What did the late David Foster Wallace teach you from this read? Perhaps some new words, some new insight into esoteric topics, or some ideas for new books to read?
As discussion leader and resident DFW aficionado, I'd like to start the discussion off with my own review of the book:
When a popular author dies, it's become almost commonplace to see some paradoxically new book published under their name: a popular speech published in book form, an unfinished work polished by editors or loved ones, a last biography, a last interview, or so forth. With an author as prolific as David Foster Wallace, it's hardly surprising to see all of the above and more now that he's gone, and it's hard not to feel cynical about an enterprise that earns from its talent even after they're dead. And yet we who adored the departed feel the need to add each 'new' piece to our bookshelves...
I have to say, I'm glad I did. This book is a collection of non-fiction essays written and published elsewhere, now bound together with each prefaced by a set of words DFW had written down to learn (and some of which I was thrilled to find I'd beaten him to; that doesn't happen often). I would categorize the entire collection loosely under "DFW musings on life, literature, and popular culture," to distinguish this often whimsical compilation from his more social, political, or otherwise "serious" (take the word lightly. This is DFW, recall) essays published in Consider the Lobster, et al. Although each essay could have been accessed individually from various sources, online or in print, I admit that I didn't know some of them existed before getting the book for Christmas-- a fact that led to more than one very pleasant surprise.
I was as jaw-agape floored as I was overjoyed to see Wallace tackle the genius Wittgenstein’s Mistress, having been a longtime fan of David Markson and a fervent proselytizer of that particular novel. In fact, I'd read WM long before I read into Wittgenstein's philosophy, the intersection of which is the topic of Wallace's fabulous and insightful essay. This piece was easily my favourite of the bunch, and the one that struck most personally. In it, he explores the novel as a literal realization of Wittgenstein's early language/reality theories, as well as the touchy issue of male authors writing female minds. He hits it spot-on, in the incisive way only he could have, and strengthened my admiration for Markson's work.
My other favourites are outlined below, in case the titles alone aren't enough to give you a chuckle and entice you:
'Federer Both Flesh and Not' is a graceful and precisely-worded love essay to pro tennis players that, like all good love letters, makes you fall for its subjects as well.
'Fictional Futures and the Conspicuously Young' offers a defence of preternatural authors and a piercing critique of the writing programs that churn so many of them out.
'Democracy and Commerce at the U.S. Open,' ostensibly a piece of tennis journalism, morphs itself (as per its title) more into a commentary on sports commerce, athletic fame, and consumerism.
'Back in a New Fire' is a short, sweet, and brilliant piece on the fundamental role of threat in sexuality.
'The (As It Were) Seminal Importance of Terminator 2' is a hilarious unpacking of James Cameron that predicted Titanic and Avatar with an alarming and almost unnatural prescience.
'The Nature of The Fun' is a look at the gruelling role of an author-as-literary-parent, but can be applied with equal aptitude to any creative endeavour.
'Borges on the Couch' is a scathing criticism of an apparently lacklustre biography of Jorge Luis Borges. It describes what's wrong with the biography with a precision and perfection outdone only by its description of Borges' body of work and approach to fiction (something the original biographer choked on, apparently).
A final warning: be prepared to laugh. No matter the topic, DFW knows how to talk about it in a way that will thrill and entertain as he teaches you more than you ever wanted to (or were prepared to) know about the topic. He's that good. Trust me.
As discussion leader and resident DFW aficionado, I'd like to start the discussion off with my own review of the book:
When a popular author dies, it's become almost commonplace to see some paradoxically new book published under their name: a popular speech published in book form, an unfinished work polished by editors or loved ones, a last biography, a last interview, or so forth. With an author as prolific as David Foster Wallace, it's hardly surprising to see all of the above and more now that he's gone, and it's hard not to feel cynical about an enterprise that earns from its talent even after they're dead. And yet we who adored the departed feel the need to add each 'new' piece to our bookshelves...
I have to say, I'm glad I did. This book is a collection of non-fiction essays written and published elsewhere, now bound together with each prefaced by a set of words DFW had written down to learn (and some of which I was thrilled to find I'd beaten him to; that doesn't happen often). I would categorize the entire collection loosely under "DFW musings on life, literature, and popular culture," to distinguish this often whimsical compilation from his more social, political, or otherwise "serious" (take the word lightly. This is DFW, recall) essays published in Consider the Lobster, et al. Although each essay could have been accessed individually from various sources, online or in print, I admit that I didn't know some of them existed before getting the book for Christmas-- a fact that led to more than one very pleasant surprise.
I was as jaw-agape floored as I was overjoyed to see Wallace tackle the genius Wittgenstein’s Mistress, having been a longtime fan of David Markson and a fervent proselytizer of that particular novel. In fact, I'd read WM long before I read into Wittgenstein's philosophy, the intersection of which is the topic of Wallace's fabulous and insightful essay. This piece was easily my favourite of the bunch, and the one that struck most personally. In it, he explores the novel as a literal realization of Wittgenstein's early language/reality theories, as well as the touchy issue of male authors writing female minds. He hits it spot-on, in the incisive way only he could have, and strengthened my admiration for Markson's work.
My other favourites are outlined below, in case the titles alone aren't enough to give you a chuckle and entice you:
'Federer Both Flesh and Not' is a graceful and precisely-worded love essay to pro tennis players that, like all good love letters, makes you fall for its subjects as well.
'Fictional Futures and the Conspicuously Young' offers a defence of preternatural authors and a piercing critique of the writing programs that churn so many of them out.
'Democracy and Commerce at the U.S. Open,' ostensibly a piece of tennis journalism, morphs itself (as per its title) more into a commentary on sports commerce, athletic fame, and consumerism.
'Back in a New Fire' is a short, sweet, and brilliant piece on the fundamental role of threat in sexuality.
'The (As It Were) Seminal Importance of Terminator 2' is a hilarious unpacking of James Cameron that predicted Titanic and Avatar with an alarming and almost unnatural prescience.
'The Nature of The Fun' is a look at the gruelling role of an author-as-literary-parent, but can be applied with equal aptitude to any creative endeavour.
'Borges on the Couch' is a scathing criticism of an apparently lacklustre biography of Jorge Luis Borges. It describes what's wrong with the biography with a precision and perfection outdone only by its description of Borges' body of work and approach to fiction (something the original biographer choked on, apparently).
A final warning: be prepared to laugh. No matter the topic, DFW knows how to talk about it in a way that will thrill and entertain as he teaches you more than you ever wanted to (or were prepared to) know about the topic. He's that good. Trust me.