Mr. Wallace isn't just funny (and he can be wickedly funny), he has a superb command of language, isn't afraid to use words, is beautifully observant, and has a great sense of character. All of those gifts have converged in a couple of these essays to make them, or parts of them, utterly memorable. Unfortunately, there are some long dead moments within each essay that make me stop and think, Now here's an example of really bad judgment. What's unfortunate is that Wallace's mistakes tarnish the lustre of his finer moments. Without the extreme bad here, though, we might not also have the extreme good. And in the end it's worth it. There are a few writers who always get grouped together with Wallace in literary commentary, but not a single one of can hold a candle to this guy.