The Sunday Night Artist: David Foster Wallace

David Foster Wallace
1962-2008

David Foster Wallace took his own life, September 12, 2008. He was only 46 and widely recognized as one of "the finest American writer[s] of his generation." He was also a semi-pro Tennis player in high school. His Kenyon College Commencement Address is one of the absolute best Commencement Addresses ever delivered in written English.

He was best known as a novelist, a contributor to Harper's Magazine, and a professor of Creative Writing at Pomona College (PC) in Claremont, CA.

[Dave Eggers put together a "Tributes" page in honor of his friend.]

Pomona College (PC) is part of the 5 colleges that are known as "The Claremont Colleges." Years ago, I worked at a corner used bookshop called Chapter One, on the main avenue of Claremont's downtown historic district. I have fond memories of The Claremont Colleges.

He typically taught one class a semester (20 students) at PC and, needless to say, there was a waiting list several years long. He was also married to the talented artist Karen Green. Her gallery is also in the historic Claremont College downtown. Check out her gallery: Beautiful Crap.

Charlie Rose interviewed him back in 1997.


My Halloween Costume was meant to be a tribute to his life, his writing, his struggle. According to his father, David Wallace was clinically depressed for almost 20 years; his father spoke to the press a week or two after the suicide.


Halloween 2008.

Of course, Dave, as he was known to his students, would never be caught dead walking around with a copy of Infinite Jest but for the sake of the costume, I thought it was an important prop -- besides it sparked several interesting conversations that night.