In this respect, the book reminded me of John McPhee’s classic Levels of the Game, about Arthur Ashe’s 1968 U.S. You’ll take away insights that go way beyond what you get by reading the typical article in a tennis magazine or listening to a color commentator on TV. I would say to anyone who likes tennis as much as I do, you have to read String Theory. (During those intense years, my only exercise was running around the office and jumping up and down.) I’m now back on the court at least once a week and have built a pretty solid game for a 61-year old who can’t hit a lot of winners from the baseline. I gave up tennis when I got fanatical about Microsoft. The book gave me the perfect opportunity to give Wallace a try, because I really enjoy tennis. Then this past May, Library of America came out with String Theory, a short volume of Wallace’s essays on tennis. It is one of the most moving speeches I’ve heard in a long time. Recently, I also watched an amazing video of Wallace’s famous 2005 commencement speech at Kenyon College. In addition to shedding light on the nature of his literary genius, it also foreshadows the depression that led him to commit suicide in 2008.

The movie made Wallace seem so damn interesting, and it really humanized him for me. It started last year when I watched “ The End of the Tour,” a great movie with Jason Segel and Jesse Eisenberg that takes place when Wallace was on the road somewhat reluctantly promoting Infinite Jest. I’m happy to report that has now changed. I even put a copy of his tour de force Infinite Jest on my nightstand at one point, but I just never got around to reading it. I often heard super literate friends talking in glowing terms about his books and essays. And yet I must admit that for many years I steered clear of anything by David Foster Wallace.

I read all kinds of books, including ones that only the harshest college professors would assign.

When it comes to books, it’s pretty rare that I get intimidated.

Infinite jest book review