"David Foster Wallace is regarded as one of the most important American writers of the twentieth and twenty-first century. This book introduces readers to the literary, philosophical and political contexts of Wallace's work. An accessible and usable 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 longstanding readers in understanding the work and influence of this important writer"--
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).