Comments on: David Foster Wallace, dead at 46

By: See Also… » Infinite Summer: read Infinite Jest with a few thousand pals this summer

Fri, 22 May 2009 17:58:13 +0000

[...] all know that I’m a David Foster Wallace fan. So I love the idea of Infinite Summer (via [...]

By: Marianne

Marianne — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 05:13:01 +0000

Being a DFW fan can feeel like having a friend whom you know is very funny and compassionate, but who gives a first impression as being something of an impenetrable pretentious pain in the ass.

Yes, that. And I was surprised how sad I was that there won’t be any more of his writing to feel that way about.

By: David

David — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 06:00:03 +0000

I read the commencement, and was surprised to find Mr. Wallace describing the exact sort of thought processes I have started to take recently. That is, when somebody cuts me off on the highway, or screws up my order at the grocery store, or glares at me when I smile at them, my first instinct is to be perturbed. But then I begin to think of all the circumstance that might have brought this situation about. A few of the endless possibilities play out through my mind as in a movie montage. There are infinite reasons that could account for these things, and in any case thinking about it in this way makes me start to feel much differently about the situation — and the world in general.

When I recently learned about the “Fundamental attribution error” and other similar things in Intro. to Psych., I started doing this even more than I already did.

Perhaps these incessant, small mind shifts are the fruits — and curse — of my liberal arts education.

By: Steve Lawson

Steve Lawson — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:06:32 +0000

Thanks all for commenting. To the other Steve Lawson, that is an odd series of coincidences that brought you my way, but I’m glad you found us here.

By: Erica

Erica — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 23:53:58 +0000

Thank you for this epilogue.
I don’t know what to say. I gravitated to the local bookshop Sunday morning, just to be around people who would understand. I’m glad you guys are around.

By: Steve Lawson

Steve Lawson — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:55:38 +0000

How dreadful that one of the literary epiphanies that I seem to experience more than most people (example — reading “Black Elk Speaks” (Neihardt) and “Old Jules” (Sandoz) at the same time and finding characters/scenes whose paths cross in the two books on the day I’m reading about both of them) just now happened, and is occasioned by the stunning end of DF Wallace, viz:

(1) I found this site by Googling “signed first edition of Infinite Jest,” mentioned here.

(2) Not fifteen minutes ago, I was describing to an officemate how James Incandenza committed suicide, and noted that the text contained a description of how it was done.

(3) My name is Steve Lawson.

Meta, for sure — but mostly sad, sad, sad. Thanks for the site, condolences to us all. Steve L

By: rochelle hartman

rochelle hartman — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:30:41 +0000

I left this comment at Jessamyn’s: Like Steve, the full realization hit me last night, when I saw that people I already care about are having the same reactions and have had the same lovely experiences with Dave as I have. Makes me even more glad to be part of our community.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 08:56:41 +0000

agreed, perfect. oddly i am reading IJ for the first time right now and just read that passage last night. i’m going to miss DFW a lot. he is like a pal nobody else gets.

By: Jessy

Jessy — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 19:21:45 +0000

You missed class today but the purpose of a liberal arts education was one of the major topics. I’ve just sent Carol N. to this entry in your blog. I am betting you are the only person to quote the microwave oven passage in connection with DFW’s suicide. Grisly perfection.