David Foster Wallace Archives
September 15, 2008
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
It’s been a couple of days since I posted about David Foster Wallace’s suicide. Hearing this news has been a real kick in the gut for me; expect my posting here to be light for the next day or two.
But I wanted to bring together some info related to his work. First, I dug into my archive and slightly revised a lengthy piece I wrote in 2004 about his wonderful essay, “Consider the Lobster.” My piece looks at why Wallace’s essay is such a big deal for the animal rights community, and as a former freelance writer I reflect on the circumstances that must have surrounded its publication. “Consider the Lobster” can now be read online; it’s as good an introduction to Wallace’s best work as anything out there.
(Via DaringFireball.net) Also Harper’s magazine has posted a complete archive of all the writing it published by Wallace. “Shipping Out” is not to be missed, nor is “The Depressed Person,” which at the time struck me as wickedly funny; but which now can’t be read as anything but autobiographical.
But maybe the best starting point for reading Wallace is his 2005 Kenyon College Commencement Address. Here’s a guy who obviously figured out exactly what you need to do to protect your mental health, and who could articulate this strategy maybe better than anyone has ever done. But I guess brain chemistry trumps insight every time.
Remember that if your depression ever gets overwhelming, you can always get help.
Posted in Blog
