The LRB Podcast On David Foster Wallace
Jul 20, 2023
Author David Foster Wallace's troubled legacy in light of posthumous publications and #MeToo. The impact of his novel 'Infinite Jest' on reading perception and the cult-like fascination with Wallace. Exploring misogyny in his fiction and the structure of his interviews. The voice and approach in his essays and the freedom found in nonfiction writing.
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Early Encounters with Wallace
- Patricia Lockwood first encountered David Foster Wallace's essays in the mid-90s.
- She read "A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again" and "Consider the Lobster."
Infinite Jest as a Group Read
- "Infinite Jest" is considered the first great group read, changing reading habits.
- It transformed reading into a collective rather than individual activity.
The Difficulty of Infinite Jest
- Reading "Infinite Jest" felt like training with ankle weights for Patricia Lockwood.
- She describes Wallace's writing as "nystagmic," requiring back-and-forth eye movement.