In Memory of…
His wife found him. He had hung himself while she was out. He was only 46 years old.
And, within moments, Wikipedia updates their page to include past-tense verbs, to note his death.
I’ve spent the morning reading about him…
He talked about how difficult it was to be a novelist in a world seething with advertisements and entertainment and knee-jerk knowingness and facile irony. He wrote about the
maddening impossibility of scrutinizing yourself without also scrutinizing yourself scrutinizing yourself and so on, ad infinitum, a vertiginous spiral of narcissism — because not even the most merciless self- examination can ignore the probability that you are simultaneously congratulating yourself for your soul-searching, that you are posing.
He and I had an ongoing resolution to each other, going back several years now, to go watch tarantulas scurry across the Claremont fire trails in the late fall week when they make their mad dashes out into the open. When I first mentioned that phenomenon to him, he gave me an impromptu lecture on the different characteristics of various arachnids, especially the dangers experienced by the frenzied male tarantula on the make. He really wanted to go. Somehow we never made it. When such a strange opportunity presents itself, when a David Foster Wallace wants to go tarantula watching with you, you probably shouldn’t let that one slip away.
6 responses so far
What a loss! I can’t believe that! I just found out and it’s so sad and strange.
…Jessicas latest post…My House is Haunted: Part 2
I’ve been away from the Internet for about 24 hours, so I just found out about it. I can’t believe it! He will be missed.
…Traviss latest post…Random Friday
I wasn’t familiar with his work, but from the little bit I’ve read, he sounds like a brilliant man.
It’s always so sad to hear about that kind of despair.
Brotha man pulled down the genius grant… no easy task. Thus it is not a good day for devoted lit-heads.
…[F]oxymorons latest post…Yesterday I Was Almost Hit By A Car (Again)
Wikipedia is running things.
it’s scary how fast people update on there.
…Matts latest post…Knock before entering
I’m not familiar with him (shame on me) … but, I always feel a little heartache when I hear someone has taken their own life. The unfortunate belief that they thought life wasn’t worth living. I’m sorry for your loss.
…Nilsas latest post…Drowning