{"title":"David Foster Wallace","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDavid Foster Wallace\u003c\/strong\u003e offers a unique blend of \u003cem\u003ehumour\u003c\/em\u003e, insightful cultural critique, and sprawling narrative, inviting readers into a world where intelligence meets wit. His works traverse the boundaries of \u003cem\u003egeneral fiction\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003ephilosophy\u003c\/em\u003e, often exploring the complexities of human consciousness and modern life with depth and sharpness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrom intricate explorations of \u003cem\u003esports\u003c\/em\u003e and competitive tennis to poignant reflections on everyday existence, Wallace’s writing challenges and entertains in equal measure. Readers can expect a thought-provoking journey through essays, novels, and stories that redefine the possibilities of contemporary literature.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"a-supposedly-fun-thing-ill-never-do-again","title":"A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eA Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again\u003c\/em\u003e by David Foster Wallace is a remarkable collection of essays that forms an insightful expedition through the eccentric landscape of contemporary American culture. With his trademark wit and unparalleled observational prowess, Wallace delves into a diverse array of subjects, providing readers with an experience that is both intellectually stimulating and laugh-out-loud funny.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis compilation features Wallace's widely celebrated essays, each one a masterclass in narrative non-fiction. One of the standout pieces is an account of his journey on a luxury cruise, where he skillfully dissects the peculiarities of leisure and privilege. The title essay vividly captures the absurdities and secret discomforts lurking beneath the surface of the cruise industry, offering a candid yet humorous critique.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn another essay, Wallace takes us back to his youth as a promising tennis player, exploring the physical and mental rigours of the sport, and providing deep insights into the nature of competition and excellence. His autobiographical sketches are not just personal recollections but astute observations on the human condition, merging the personal with the universally relatable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAmong the diverse topics he tackles are the Illinois State Fair, the intricacies of television, and even a visit to a major adult film awards ceremony. Each essay is a journey in itself, characterized by Wallace's distinctive voice: sharp, self-deprecating, and endlessly curious. His ability to unearth the profound within the mundane is nothing short of extraordinary.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFilled with hilarious details and invigorating analyses, these essays brilliantly expose the fault lines in American culture - from the banal to the bizarre. Wallace's keen ability to articulate complex ideas in an accessible manner ensures that his writing resonates with a wide audience. As he navigates through various facets of American life, his work is underpinned by a deep sense of humanity and compassion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eA Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again\u003c\/em\u003e is a testament to David Foster Wallace's extraordinary talent and gargantuan intellect. It is a celebration of his skill as a writer who can turn any subject into an enlightening and entertaining masterpiece. This collection is a must-read for anyone looking to explore the depths of modern life with one of the most acclaimed and adventurous writers of our time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette New Zealand Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45711097790700,"sku":"9780349110011","price":29.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780349110011.jpg?v=1725971099"},{"product_id":"infinite-jest","title":"Infinite Jest","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSet in an eerily familiar future, \u003cem\u003eInfinite Jest\u003c\/em\u003e by David Foster Wallace is a sprawling, kaleidoscopic exploration of addiction, entertainment, and the search for meaning. The narrative centres around the residents of Ennet House, a Boston halfway house for recovering addicts, and the students at the prestigious but dysfunctional Enfield Tennis Academy. These characters, each grappling with their own forms of dependency and existential despair, find themselves intertwined in the quest for the master copy of a mysterious film called \u003cem\u003eInfinite Jest\u003c\/em\u003e. This movie is said to be so irresistibly engaging that it renders its viewers catatonically entranced, eventually leading to their demise.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe novel's expansive plot weaves together themes of familial dysfunction, substance abuse, and the dark allure of entertainment. Wallace's characters are richly drawn and varied, from the brilliant yet troubled tennis prodigy Hal Incandenza to the enigmatic and damaged tenants of Ennet House. Each character’s journey is meticulously detailed, exposing the raw and often heartbreaking realities of their struggles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWallace's work defies traditional narrative structures, embracing a complex, multi-layered form that includes an extensive network of footnotes, some of which contain crucial subplots and character insights. This innovative structure reflects the chaotic and fragmented nature of contemporary life, making the reading experience both challenging and profoundly rewarding.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCritics have lauded \u003cem\u003eInfinite Jest\u003c\/em\u003e for its rich prose and inventive style. James Wood of the \u003cem\u003eGuardian\u003c\/em\u003e celebrates Wallace’s ability to blend humour with deep, incisive commentary: \"Wallace's exuberance and intellectual impishness are a delight, and he has deep things to say about the hollowness of contemporary American pleasure. Sentences and whole pages are marvels of cosmic concentration. Wallace is a superb comedian of culture.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eUltimately, \u003cem\u003eInfinite Jest\u003c\/em\u003e is a monumental work that captures the zeitgeist of late 20th-century America, probing the complexities of human consciousness and the relentless quest for pleasure. This novel is more than a reading experience; it’s an in-depth journey through the myriad ways in which people seek to escape their own realities. David Foster Wallace has crafted a modern epic that continues to resonate with readers, inviting them to reflect on the nature of addiction, entertainment, and existence itself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette New Zealand Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45745488068844,"sku":"9780349121086","price":24.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780349121086.jpg?v=1726677254"},{"product_id":"consider-the-lobster-by-david-foster-wallace-9780349119526","title":"Consider The Lobster","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow in B Format.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA brilliant and hilarious new collection of essays from the award-winning author of the bestseller \u003cem\u003eInfinite Jest\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDo lobsters feel pain? Did Franz Kafka have a sick sense of humour? What is John Updike's deal anyway? And who won the Adult Video News' Female Performer of the Year Award the same year Gwyneth Paltrow won her Oscar? David Foster Wallace answers these questions and more in his new book of hilarious non-fiction.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor this collection, David Foster Wallace immerses himself in the three-ring circus that is the presidential race in order to document one of the most vicious campaigns in recent history. Later, he strolls from booth to booth at a lobster festival in Maine and risks life and limb to get to the bottom of the lobster question. Then he wheedles his way into an L.A. radio studio, armed with tubs of chicken, to get the behind-the-scenes view of a conservative talk show featuring a host with an unnatural penchant for clothing that only looks good on the radio.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn what is sure to be a much-talked-about exploration of distinctly modern subjects, one of the sharpest minds of our time delves into some of life's most delicious topics.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette New Zealand Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46071810130156,"sku":"9780349119526","price":29.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780349119526.jpg?v=1736066801"},{"product_id":"the-pale-king-by-david-foster-wallace-9780143203599","title":"The Pale King","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe agents at the IRS Regional Examination Center in Peoria, Illinois, appear ordinary enough to newly-arrived trainee David Foster Wallace. But as he immerses himself in a routine so tedious and repetitive that new employees receive boredom-survival training, he learns of the extraordinary variety of personalities drawn to this strange calling. And he has arrived at a moment when forces within the IRS are plotting to eliminate what little humanity and dignity the work still has.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Pale King\u003c\/em\u003e remained unfinished at the time of David Foster Wallace's death, but it is a deeply compelling and satisfying novel, hilarious and fearless and as original as anything Wallace ever undertook. It grapples directly with ultimate questions—questions of life's meaning and of the value of work and society—through characters imagined with the interior force and generosity that were Wallace's unique gifts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAlong the way it suggests a new idea of heroism and commands infinite respect for one of the most daring writers of our time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46496197509356,"sku":"9780143203599","price":24.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/26837973482238.jpg?v=1748493602"},{"product_id":"string-theory-david-foster-wallace-on-tennis-by-david-foster-wallace-9781598534801","title":"String Theory: David Foster Wallace on Tennis","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBoth a onetime \u003cem\u003enear-great junior tennis player\u003c\/em\u003e and a lifelong connoisseur of the finer points of the game, David Foster Wallace wrote about tennis with the authority of an insider, the showmanship of a literary pyrotechnician, and the disarming admiration of an irrepressible fan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIncluding his masterful profiles of Roger Federer and Tracy Austin, \u003cem\u003eString Theory\u003c\/em\u003e gathers Wallace's five famous essays on tennis, pieces that have been hailed by sportswriters and literary critics alike as some of the greatest and most innovative magazine writing in recent memory.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46510105559276,"sku":"9781598534801","price":41.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/3624983482757.jpg?v=1748792340"},{"product_id":"girl-with-curious-hair-by-david-foster-wallace-9780349111025","title":"Girl With Curious Hair","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn these stories, the author renders the bizarre normal and the absurd hilarious, from the eerily real, almost holographic evocations of historical figures, to overtelevised game-show hosts and late-night comedians.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the title story, punk nihilism meets Young Republicanism.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eGirl With Curious Hair\u003c\/em\u003e showcases David Foster Wallace's ability to transform the ordinary into something extraordinary with his unique narrative style and sharp wit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46711639605484,"sku":"9780349111025","price":31.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/7563773482312.jpg?v=1754236900"},{"product_id":"the-broom-of-the-system-by-david-foster-wallace-9780349109237","title":"The Broom Of The System","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Broom of the System\u003c\/em\u003e is a work by David Foster Wallace that showcases the author's remarkable talent as a visionary, craftsman, and comedian. Zadie Smith once remarked on Wallace's prowess: \"He can do anything with a piece of prose, and it is a humbling experience to see him go to work on what has passed up till now as 'modern fiction.' He's so modern he's in a different time-space continuum from the rest of us. Goddamn him.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe story revolves around the mysterious disappearance of Lenore Stonecipher Beadsman's great-grandmother, along with twenty-five other elderly inmates from a Shaker Heights nursing home. This event leaves Lenore feeling emotionally stranded on the edge of the Great Ohio Desert.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, this is just one of many challenges faced by the hapless switchboard operator. Her ongoing affair with her boss, Rick Vigorous, the unexpected TV stardom of her talking cockatiel, Vlad the Impaler, and a series of other minor catastrophes threaten to push Lenore's quest for love and self-determination to new heights of spasmodic weirdness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46715728396524,"sku":"9780349109237","price":35.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/7545893482312.jpg?v=1754409545"},{"product_id":"this-is-water-by-david-foster-wallace-9780316068222","title":"This Is Water","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat is the actual, real-life value of education? In this pointedly observant examination of daily life, David Foster Wallace seeks an answer to this deceptively simple question. In doing so, he notes that, \u003cem\u003e'the most obvious, ubiquitous, important realities are often the ones that are the hardest to see and talk about.'\u003c\/em\u003e In other words, to really understand the world, we have to get out of our own thoughts and learn to see what's right in front of us. With this, he touches on the most basic, most important decision we all make every day – how to think about our world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWriting with his one-of-a-kind blend of casual humour, exacting intellect, and practical philosophy, David Wallace probes the challenges of daily living and offers advice that renews us with every reading.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47000827199724,"sku":"9780316068222","price":54.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/a733681376635853274a90574f64a983.jpg?v=1776120702"},{"product_id":"consider-the-lobster-by-david-foster-wallace-9780316156110","title":"Consider the Lobster","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDo lobsters feel pain? Did Franz Kafka have a funny bone? What is John Updike's deal, anyway? And what happens when adult video starlets meet their fans in person?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDavid Foster Wallace answers these questions and more in essays that are also enthralling narrative adventures. Whether covering the three-ring circus of John McCain's 2000 presidential race, plunging into the wars between dictionary writers, or confronting the World's Largest Lobster Cooker at the annual Maine Lobster Festival, Wallace projects a quality of thought that is uniquely his and a voice as powerful and distinct as any in American letters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47647909019884,"sku":"9780316156110","price":91.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780316156110-consider-the-lobster.jpg?v=1779243838"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/david-foster-wallace.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}