Infinite Jest

David Foster Wallace · 1996 · Novel

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Dystopian satire of societal control Encyclopedic ambition and experimental form Experimental short stories and social observation

It is a landmark of postmodern literature, known for its maximalist style, experimental structure, and profound philosophical engagement with contemporary culture.

What it is

A sprawling, encyclopedic novel set in a near-future North America, exploring themes of addiction, entertainment, depression, and the search for meaning.

↑Inherited from(2)

Ulysses· 1922↑ open

Wallace's postmodern epic shares Joyce's ambition to encompass vast amounts of knowledge and experiment with narrative structure and language.

Nineteen Eighty-Four· 1949↑ open

Orwell's vision of totalitarian control finds a postmodern echo in Wallace's satirical critique of consumerism and entertainment as forms of societal manipulation.

↓Passed on to(1)

Tenth of December· 2013↓ open

Saunders, like Wallace, uses innovative narrative forms and keen social observation to explore the human condition in contemporary America.