Don DeLillo's second novel, End Zone, is a work that introduces a plethora of ideas, themes, and elements that he would later expand upon in his future books.

There's a character who is learning German, which adds an interesting layer to the story. There's also a minor critique of the college industrial complex, shining a light on some of its aspects.

An abiding interest in language and how people communicate is present, a theme that a friend who has read all of his eighteen novels pointed out as being a perennial one for DeLillo. Additionally, there are war games and peculiar characters that add to the overall atmosphere.

The book is presented as a farcical series of vignettes that don't quite come together to form a cohesive plot. This can be a frustrating aspect for readers. While it is funny, amusing, and even cute at times, it fails to fully engage the reader in the characters, making it easy to lose track of what's happening as there often isn't much substance.

I, for one, generally enjoyed seeing DeLillo showcase his football knowledge and let loose. However, the book ends rather abruptly without any real payoff. It feels like he is still in the process of finding his footing with this work. But as we know, DeLillo gets better over time, and this early effort is just a step on his journey to becoming the acclaimed author he is today.

Don DeLillo is a writer who poses a great challenge for me when it comes to reviewing. His language usage is so authoritative and distinct that I have struggled to figure out where and why my words fall short when attempting to dissect his novels into meager reviews. In essence, his writing seems to bypass the traditional plot in favor of what can be described as a pure exploration of the joys of language. He riffs and plays with words, bending his unique stylistic idiosyncrasies around the chosen subject to create a hybrid and entirely new perspective from which the reader can view the topics he focuses on.

In the case of End Zone, DeLillo's second novel, the main concerns are football and war. He meticulously constructs a book-length metaphor that also serves as a broader commentary on sociological behavior, empires, mass hysteria, death, and, of course, language. DeLillo's sentences are both lyrical and stilted, and his dialogue is more of an approximation, with humanoid figures rather than real humans conversing, and black humor constantly undermining the seriousness of his authorial pursuits. He is the master of set pieces, and End Zone includes two chapter-length play-by-play accounts of football games that are breathtaking examples of what a writer can achieve with language, regardless of the topic.

End Zone represents a remarkable leap forward from DeLillo's first novel, Americana. He sheds the derivatives and more consciously and confidently constructs his brilliant digressions and asides. It is a wonderful feeling to encounter a writer with whom I can engage in an intellectual conversation while reading, and DeLillo's peculiar and scintillating brilliance offers what, for me, is the ultimate literary reading experience.

Don Delillo, you rock. You fucking rock.

Don Delillo is an absolute legend in the literary world. His works are not only thought-provoking but also have a unique style that keeps readers hooked from the very first page.

His ability to explore complex themes such as identity, power, and technology in a way that is both accessible and engaging is truly remarkable. Each of his novels is a masterpiece, filled with rich characters and vivid descriptions that bring the story to life.

Whether it's "White Noise" or "Underworld," Don Delillo's writing always manages to leave a lasting impression. He has the power to make us see the world in a different light and to question the things we take for granted.

In conclusion, Don Delillo is a literary icon and his work will continue to be celebrated for years to come. He truly rocks!

Knowing absolutely nothing about American football, a significant portion of this seemed like complete gobbledygook. Clearly, this was partly intentional to parody war tactics. Besides the football, there is the fixation on destruction by some of the players, such as Gary Harkness, who reads about nuclear war scenarios for amusement. There is an ominous military recruitment presence at the university. Football itself is violent, leaving many players disabled. The narrator intervenes at one point to comment on all of this. However, it still just felt as if all these elements were presented without much to connect them.

There were some excellent moments and many truly hilarious ones, and the book was written well enough that, despite its aimlessness, I am looking forward to reading more by DeLillo.

If you wish to read something with a similar theme and sense of humor, give A History Maker by Alasdair Gray a try.

Glimpses of the perfection can be seen in his later books. The characters he creates are truly odd, existing within a banal setting. It's as if he takes the ordinary and infuses it with a strange charm. The stories unfold in a way that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, eager to discover what will happen next. Each page turn reveals a new layer of the characters' personalities and the mysteries that surround them. Despite the seemingly unremarkable backdrop, the author manages to create a world that is both captivating and unique. It's a testament to his talent and creativity that he can make the ordinary extraordinary. These later books are a must-read for anyone who appreciates good literature and wants to experience something truly different.

A very funny, very intellectual, and very literary novel, "End Zone" involves college football at a small West Texas college. It covers such a vast amount of turf that it might have deterred other writers from taking on their own poignant pigskin fiction. Fortunately, Delillo's underrated humor is in full force here. His novels that lack this quality, like "Zero K" for instance, suffer. This is partly because they seem flighty and pretentious. "Infinite Jest" also comes to mind due to its similarities in creating a global war analogy with tennis, making one wonder if DFW gave a nod. The last fourth of the book does meander and become repetitive. However, this isn't entirely a bad thing. It did make me question the greatness of the work. While "End Zone" is just as much about life as football, it will definitely make you think twice about the sport being dull and unsophisticated.

This is a total guy book.

It is filled with all the things that guys are interested in. From action-packed adventures to sports and cars, this book has it all.

The stories are exciting and engaging, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat.

It's the kind of book that guys can pick up and get lost in for hours.

Whether they're sitting on the couch, on a long commute, or at the beach, this book is the perfect companion.

It's a must-have for any guy who loves a good read and wants to escape into a world of excitement and adventure.

So if you're a guy looking for a great book, look no further than this one.

**End Zone by Don DeLillo: A Football-Filled Tale with Deeper Themes**

In October, Seix Barral brings us Don DeLillo's latest novel, End Zone, which has been mistranslated as "Fin de campo" here. The name can be misleading due to the content the reader may encounter.

The novel is filled with American football, with an entire chapter dedicated to a game, complete with all the terminology. There's even a warning from the author before it begins.

For me, reading it in English was a struggle, not so much because of the terminology (which I managed to understand after many dictionary consultations) but because football doesn't fascinate me. It often took me out of the narration.

However, the book does have moments that hint at what the author will develop further, like his good humor. There are also interesting reflections on themes such as the comfort of clichés and the toxic influence of technology.

The book explores how technology is associated with the elimination of individuality and its destructive capacity. It also shows how violence and destruction are identified with technology, and how this relates to a crisis in our values.

Future readers of "Fin de campo" should evaluate if they might like it based on this commentary. After all, the one who warns is not a traitor.

Published in http://lecturaylocura.com/end-zone-de...

Filing DeLillo along with Kurt Vonnegut as a writer who deteriorated due to the emergence of a "late style" is an interesting perspective. I had a penchant for "White Noise" and initially liked this work as well. However, when I delved into his more recent offerings, I simply couldn't bear them. Fortunately, he produced a significant amount of writing during this period.

The drugs and counterculture elements in this piece are perhaps the least impressive aspects. Arguably, they interfere with the more captivating ideas by presenting an overly simplistic "solution". Nevertheless, for the most part, the work is extremely intelligent. The writing is truly brilliant, with a depth and complexity that engages the reader on multiple levels. It makes one reflect on various aspects of society, culture, and the human condition. Despite its flaws, it remains a notable contribution to the literary canon.

Six stars.

This is by far my favorite DeLillo work. There are numerous hysterical scenes, both in terms of content and in eliciting emotions.

There is so much philosophizing, with a great deal of significance attached, only to be dismissed as meaningless sentences later.

A large number of dialogue exchanges had me on the verge of snorting and guffawing, if only I wasn't in a rush to get to the next wonderful group of words.

I'm not sure how much of himself DeLillo put into the character Gary Harkness, but it would be great for him if it was a substantial amount.

This book seems to have done whatever it pleased, and I'm grateful for that.

It's a unique and captivating read that keeps you engaged from start to finish.

The way DeLillo weaves together complex ideas and vivid characters is truly remarkable.

I can't wait to explore more of his works.

A longstanding issue of mine is that, aside from series that I've read in my youth, I rarely read the same author twice. This holds true even for those authors who have had a profound impact on my life. And Don DeLillo is one of the prime examples. I read White Noise in college, now over a decade ago, and it remains firmly in my mind as one of the greatest books ever written. And yet, I haven't read a single other text by DeLillo since then.

That was until I came across End Zone. I found this at a Half Price Books after a particularly dour morning. I splurged on books to cheer myself up. The idea of football as the core premise didn't initially pique my interest. However, the juxtaposition of ruminations about nuclear war, along with the high esteem in which I hold DeLillo, persuaded me to give it a chance. And I'm truly glad I did.

End Zone follows Gary Harkness, a philosophical college football player who drifts through his passion for the sport. We discover that he has a deep appreciation for it, one that I would imagine few have in the real world (I could be entirely wrong, as I have none myself). In his passion, he combines it with musings and observations of the world at large. The primal nature of the sport, the ways in which it relates to war and humanity's need to be the victor, the rituals we conduct in our savagery, all of these are expressed in the sporadic bursts of violence that make up the entirety of the sport.

Enveloping these points of thought is the larger narrative of the football season. We open with the introduction of Taft Robinson, the first African American football player at the college. We watch the Logos College team and their build-up to a highly anticipated - and dreaded - game against a notoriously vicious team. We get a prolonged and detailed retelling of said game and its devastating consequences, peppered with Gary's observations. We end with the fallout and its impact on both Gary and the Logos team.

I found End Zone to be both profound and witty. Gary Harkness seems detached or perhaps out of place in the world, an overly aware observer. Though he is hardly the only one who waxes philosophical. His roommate, for example, waxes poetic about the nature of his own obesity and his desire to discard his ancestral identity. One of my favorite moments of comedy comes during the climactic game when Gary's hand is mangled. Gary muses:

"The universe was born in violence. Stars die violently. Elements are created out of cosmic violence."

To which a fellow player replies:

"Gary, this is football."

While I consider White Noise to be the pinnacle of DeLillo's work, End Zone is very close and easily reinforces his position as one of my favorite authors.

The overriding inability to control one’s own thoughts is a powerful theme explored in this work. It's like a wild horse that refuses to be tamed.

The seasickness of metonymy adds another layer of complexity. It's a queasy feeling that comes from the substitution of one thing for another, leaving the reader disoriented.

The absurdity of a social form, such as students passing around information about a teacher dying in a plane crash when stretched ad infinitum, is both hilarious and disturbing. It shows how easily rumors can spread and distort the truth.

The parallels between the simple structures of the team and the not-that-much-more-complex-but-far-more-repressed dynamics of normal society are also fascinating. It makes us question the nature of power and authority.

Multifarious searches for meaning that all succeed and fail the same are a common thread throughout the book. It reminds us that the search for meaning is a never-ending journey, and that we often find ourselves back where we started.

These are just a few of the sketches Donny scatters throughout this book, each one offering a unique perspective on the human condition.