Questions tagged [david-foster-wallace]

For questions about David Foster Wallace (1962-2008) and his various literary works. His most famous works include "Infinite Jest" (1996) and his posthumous novel "The Pale King" (2011).

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Strange purported David Foster Wallace quote

You say you would only love a woman who is a reader and at least as intelligent as you. This is a challenge. Not on account of women, but the condition of Americans generally. If you were a homosexual ...
Jade Yeager's user avatar
4 votes
3 answers
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What is the source of this David Foster Wallace quote? Can't tell if it's actually him or not

Fiction is one of the few experiences where loneliness can be both confronted and relieved. Drugs, movies where stuff blows up, loud parties -- all these chase away loneliness by making me forget my ...
user18151's user avatar
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1 answer
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Where is the "unborable" quote in The Pale King?

I'm a big fan of The Pale King by David Foster Wallace. I remember a favorite quote somewhere in the text that goes something like the key to life is being unborable...and he met two such men in the ...
villaa's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
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"This Is Water" David Foster Wallace Commencement Speech Fish Story Reference

In David Foster Wallace's "This Is Water" Commencement Speech, there is a story used as a metaphor about a fish asking another fish "what the hell is water": There are these two young fish swimming ...
A. Fenzry's user avatar
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13 votes
1 answer
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From where did David Foster Wallace draw inspiration for writing style and technique?

DFW has a peculiar writing style. For example, in his essay, Authority and American Usage, he makes use of a colloquial form of writing which is often repeated in his other essays. An example of this ...
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