. Oh, and check out his amazing piece on Roger Federer from last summer's New York Times magazine. You can find it on the Times website. It's worth a search.

A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Keep Doing.......2007-01-04

I discovered Wallace about a year ago, when "Consider The Lobster" came out. (My review of that book explains why.) I have yet to read his fiction; 1,000+ page novels scare the hell out of me, and if you, like me, are one of the great "silent majority" (please, don't start with me, I know where the term originated and I don't need your history lessons, for reasons that should become apparent below), of fiction readers who tend towards popular fiction rather than "literary" fiction, you know where I'm coming from.

But with "Consider the Lobster", I was enchanted, and I did what I mostly do best with current trends: try and catch up 10 years later; those of you who read this and are old will understand; those youngsters among you are already rolling their eyes,if they've survived to this point, but to those survivors I say Wait!

Normally, I'm a bit of a "snoot", like DFW confesses to being in CTL, but unlike him, I haven't the grammatical chops to identify the guilty culprit beyond a reasonable doubt--and far less to name him/her/it. I can only identify when something sounds right or wrong.

And along comes this guy who is a top-notch writer, or so they'd have me believe, who uses colloquial expressions like "like" and "you know", and all those horrible things we were taught to "eschew" (is that the ugliest word in the language or what? It sounds like someone hacking a loogie), and then follows them with pithy observations that are seemingly beyond his years.

This guy actually begins sentences with "And so but" without apology or apparent irony, for God's sake! But his observations, his reporter's eye for detail, are so sharp and telling, and his prose so bitingly clear, that one forgives the annoyances of his style (the footnotes: please don't get me started), and tolerates his wacky genius.

Could he be a better writer? Yes, of course. Could he be funnier? Yes, that too. Could he be both? Probably not, unless he were to undergo a Richard Pryorish running-down-the-street-on-fire thing, which I don't think any of us want to see. And if you do, you're really sick.

So why is this guy a great writer? He breaks most of the rules, certainly all the rules he disagrees with, and leaves in their wake the standard ( Yes, David, "standard", whether you like it or not) postmodern (what a godawful word, and one that he's thankfully avoided in his more recent writings -- don't remember seeing it once in CTL) excuse/reason "That's how my generation talks", and the answer is because he's just plain good at writing. Like his description of himself as a junior tennis player, where he'd be steady and wait for his opponent to let his own mistakes beat him, in a way.

I'm not suggesting that he's a fine writer by default, or unforced error: but by perseverance, and adherence to a goal--describing the situation as he sees it, without apology or irony-- or, if irony's intended, advertizing it well.

Where I do think he is remarkably disingenuous is the point in the title essay where he goes off on Frank Conroy's admittedly "self-prostituting" [sic] essay plugging the cruise line, while explaining to us that advertisements, unlike essays, can never be art.

David, David, David ... tsk, tsk, tsk ....

OK, there's a difference between an essay and an advertisement, but: I read your essay in a book, and it was a book that I bought, and paid for with money out of my pocket, that I worked for, and does the fact that I didn't read it first in Harper's or Esquire or whatever change that? Wouldn't I have had to pay for it one way or another in order to read it in the first place, and doesn't that kind of shoot the legs out of your arguement that essays and ads are inherently different?

Hey, you mentioned postmodernism first, not me.....

Book Description

A bloody and apparently senseless murder had been committed at Carne School, one of the oldest and most glittering ornaments in the British public school system. George Smiley, whose connections with Carne were complicated by sentiment, had had a curious forewarning of the crime and, in a private capacity, pursued its investigation. Without his espionage-trained insight into the workings of the human mind, Smiley might never have solved the case. But logic and insight were hardly enough to spare him the emotional aftermath of a conclusion he did not want to face.

Customer Reviews:

Hmm, Not What I Was Hoping For..........2007-01-14

Having first read Absolute Friends, by John LeCarre, I decided to go back to the beginning and read all of the author's works in chronological order. The first in the Smiley series was Call for the Dead. In that novel, we learn much about Smiley and get a glimpse into the world of spycraft. In the second Smiley novel, A Murder of Quality, spycraft takes a backseat to an average murder mystery. I look forward to reading the 3rd Smiley novel, The Spy Who Came In From The Cold, because I expect that it will be continue in the same manner as Call for the Dead. I rated this book 3 stars as it is not a bad read. It is simply a read. Not great, not bad, but just a touch above average. This is not a knock on the author's style, as he is clearly gifted. This is more so a knock on a novel that lacks much suspense and intrigue. In a genre (the British Murder mystery) clearly dominated by the likes of Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, P.D. James, Martha Grimes, and the like... this story pales in comparison. I would certainly suggest reading the book if you, like me, are interested in reading the entire Smiley series; however, I would temper your expectations if you are looking for an enthralling read.

A solid 3 stars.

Smiley is the new Holmes.......2006-08-30

Its a wonderful read! This George Smiley book is of the classic mystery genre. Although the mystery and story itself are quite subdued, there is a lot more to the book than the plot itself. Le Carre is severly critical of the English private school organization and to me it read more as a diagnostic of problems with the organization with a very finely crafted story as the veneer.

If you end up liking this one "Smiley's People" is one you will enjoy even more...perhaps his best work.

Average customer rating:

Good Read for Smiley's Character Development
One of the earlier ones - but spellbinding!
A favor for a lady
A pleasure to read
Competent enough episode

A Murder of Quality
John le Carre
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Spy Stories & Tales of Intrigue | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0743431685

Book Description

John le Carré's classic novels deftly navigate readers through the intricate shadow worlds of international esionage with unsurpassed skill and knowledge, and have earned him -- and his hero, British secret Service Agent George Smiley -- unprecedented worldwide acclaim.

George Smiley was simply doing a favor for Miss Ailsa Brimley, and old friend and editor of a small newspaper. Miss Brimley had received a letter from a worried reader: "I'm not mad. And I know my husbad is trying to kill me." But the letter had arrived too late: it's scribe, the wife of an assistant master at the distinguished Carne School, was already dead.

So George Smiley went to Carne to listen, ask questions, and think. And to uncover, layer by layer, the complex network of skeletons and hatreds that comprised that little English institution.

Customer Reviews:

Good Read for Smiley's Character Development.......2007-01-14

One of the earlier ones - but spellbinding!.......2006-05-20

I have just re-read a Murder of Quality - I read it for the first time last year in 2005. And, I have just read the reviews here on Amazon - which describe the book quite well. So, what will I add to them? Just the following points:

(a) This is a very slim volume - specially when you compare it to some of his other works - the Constant Gardner, Absolute Friends & the Tailor of Panama...

(b) It is one of his very early works - his second novel & published in the early 1960s. While reading it I understood that this was written just about 15 years after the end of the second world war in 1945 and one often comes across the shadow of the war, its events and effects...

(c) But it is gripping!!! The twists in the plot are great - each time one thinks 'Aha! So, she/he murdered her...' and each time there is a twist & the possible murderer changes... Reminiscent of a good Agatha Christie novel!

(d) The 1989 (?) introduction in the paperback edition is nice - one gets slightly closer to Le Carre & comes to know the author somewhat better.

(e) The school setting is great - it brings out very well the pettiness which one expects to find in a boarding school where masters stay on campus.

So, all in all a good read - not his best work & not comparable with his other more recent novels, but good nonetheless - it also gives a good sense of how his writing has evolved over the decades since a murder of quality was first published. My rating 3.5 to 4. Recommended, but only after one has read his other works...

A favor for a lady.......2006-02-01

George Smiley discovers who murdered the assistant principal-master of the Carne school--Smiley was forced into this by the wife and by an old friend Alisa Brimly.
There were unusual happenings---hatreds and hidden effects that were part of the lives Smiley was brought into.

A pleasure to read.......2006-01-24

I have enjoyed the John le Carre books and it was wonderful to go back and look at his first novel. A great writer.

Competent enough episode.......2005-09-26

Le Carré chooses a context he worked in for years (British Public School) to solve a murder. The formula of a mildly quirky detective has become such a popular one - how many TV shows work this way? - and if you're after another workable episode, sure.

I was more giving it a go having only read one other of his books: his poignant, dark and striking The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. George Smiley is a different bird entirely - not trying to soar or kick, just to entertain. Somehow I didn't find Smiley as engaging as I suspect I was supposed to, so I could take or leave it.

Average customer rating:

CALL FOR THE DEAD & A MURDER OF QUALITY

Manufacturer: Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GR3400

Average customer rating:

Murder of Quality

ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Call for the Dead

ASIN: B000I2J24K

The Quality of Mercy: A Murder Mystery Featuring Lord Edward Corinth and Verity Browne

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The Quality of Mercy: A Murder Mystery Featuring Lord Edward Corinth and Verity Browne
David Roberts
Manufacturer: Carroll & Graf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0786718404

Book Description

When the Nazis seize Austria in March 1938, Verity Browne — the New Gazette's correspondent in Vienna — is one of the first to be deported as a well-known anti-Fascist. Before she leaves she is able to arrange for a young Jew, Georg Dreiser, to escape to England, but where he expects to find safety, he finds danger and sudden death.

Lord Edward Corinth also finds death where it is least expected, in the grounds of Lord Montbatten's country house, Broadlands. There to meet his friend the Maharaja of Batiala, Edward's nephew Frank stumbles on a corpse. The police are satisfied that the man, identified as Peter Gray, a painter of some repute, died of natural cause; but his niece, Vera, persuades Edward that all is not as it seems.

Between them, Edward and Verity investigate two murders and Verity's eyes are opened to what has been obvious to all their friends, that Edward is the man she loves and that her destiny is to be his partner in life as well as in crime.

Average customer rating:

A Murder of Quality
John LeCarre
Manufacturer: Signet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000GQWM40

The spy who came in from the cold : Call for the dead ; A murder of quality ; The looking-glass war ; A small town in Germany

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The spy who came in from the cold : Call for the dead ; A murder of quality ; The looking-glass war ; A small town in Germany
John Le Carre
Manufacturer: Heinemann/Octopus
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0905712315

ALFRED HITCHCOCK'S MYSTERY - Volume 29, number 2 - February Feb 1984: The Legacy; Tears for Maggie Shannon; The Four Nets of Angelo; Closing Time; The Quality of Mercy; Killing Time; Lady Luck and the Golden Girls; Murder Figures; A Tiger's Skin

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ALFRED HITCHCOCK'S MYSTERY - Volume 29, number 2 - February Feb 1984: The Legacy; Tears for Maggie Shannon; The Four Nets of Angelo; Closing Time; The Quality of Mercy; Killing Time; Lady Luck and the Golden Girls; Murder Figures; A Tiger's Skin
Cathleen (editor) (Dan A. Sproul; Stephen Wasylyk; Thomasina Weber; Russ Martin; Libbet Proudfit; Mary Monica Pulver; T. Robin Kantner; Lawrence Doorley; David Braly; W. W. Jacobs) Jordan
Manufacturer: Davis Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000MACUGA

Call for the dead ; and, A murder of quality: A 2-in-1 volume

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Call for the dead ; and, A murder of quality: A 2-in-1 volume
John Le CarreÌ
Manufacturer: Rediscovery Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

CALL FOR THE DEAD AND A MURDER OF QUALITY

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CALL FOR THE DEAD AND A MURDER OF QUALITY
John Le Carrem
Manufacturer: Hill and Company Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000V3NZ5S

Book Description

When Little Lamb gets a letter from a mysterious friend, it seems innocent enough. But when Mama Sheep gets suspicious and tracks down lamb's pen pal, she puts an end to the letter writing in no uncertain terms! Now, how will this small, tender, fluffy Little Lamb find a friend?

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Arthur's Pen Pal
Arthur's Pen Pal

Arthur's Pen Pal (I Can Read Book 2)

Manufacturer: HarperTrophy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 006444032X

Book Description

Arthur thinks his pen pal is more fun than his little sister. Little sisters don't do things like karate and wrestling -- or do they? It takes a surprise letter to show Arthur that sometimes there's more to sisters -- and pen pals -- than meets the eye!

Customer Reviews:

Arthur's Pen Pal.......2000-12-18

This book is about a pen pal. Arthur thinks that his pen pal is a boy but it is a girl for real. I liked this book because it had really good pictures. I didn't like this book because it was too hard to read. I think kids should read this book.

Arthur's Pen Pal.......2000-12-18

This book is about Arthur's pen pal. I liked this book because it is cool. I didn't like this book because it had some hard words. I think this book is cool. It's really fun. I think kids should read this book.

Arthur and the Pen-Pal Playoff: Arthur Good Sports Chapter Book 6 (Arthur Good Sports Chapter Books)

Average customer rating:

Excellent for beginning chapter book readers
Arthur And The Pen-Pal Playoff
Arthur Could Be Any Kid

Arthur and the Pen-Pal Playoff: Arthur Good Sports Chapter Book 6 (Arthur Good Sports Chapter Books)
Marc Brown
Manufacturer: Little, Brown Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0316121703

Book Description

Marc Brown's new chapter book series features Arthur and his friends for sports fans ready to read on their own.Each book features a longer, sports-related Arthur Adventure, which has been vetted by a reading specialist and has loads of kid appeal. Arthur is in top form as he tries to help Buster goaltend like his hockey hero and plays basketball with a new pen pal.Arthur fans will want to read and collectall of these new chapter books!

Customer Reviews:

Excellent for beginning chapter book readers.......2006-03-17

My child loved this book. Unlike the other Arthur chapter books, the books from the "Good Sports" series have not been shown on "Arthur" on tv.

Arthur And The Pen-Pal Playoff.......2003-01-10

I read Arthur And The Pen-Pal Playoff. I think this book is great. I think little boys and girls will want to read this wonderful book. This book is great for nine year olds to read.
Little kids will want to read this book over and over again, it's an adventure. This is a way to keep young ones away from the TV. I do recommend this book.

Arthur Could Be Any Kid.......2002-01-05

When Arthur talks up his basketball skills in a letter to a pen-pal that he was assigned to write for class, he feels that he's in over his head. His pen-pal writes back that he's a great basketball player as well and then he learns that his pen-pal is the lunch-lady's grandson. Next thing he knows, Mrs. McGrady (the lunch-lady) arranges them to play a one-on-one basketball game. The thing that's great about this story is that it's a situation that many readers can identify with. Eventually, Arthur's forced to face his situation head-on, but he's not the only one...

This is the last book of the "Arthur Good Sports" series. Whether any more books will be published in this series is not yet known, but the six-year 2001 set make a great addition to the "Arthur" series.

Average customer rating:
Animal Pen Pals
Rikki
Manufacturer: AuthorHouse UK DS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1420865897

Book Description

On leaving Western Canada to move to England Rikki had to leave some of her pets with her daughter, Sarah, who already had several of her own. But "The Kids" (the pets) missed each other, and to ease their sorrow, they began sending e-mails back and forth. Although some of The Kids are 'related', there are others who have not yet met. But very quickly, all of them form strong bonds as they learn about each other and their differences, teaching them tolerance and understanding. Read as they share how it feels from both sides when someone new joins the family, supporting each other through this major change. See the world through their eyes as they face life-threatening situations and terrifying events. Laugh with them as they describe their adventures, their mishaps and their escapades. Be entertained when they get themselves into hilarious situations. It's a safe bet that you will find yourself torn between rooting for them and for the parents!! Read the stories that lead The Kids to learn valuable lessons about life, relationships, and the reasons for rules. Smile as they share their fears, loving and supporting one another, developing bonds that will warm your heart. Visit their website at www.animalpenpals.com and The Kids will e-mail you, too!

Average customer rating:

Harry's Smile
Kathy Caple
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin (Juv)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: School & Library Binding

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0395434173

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Just Like Sisters (Anne Schwartz Books)
Angela McAllister
Manufacturer: Atheneum/Anne Schwartz Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1416906436

Book Description

Nancy knows that she and her pen pal, Ally, are going to be as close as sisters. And from the moment Ally steps off the plane to visit, the two girls are inseparable. With Ally's endless energy and Nancy's boundless joy, even everyday activities like dancing become a celebration of friendship.

This irresistibly funny, heartwarming story -- which features an unlikely duo -- proves what all best pals know to be true: Friends are the family you shoose.

Book Description

The key to the fitness philosophy of David Kirsch-personal trainer of choice for New York's rich and famous-lies in the concept of Soundness, which allows you to: lWork with your unique body type: Are you an apple? A pear? A stick? Already fit? lMaster your eating habits instead of being a slave to cravings. lLocate the seat of your strength so you can build wellness from there. lOutwit attitudes that threaten your exercise efforts by paying proper attention to posture, gaze, flow, and other mind-body components. In addition to the mental conditioning, dozens of full-color photos illustrate Kirsch's signature moves for creating a beautiful chest, legs, shoulders, and abs, with a special section on cardio sculpting. And, Kirsch offers tips that make each exercise exponentially more effective-'secrets' he's developed for celebrity clients such as supermodels James King and Heidi Klum, who appears in the book. Forty delicious recipes and a nutritious 2-week food plan round out the program.

Customer Reviews:

Best fitness/nutrition book I have read.......2006-08-06

I have found this book to be the best on the market when you want quality information concerning nutrition and exercise. I have highlighted so many pages to reference back to. David goes into detail on so much plus there are color pictures. I also purchased his book The Ultimate New York Body Plan but found this one more practical and attainable in reaching my goals. After reading this I can see why he is known as a fitness guru, and this book has sound advice that can be beneficial to attaining a better body!

Good Program.......2006-07-25

This is a good program for people who want to get in and stay in shape without spending half of their life at the gym. You do need to spend some time building your own program sheets using the info in the book. I also bought his "Ultimate New York Body Plan" (it reflects on my obsessive streak that I'd buy both!)and I think that program would be difficult to implement for most ordinary mortals. Buy this one!

Great muscle toning/sculpting book!.......2005-07-20

There are plenty of basic and advanced versions of exercises divided by body part. The book has many pictures that clearly illustrate the exercises. There are plenty of body weight exercises, as well as with weights. I found this book to be very helpful in creating an exercise program!

Perfect.......2004-09-21

There's a reason why Heidi Klum and other supermodels seek David out for his training skills. He not only focuses on the physical and nutritional elements to fitness, but also the mind and motivation. It's like having your own personal trainer right in your home and for much less money!

Just what my body needed.......2004-09-13

I am a fitness freak and a fitness and dance instructor. I am always looking for a new way to challenge my body and take it to new extremes. This book really gave me an understanding of what I need to do to take my body and its strength to the next level. It is comprehensive and easy to understand. I reccommend this book to all my friends and anyone who is looking for a good fitness trainer but don't have the money for a live one, whether you are just starting out or you are stuck in a rut. He has developed workouts that fit your body type too, which makes it even more of an ideal workout because you can zone in on slimmming your trouble spots.

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