David Foster Wallace is regarded as one of the most important American writers of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. This book introduces readers to the literary, philosophical and political contexts of Wallace's work. An accessible and useable resource, this volume conceptualizes his work within long-standing critical traditions and with a new awareness of his importance for American literary studies. It shows the range of issues and contexts that inform the work and reading of David Foster Wallace, connecting his writing to diverse ideas, periods and themes. Essays cover topics on gender, sex, violence, race, philosophy, poetry and geography, among many others, guiding new and long-standing readers in understanding the work and influence of this important writer.

This book introduces readers to the literary, philosophical and political contexts of David Foster Wallace's work.

About the Author
Clare Hayes-Brady is Associate Professor in American Literature at University College Dublin. She is the author of The Unspeakable Failures of David Foster Wallace: Language, Identity, and Resistance (2016).


Book Information
ISBN 9781316513323
Author Clare Hayes-Brady
Format Hardback
Page Count 375
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Weight(grams) 830g
Dimensions(mm) 238mm * 156mm * 31mm