Further Proof of the Evil Nature of D.F.W.

[Darcy]

At 11:20 AM -0700 11/12/98, Jane Grant wrote:

>The Recorder (a daily legal newspaper)
>     September 8, 1998, Tuesday

[SNIP ENTIRE STORY]

This looks an awful lot like one of those internet hoaxes.  If it's legit,
it just goes to show that anyone who manages to provoke the ire of a twit
like the "real-life" Kate Gompert can't be all bad.

Really, though, I have to laugh at someone who's read 1/10 of _Infinite
Jest_ and determined that it's merely a rip-off of _White Noise_ (though,
okay, it is at least true that DeLillo is much more of an influence on DFW
than Pychon is).  But _IJ_ has none of the awful, unnerving, hollow,
clinical detachment of _White Noise_ (which I enjoyed immensely, don't get
me wrong) -- Wallace is attempting something else entirely here, which
becomes apparent once you actually get past the exposition.

However, while we're at it: _Infinite Jest_ is a much, much better book
than _Underworld_.

- Darcy

------
dargue at istar.ca
Montreal, QC

"It appeared that even in Barcelona there were hardly any bullfights
nowadays; for some reason all the best matadors were Fascists."

					- George Orwell, _Homage to Catalonia_