David Foster Wallace

Date of Birth: February 21, 1962

Zodiac Sign: Pisces

Date of Death: September 12, 2008

Biography

David Foster Wallace was an American writer known for his unique and innovative writing style, which often combined elements of postmodernism, irony, and deep philosophical insight. Born on February 21, 1962, in Ithaca, New York, Wallace grew up in Illinois, where his father was a philosophy professor and his mother an English teacher. He attended Amherst College, where he double-majored in English and philosophy, before earning a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from the University of Arizona. Wallace’s breakout work was “Infinite Jest,” published in 1996, which is widely considered one of the most significant novels of the 20th century. The novel’s sprawling narrative and intricate structure earned Wallace both critical acclaim and a devoted readership. He also wrote numerous essays, short stories, and non-fiction pieces that appeared in popular magazines like Harper’s, The New Yorker, and The Atlantic. Despite his literary success, Wallace struggled with depression for much of his life. Tragically, he took his own life on September 12, 2008, at the age of 46.

5 Interesting Facts about David Foster Wallace

1. David Foster Wallace graduated summa cum laude from Amherst College.

2. His novel “Infinite Jest” was included in Time magazine’s list of the 100 best English-language novels published since 1923.

3. Wallace was an accomplished tennis player in his youth, and the sport features prominently in his work.

4. He received a MacArthur Fellowship, often referred to as a “Genius Grant,” in 1997.

5. Wallace taught creative writing at Pomona College in Claremont, California, from 2002 until his death in 2008.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from David Foster Wallace

1. “The truth will set you free. But not until it is finished with you.”

2. “You will become way less concerned with what other people think of you when you realize how seldom they do.”

3. “Everybody is identical in their secret unspoken belief that way deep down they are different from everyone else.”

4. “Fiction’s about what it is to be a fucking human being.”

5. “The really important kind of freedom involves attention and awareness and discipline, and being able truly to care about other people and to sacrifice for them over and over in myriad petty little unsexy ways every day.”