Tuesday, September 16, 2008

RIP David Foster Wallace

It seems like the eulogies will never end for David Foster Wallace, who was found dead on Friday, Sept. 12, after hanging himself.

I first learned the news on Work-in-Progress, which in turn referred me to this AOL article. The NY Times and Washington Post both ran appreciations of his work. And a brief blurb (with links to still more appreciations and an online memorial) appeared on Galleycat.

I've never read Wallace's work, but many years ago, I'd read that INFINITE JEST was an unusual and brilliant book. Given what I'd heard about it (and sight unseen), I ordered it from a local bookstore, thinking it would make a great gift for a relative's birthday. When I went to the store to pick it up and saw how BIG it was, I decided against gifting it (didn't seem like gift book material, somehow) and bought my relative a copy of CONFEDERACY OF DUNCES. (There's a certain irony in the choice that seems a bit tasteless to explore at the moment . . . so I won't.)

I still have INFINITE JEST on my shelf, patiently waiting to be read. After seeing all these accolades for Wallace, I'm wondering if it's time I got 'round to picking it up.

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