Brief Interviews with Hideous Men

The collection includes the following stories:{{cite book |first=David Foster |last=Wallace |title=Brief Interviews With Hideous Men |date=28 May 1999 |isbn=0-316-92541-1 |publisher=Little, Brown, and Company |location=Boston}} See "Contents".

• A Radically Condensed History of Postindustrial Life
• Death Is Not the End
• Forever Overhead
• Brief Interviews with Hideous Men
• Yet Another Example of the Porousness of Certain Borders (XI)
• The Depressed Person
• The Devil Is a Busy Man
• Think
• Signifying Nothing
• Brief Interviews with Hideous Men
• Datum Centurio
• Octet
• Adult World (I)
• Adult World (II)
• The Devil Is a Busy Man
• Church Not Made with Hands
• Yet Another Example of the Porousness of Certain Borders (VI)
• Brief Interviews with Hideous Men
• Tri-Stan: I Sold Sissee Nar to Ecko
• On His Deathbed, Holding Your Hand, the Acclaimed New Young Off-Broadway Playwright's Father Begs a Boon
• Suicide as a Sort of Present
• Brief Interviews with Hideous Men
• Yet Another Example of the Porousness of Certain Borders (XXIV)

The 23 metafictional pieces in the collection are "difficult to categorise, roaming wilfully across the boundaries of genres and inventing new ones", which one story ("Octet") appears to "self-mockingly acknowledge".{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2001/jan/28/fiction.reviews2 |title=The good, the bad... Review:Brief interviews with hideous men |author=Stephanie Merritt |publisher=Guardian |date=28 January 2001 |access-date=19 April 2019}}

Four of the stories are titled "Brief Interviews with Hideous Men" and consist of numbered sections of varying length presented as transcripts of interviews with male subjects. The interviewer's questions are omitted from the transcripts, rendered merely as "Q". The collection is characterized by dark humor, alienation and irony.

As its title suggests, the book critiques aspects of modern masculinity and male chauvinism. "The 'hideous men' in Wallace's short stories are monstrous, parodic versions of Updikean characters, scrutinized with the eye of a pathologist ... Their sin is an implacable, and peculiarly American, strain of egoism."{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/06/20/news/brief-interviews-with-hideous-men.html |title=Review: Brief interviews with hideous men |author=Adam Goodheart |work=New York Times |date=20 June 1999 |access-date=19 April 2019}}

In light of revelations regarding Wallace's abusive behavior toward Mary Karr,{{cite web |url=https://www.bustle.com/p/mary-karr-speaks-out-about-david-foster-wallace-amid-literatures-metoo-movement-9003387 |title=Mary Karr has Always Said David Foster Wallace Abused Her... |author=K.W. Colyard |work=Bustle |date=8 May 2018 |access-date=24 March 2021}} some scholars have questioned the motives of Wallace's stories, particularly in the collection which prominently featured misogynistic male characters. Amy Hungerford, a professor of English at Yale University, most notably in her book Making Literature Now,{{cite book |title=Making Literature Now |publisher=Stanford University Press |oclc = 1198931290}} posed the same question for the collection and whether we can separate the art from the artist. She concluded in the negative and argued that readers and academics should stop reading and teaching Wallace's work. Clare Hayes-Brady, a leading female Wallace scholar, responded to Hungerford's assertion in an interview with the Los Angeles Review of Books by emphasizing that it is the duty of a critic or scholar to engage with problematic authors and examine them closely for what they bring to the table rather than dismissing them outright.{{cite web |url=https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/david-foster-wallace-in-the-metoo-era-a-conversation-with-clare-hayes-brady/ |title=David Foster Wallace in the #MeToo Era |author=Steve Paulson |work=LA Review of Books |date=10 September 2018 |access-date=24 March 2021}}

In recent times, Wallace's work, and this collection in particular, has attracted the attention of scholars and academics, with some arguing that Brief Interviews with Hideous Men can be a source of study for possible explanation on the misogynistic traits and behavior of the male gender.{{cite web |url=https://libres.uncg.edu/ir/unca/f/L_Ray_Light.pdf |title=Excusable Versus Explainable Misogyny in David Foster Wallace's Brief Interviews with Hideous Men |author=Lauren Ray |work=Thesis University of North Carolina |date=Fall 2020 |access-date=24 March 2021}}

The collection was selected by The New York Times as one of the notable books of the year 1999.{{cite web |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/books/99/12/05/reviews/notable-fiction.html |title=Notable Books of the Year |author=Archive |work=New York Times|date=5 December 1999 |access-date=21 March 2021}}

In 1997 Wallace was awarded the Aga Khan Prize for Fiction by the editors of The Paris Review for "Brief Interviews with Hideous Men #6",{{cite web |url=https://www.theparisreview.org/about/prizes |title=Paris Review Prizes |author=Editorial Paris Review |work=Paris Review |date=2021 |access-date=21 March 2021}} which had appeared in the magazine and appears as "Brief Interviews with Hideous Men #20" in the collection.{{cite journal |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00111619.2013.829798 |title= "I Believed She Could Save Me": Rape Culture in David Foster Wallace's "Brief Interviews with Hideous Men #20"|author=Rachel Haley Himmelheber |journal= Critique: Studies in Contemporary Fiction|date=13 October 2014 |volume=55 |issue=5 |pages=522–535 |doi=10.1080/00111619.2013.829798 |s2cid=161904004 |access-date=21 March 2021|url-access=subscription }}

The collection is one of writer Zadie Smith’s favorite books.{{cite web |url=https://radicalreads.com/zadie-smith-favorite-books/?amp |title=Zadie Smith's Bookshelf |author=Radical Reads |work=Radical Reads Writers |date=14 January 2019 |access-date=22 March 2021}} She wrote an appreciation of both the collection and Wallace titled "Brief Interviews with Hideous Men: The Difficult Gifts of David Foster Wallace". The piece was included in her 2009 essay collection Changing My Mind: Occasional Essays.{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-ca-zadie-smith15-2009nov15-story.html|title=Changing My Mind by Zadie Smith |author=Ella Taylor |newspaper=LA Times |date=15 November 2009 |access-date=22 March 2021}}

The British writer and literary critic for The Guardian, Chris Power, highlights the dilemma book critics face in reviewing Wallace's works: to reconcile the brilliance of his writing with the difficult and often problematic aspects of his subject matter. In a piece on Wallace's contribution to the short story, Power writes, "His second collection, for example, Brief Interviews With Hideous Men (1999), is a brilliant book that is very difficult to enjoy."{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2015/may/25/a-brief-survey-of-the-short-story-david-foster-wallace |title=A brief survey of the short story: David Foster Wallace |author=Chris Power |work=The Guardian |date=25 May 2015 |access-date=17 April 2021}}

Writer and book critic Andrew Ervin writing in the San Francisco Chronicle was of the opinion that the collection "stands as Wallace's most compelling, brilliant and complete book."{{cite web |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/a/2004/06/13/RVGA7705NU1.DTL |title=Wallace's all-over-the-map approach pays off |author=Andrew Ervin |work=SF Chronicle |date=13 June 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070809120937/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fchronicle%2Fa%2F2004%2F06%2F13%2FRVGA7705NU1.DTL |access-date=22 March 2021 |archive-date=9 August 2007 |url-status=live }}

The book has been adapted numerous times for stage and screen.

In August 2000, 12 of the "Interviews" were adapted into a stage play (Hideous Men) by Dylan McCullough, marking the first theatrical adaptation of any of Wallace's works.{{cite web |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/fringe-watch-wallaces-hideous-men-live-in-nyc-through-aug-26-com-91484 |title=Hideous Men |author=Christine Ehren |work=Fringe Watch |date=16 August 2000 |access-date=22 March 2021}} McCullough directed the premiere at the New York International Fringe Festival.{{cite web |url=https://www.theatermania.com/shows/new-york-city-theater/off-off-broadway/hideous-men_5594 |title=Hideous Men |author=Theatre Mania |work=Theater Mania |date=16 August 2000 |access-date=22 March 2021}}

John Krasinski adapted and directed a 2009 film version of the "Brief Interviews" stories.{{cite web |url=https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0790627/ |title=Brief Interviews with Hideous Men |author=IMDB |work=IMDB |date=2009 |access-date=22 March 2021}} Julianne Nicholson plays Sara Quinn, the interviewer unnamed in the stories.{{cite web |url=https://www.vulture.com/2009/09/vulture_premieres_the_poster_f_8.html |title=Vulture Premieres the Poster for John Krasinski's Brief Interviews with Hideous Men |author=Lane Brown |work=Vulture.com |date=3 September 2009 |access-date=22 March 2021}}

Also in 2009, Hachette Audio released an abridged audiobook production of the book read by an ensemble cast similar to that of Krasinski's film, including Krasinski, Will Arnett, Bobby Cannavale, Chris Messina, Corey Stoll, Will Forte, and the author.{{cite book |title=Brief interviews with hideous men |publisher=WorldCat |oclc = 318877943}}

In August 2012, British artists Andy Holden and David Raymond Conroy presented a stage adaptation of the book at the ICA, London,{{Cite web |url=https://www.ica.org.uk/blog/andy-holden-and-david-raymond-conroy-conversation-anna-gritz |title=Andy Holden and David Raymond Conroy in conversation with Anna Gritz | Institute of Contemporary Arts |access-date=2015-01-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150105141901/https://www.ica.org.uk/blog/andy-holden-and-david-raymond-conroy-conversation-anna-gritz |archive-date=2015-01-05 |url-status=dead }} which later toured to Arnolfini, Bristol.{{Cite web|url=http://www.arnolfini.org.uk/whatson/brief-interviews-with-hideous-men|title=Brief Interviews with Hideous Men}} The production adapted four of the interviews and one short story using a variety of multimedia techniques, and contained new music by the Grubby Mitts.

A stage production adapting 21 of the interviews and stories, titled "Brief Interviews with Hideous Men", was directed by David McGuff for Yellow Lab Productions. The production ran three nights, August 28–30, 2014, at the Hill Country Arts Foundation's Point Theater on the Elizabeth Huth Coates indoor stage.{{cite web |url=https://m.facebook.com/events/d41d8cd9/brief-interviews-with-hideous-men-a-yellow-lab-production/1668160383409224/ |title=Brief Interviews with Hideous Men - A Yellow Lab Production |author=David McGuff |work=Facebook Event |date=22 August 2014 |access-date=22 March 2021}}

In 2021, the book was adapted for the stage in a German-language production titled Kurze Interviews mit fiesen Männern – 22 Arten der Einsamkeit.{{Cite web |last= |date=2021-09-11 |title="Kurze Interviews mit fiesen Männern" in Zürich - Porno und die große Einsamkeit unserer Zeit |url=https://www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/kurze-interviews-mit-fiesen-maennern-in-zuerich-porno-und-100.html |access-date=2022-08-18 |website=Deutschlandfunk Kultur |language=de}} The production was staged at the Schauspielhaus Zürich and directed by Yana Ross.{{Cite web |last=Kopitzki |first=Siegmund |date=2021-09-13 |title=Theater: 25 Sekunden Sex live auf der Bühne: Neues Stück am Zürcher Schauspielhaus sorgt für Aufsehen |url=https://www.suedkurier.de/ueberregional/kultur/25-sekunden-sex-live-auf-der-buehne-neues-stueck-am-zuercher-schauspielhaus-sorgt-fuer-aufsehen;art10399,10912325 |access-date=2022-08-18 |website=SÜDKURIER Online |language=de}}{{Cite web |last=Heintges |first=Valeria |title=Kurze Interviews mit fiesen Männern. 22 Arten der Einsamkeit. – Schauspielhaus Zürich – Yana Ross inszeniert den Erzählband von David Foster Wallace |url=https://nachtkritik.de/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=19936:kurze-interviews-mit-fiesen-maennern-22-arten-der-einsamkeit-schauspielhaus-zuerich-yana-ross-inszeniert-den-erzaehlband-von-d-f-wallace&catid=65&Itemid=40 |access-date=2022-08-18 |website=nachtkritik.de}}

The book has been translated into Italian, Spanish, Polish, Turkish, Portuguese, Czech, Finnish, Greek, German, Russian, Dutch, Serbian, French, Croatian and Hebrew.{{cite web|last=Good Reads|title=Editions of Brief Interviews|url=https://www.goodreads.com/work/editions/1221616-brief-interviews-with-hideous-men?page=1&per_page=30|publisher=Good Reads|accessdate=27 May 2021}}

{{Reflist}}

{{David Foster Wallace}}

Category:1999 short story collections

Category:Short story collections by David Foster Wallace

Category:Metafictional works

Category:Books adapted into films

Category:Little, Brown and Company books