Comments on: Consider the Lobster by David Foster Wallace

By: G. Grod

G. Grod — Mon, 23 Jan 2006 21:17:32 +0000

As she mentioned, I liked Oblivion. I also liked Brief Interviews. But I really enjoyed A Supposedly Fun Thing and Consider The Lobster. That said, I've tried Jest twice, and I never got even halfway; I think I made it to page 50. We keep that copy up on the shelf just so it can stare at me reproachfully, exactly like Gravity's Rainbow.

By: Vince Tuss

Vince Tuss — Sun, 22 Jan 2006 22:55:31 +0000

Good luck on Jest. I’ve attempted twice, stalling out about halfway through. It took all my attention, and I just couldn’t leave all my other reading be. I’ve left the bookmark in so it can mock me from my book shelf.

By: girldetective

girldetective — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 22:59:09 +0000

My husband read Oblivion and liked it. He pointed out, though, that he thought one of DFWs lines in Lobster’s essay on Dostoyevesky–how some authors focus on character, others on plot and still others eschew both in favor of some meta-aesthetic agenda–was a jab at himself. I’m more of a novel fan than of short stories, and I may well try to tackle Infinite Jest this year if I’m feeling brave.

By: Darby

Darby — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 19:28:55 +0000

For what it’s worth, I think he really swings back toward the “humanity” end of the spectrum in the stories in Oblivion–at least, here and there, now and again.

He definitely does both fantastically (in my humble opinion).