David Foster Wallace

5 summariesLiterary Fiction, Philosophy, Fantasy

David Foster Wallace was an American novelist, short story writer, essayist, and university professor of English and creative writing. Wallace is widely known for his 1996 novel Infinite Jest, which Time magazine cited as one of the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to 2005. His posthumous novel, The Pale King (2011), was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2012. The Los Angeles Times's David Ulin called Wallace "one of the most influential and innovative writers of the last twenty years".

Books by David Foster Wallace

5 books available

Infinite Jest
David Foster Wallace
4.3 (74k) average on GoodreadsLiterary Fiction
In a future America where corporate sponsorship has taken over the calendar and entertainment is a weapon, the fractured lives of a junior tennis prodigy, his absent intellectual father, and a recovering addict converge in a sprawling, tragicomic exploration of addiction, depression, and the relentless pursuit of happiness.
Brief Interviews with Hideous Men
David Foster Wallace
3.9 (25k) average on GoodreadsLiterary Fiction
Wallace's interviews and unsettling portraits expose male insecurities and societal absurdities, twisting the mundane into something both funny and sad.
The Broom of the System
David Foster Wallace
3.8 (19k) average on GoodreadsLiterary Fiction
In a slightly askew 1990 Cleveland, a young woman grapples with a disappearing great-grandmother, a jealous boss, and a cockatiel quoting Auden, all while navigating a reality where language itself seems to be unraveling.
The Pale King
David Foster Wallace
4.0 (15k) average on GoodreadsLiterary Fiction
At an IRS office in Peoria, a new trainee named David Foster Wallace discovers how people find meaning in work and life, even as the system tries to erase their humanity.
Oblivion
David Foster Wallace
4.1 (3k) average on GoodreadsFantasy
Characters struggle with the weight of their own minds, showing the beauty and normalcy of everyday life.