Girl with Curious Hair

Originally published in 1989 and available for the first time on audio, this collection of ten short stories by the late Wallace (d. 2008) exhibits his strength for exuberant storytelling peppered with pop-culture references ranging from Alex Trebek to Ronald McDonald. Wallace's notoriously long sentences and digressions weigh down a few of the tales, particularly "Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its Way," a sort of tribute to fellow postmodernist writer John Barth. But the work is uplifted by the narration: actors Robert Petkoff (robertpetkoff.com) and Joshua Swanson (www.joshuaswanson.com) bring to life the humor and joy in Wallace's writing, most notably through character John Billy's Southern drawl. Recommended for those liking the work of Sam Lipsyte or Thomas Pynchon.—Johannah Genett, Hennepin P.L., Minneapolis