David Foster Wallace; called the writer and voice of his (my) generation. Venerated as an exceptional talent, he was also from Illinois (Champaign) and tragically took his own life in 2008. I was reminded of him by a recent NYT feature profiling -- and lampooning - a passenger experience on an ocean cruise. The author nodded to Wallace as the inspiration, acknowledging that he couldn't come close. True.
This is a collection of essays and the 'Supposedly Fun Thing/ cruise piece is among the best. Wallace's prose is dense and sometimes too thick to wade through. But with a little effort it's easy to adjust....and worth it. He manages to combine keen and detailed observation with acute self-awareness to expose the humor and absurdity of this experience. Like truly great writers, he was a master at articulating introspection and our inner selves as we deal with the world. While it's not everyone's taste, his work is thought-provoking and an inspiration. Now I look forward to picking up his celebrated novel, Infinite Jest.
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