New David Foster Wallace [Archive]

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silver474

08-07-2003, 01:57 PM

Everything and More: A Compact History of Infinity (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0393003388/qid=1060292656/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/002-4000691-0168046) by David Foster Wallace

This sounds pretty interesting; a book about infinity.

malakite

09-14-2003, 07:53 PM

david foster wallace is the most overrated author ever. well, f. scott fitzgerald may be the most ever, but david foster wallace is close.

i mean, sure. i like some of his non-fiction essays, but they aren't anything spectacular. i don't see what people get so worked up about.

John B.

09-16-2003, 07:05 AM

Not that I have money at the moment for it, but I'm very much looking forward to reading this book.

I'm not sure what Malakite is basing his judgment on, but for my money David Foster Wallace is pretty damned good: incredibly smart (and more than that, thoughtful) and an amazing ventriloquist of voices (much better than MZD at creating different voices). There are times when reading him that I wish his editor(s) had a bit of a tighter rein on him, but that style, at its best, leaves me feeling both giddy and smarter. And the more I ponder athletics and entertainment generally, the truer Infinite Jest rings. What more can you ask of an artist?

Fitzgerald . . . it's kinda fun (when it's not heartbreaking, as is the case with Keats' dying at 25) to play the "If s/he had only lived long enough" game. But it's difficult to think of a more American novel than The Great Gatsby, and there are some (I'm not among them, by the way) who think that if he hadn't drunk himself to death (he died at 44), he might have been greater than Faulkner (who could both out-drink AND out-write Fitzgerald). But damn: I'd love to have one novel as good as Gatsby in me. I could die happy then. But, I'd rather that the novel were Go Down, Moses, or Beloved, or Blood Meridian, or White Noise, or . . .

[ September 16, 2003: Message edited by: John B. ]

malakite

09-16-2003, 06:16 PM

heres what im what i'm basing my judgement on: dropping $20 on a copy of infinite jest, based on the god-like status reviewers have laid upon wallace, reading the entire thing, and realizing that i could have spent $5 on a used copy of 'a heartbreaking work of staggering genius' and had a similar reading experience, only better. im not saying that he's a bad writer. and if you like his particular style, thats fine. but for me, he just seems overrated.

but again, i should state that i read 'a supposedly fun thing i'll never do again' and found it quite nice. i think he is better at that sort of thing.

as for fitzgerald(and early 20th century writers in general): i suppose, as is always the case for these matters, it is a matter of opinion. i for one had a very hard time giving a damn about the characters in 'gatsby'. and since i couldn't get into the characters, i couldn't get into the story.

so, as for a more 'american novel'i would have to say 'the grapes of wrath' does a pretty damn good job. and it's hard to beat hemingway for pure american tone and mood, though his books dealt with foreign matters enough, it is hard to call them purely 'american novels.'

and that only deals with the first half of the 20th century. for the latter half, we get into the don delillo's and the hubert selby Jr.'s.

and i would argue that cats cradle was pretty representative of cold war america, though it is less applicable these days.(but it is still more fun to read than "infinite jest'!)

silver474

10-28-2003, 03:45 PM

Not to be highbrow or anything, but here's (http://www.newyorker.com/critics/books/?031103crbo_books) the New Yorker review of the new DFW.

Bonemaster3000

10-29-2003, 02:08 AM

Ok so this is not relevant to the thread, but I liked the comment beneath Kit's photo:
"Proof she's not the dreaded BM3000."
Dreaded? Shit ma, I'm famous!! images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

zerolous

10-29-2003, 08:04 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Bonemaster3000:
Ok so this is not relevant to the thread, but I liked the comment beneath Kit's photo:
"Proof she's not the dreaded BM3000."
Dreaded? Shit ma, I'm famous!! images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

1. There is a thread about silver's site with the picture of kit that you probably could have posted on for relevance.

2. I believe the word you're looking for is "infamous".

[ October 29, 2003: Message edited by: zerolous ]

verismo

10-30-2003, 05:30 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by zerolous:

2. I believe the word you're looking for is "infamous".
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

"What does that mean? In-famous?"

silver474

10-30-2003, 02:18 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by verismo:
"What does that mean? In-famous?"<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>It's, you know, REALLY famous.

The Disgruntled Frenchman

10-30-2003, 04:10 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote
as for fitzgerald(and early 20th century writers in general): i suppose, as is always the case for these matters, it is a matter of opinion. i for one had a very hard time giving a damn about the characters in 'gatsby'. and since i couldn't get into the characters, i couldn't get into the story.

Amen to that. I had to force myself to finish that one. However, I guess it all amounts to opinion because Mark Twain is touted as America's greatest author, and I was bored to tears with near everything he wrote.

verismo

10-30-2003, 07:13 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by silver474:
It's, you know, REALLY famous.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif

At least do it right.

Stencil

10-31-2003, 06:07 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by verismo:

"What does that mean? In-famous?"<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by silver474:
It's, you know, REALLY famous.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Is this what it's come down to? Quoting from The Three Amigos?

verismo

10-31-2003, 08:24 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Stencil:

Is this what it's come down to? Quoting from The Three Amigos?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

*whispers*
Tell us we will die like dogs.

verismo

10-31-2003, 12:06 PM

oh, wow, good, thanks! I was so confused!

Agrimorfee

10-31-2003, 11:18 PM

Infamous means famous in a bad way, like Charlie Manson or Tonya Harding.

Or Dec. 7, 1941, the day that would "live in infamy". See? images/smiles/icon_wink.gif

Stencil

11-03-2003, 07:08 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by verismo:

*whispers*
Tell us we will die like dogs.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Oh, right.

Badges? We don't need no steenking badges!

Shit! Sorry guys. . .

verismo

11-03-2003, 07:42 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Stencil:

Oh, right.

Badges? We don't need no steenking badges!

Shit! Sorry guys. . .<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

No! We will fight like...hey, wait a minute, that wasn't the line!