History of David Foster Wallace in Timeline
David Foster Wallace was an influential American writer, known for his complex narratives and exploration of contemporary American culture. His magnum opus, *Infinite Jest*, received critical acclaim. Wallace's work grappled with themes of addiction, entertainment, consumerism, and the search for meaning in a media-saturated world. He also taught English and creative writing at the university level. Posthumously, his novel *The Pale King* was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize, solidifying his legacy as a major literary figure.
February 21, 1962: David Foster Wallace's Birth
On February 21, 1962, David Foster Wallace, an American novelist, short story writer, essayist, and university professor, was born.
1975: Inspiration for "Surrounded by Heads and Bodies"
In 1975, Matty Healy, the lead singer of The 1975 was inspired by 'Infinite Jest' which led to The 1975 song, "Surrounded by Heads and Bodies" from the album A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships, borrowing its title from the opening line of Infinite Jest.
1985: Graduation from Amherst College
In 1985, David Foster Wallace graduated summa cum laude from Amherst College, where he majored in English and philosophy. He also presented a senior thesis in philosophy and modal logic that was awarded the Gail Kennedy Memorial Prize.
1987: The Broom of the System Receives National Attention
In 1987, David Foster Wallace's first novel, "The Broom of the System," garnered national attention and critical praise.
1987: Publication of 'The Broom of the System'
In 1987, Wallace adapted his honors thesis in English as the manuscript for his first novel, "The Broom of the System", and also completed a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing at the University of Arizona.
1989: Detoxification Program at McLean Hospital
In 1989, David Foster Wallace spent four weeks at McLean Hospital, where he completed a drug and alcohol detoxification program.
1990: Writing of "E Unibus Pluram"
In 1990, David Foster Wallace wrote the essay "E Unibus Pluram: Television and U.S. Fiction".
1991: Teaching at Emerson College and Work on Infinite Jest
In 1991, David Foster Wallace began teaching literature as an adjunct professor at Emerson College in Boston and started working on his second novel, "Infinite Jest".
December 1993: Draft of Infinite Jest Submitted
In December 1993, David Foster Wallace submitted a draft of his second novel, "Infinite Jest", to his editor.
1993: Publication of "E Unibus Pluram"
In 1993, David Foster Wallace's essay "E Unibus Pluram: Television and U.S. Fiction" was published.
1995: Publication of Infinite Jest Excerpts
In 1995, excerpts from David Foster Wallace's novel "Infinite Jest" were published.
1996: Use of Endnotes and Footnotes
After 1996, David Foster Wallace's non-fiction writing incorporated extensive use of explanatory endnotes and footnotes.
1996: Mother Receives Professor of the Year Award
In 1996, David Foster Wallace's mother, an English professor at Parkland College, received the 'Professor of the Year' award in recognition of her work.
1996: Publication of Infinite Jest
In 1996, David Foster Wallace's novel "Infinite Jest" was published.
1996: Infinite Jest Cited as One of the Best Novels
In 1996, Wallace's novel "Infinite Jest" was cited by Time magazine as one of the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to 2005.
1997: MacArthur Fellowship and Aga Khan Prize
In 1997, David Foster Wallace received a MacArthur Fellowship and the Aga Khan Prize for Fiction for one of the stories in "Brief Interviews with Hideous Men".
1997: Publication of Essay "Shipping Out"
In 1997, David Foster Wallace's essay "Shipping Out" was published in his collection, "A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again".
1997: Charlie Rose Interview on Narrative Disruption
In a 1997 interview on Charlie Rose, David Foster Wallace discussed his use of notes to disrupt the linear narrative in his writing.
August 2000: Premiere of "Hideous Men" at the New York International Fringe Festival
In August 2000, Dylan McCullough's stage play adaptation of twelve interviews from David Foster Wallace's 'Brief Interviews with Hideous Men,' titled 'Hideous Men,' premiered at the New York International Fringe Festival. McCullough also directed the play, marking the first theatrical adaptation of Wallace's work.
2000: Coverage of John McCain's Presidential Campaign
In 2000, David Foster Wallace covered Senator John McCain's presidential campaign for Rolling Stone.
2002: Meeting Karen L. Green
In 2002, David Foster Wallace met the painter Karen L. Green.
2002: Professor at Pomona College
In 2002, David Foster Wallace moved to Claremont, California, to become a professor at Pomona College.
December 27, 2004: Marriage to Karen L. Green
On December 27, 2004, David Foster Wallace married the painter Karen L. Green.
2005: Commencement Address at Kenyon College
In 2005, David Foster Wallace delivered the commencement address to the graduating class at Kenyon College.
June 2007: Stopping Antidepressant Medication
In June 2007, David Foster Wallace stopped taking phenelzine, his primary antidepressant drug, on his doctor's advice.
November 2007: Piece in The Atlantic's 150th Anniversary Issue
In November 2007, David Foster Wallace wrote a short piece on 'the future of the American idea' for The Atlantic magazine's 150th anniversary issue.
September 12, 2008: David Foster Wallace's Death
On September 12, 2008, David Foster Wallace passed away.
October 23, 2008: Memorial Gathering at NYU
On October 23, 2008, a memorial gathering was held at New York University (NYU) to honor David Foster Wallace.
2008: Wallace's Death by Suicide
In 2008, David Foster Wallace, after struggling with depression for many years, died by suicide at the age of 46.
March 2009: Announcement of "The Pale King" Publication
In March 2009, Little, Brown and Company announced that it would publish the manuscript of David Foster Wallace's unfinished novel, "The Pale King".
2009: Publication of "This Is Water"
In 2009, David Foster Wallace's Kenyon College commencement speech was published as a book titled "This Is Water".
2009: Release of Brief Interviews with Hideous Men Film
In 2009, a feature-length film adaptation of "Brief Interviews with Hideous Men", directed by John Krasinski, was released.
March 2010: Purchase of Wallace's Papers by the University of Texas
In March 2010, it was announced that David Foster Wallace's personal papers and archives had been purchased by the University of Texas at Austin.
2010: Publication of Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself
In 2010, "Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself" by David Lipsky, which formed the basis of the film "The End of the Tour", was published.
2010: Posthumous Publication of Thesis
In 2010, Wallace's senior thesis, "Fate, Time, and Language: An Essay on Free Will", was posthumously published.
April 15, 2011: Publication of The Pale King
On April 15, 2011, David Foster Wallace's unfinished novel, "The Pale King", was published and received generally positive reviews.
November 4, 2011: Premiere of "Brief Interviews with Hideous Writers"
On November 4, 2011, Marc Caellas's play adaptation of 'Brief Interviews,' titled 'Brief Interviews with Hideous Writers,' premiered at Fundación Tomás Eloy Martinez in Buenos Aires.
2011: Ian Forester adapts and performs "Good Old Neon"
In 2011, Ian Forester adapted and performed David Foster Wallace's "Good Old Neon", from Oblivion: Stories, at the Hollywood Fringe Festival, produced by the Los Angeles independent theater company Needtheater.
2011: The Pale King Publication
In 2011, Wallace's posthumous novel, "The Pale King", was published.
2011: Loyola University New Orleans Offers Seminar
Since 2011, Loyola University New Orleans has offered English seminar courses on David Foster Wallace.
2012: The Pale King a Pulitzer Prize Finalist
In 2012, "The Pale King" was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
2012: Andy Holden's adaptation of "Brief Interviews" as a play
In 2012, artist Andy Holden adapted 'Brief Interviews' as a play for a two-night run at the ICA in London.
2012: Simpsons Episode Based on Wallace's Essay
In 2012, the Simpsons episode "A Totally Fun Thing Bart Will Never Do Again" was loosely based on David Foster Wallace's essay "Shipping Out".
May 2013: "This Is Water" Online Video
In May 2013, parts of David Foster Wallace's "This Is Water" speech were used in a popular online video.
May 2014: First David Foster Wallace Conference
In May 2014, the first David Foster Wallace Conference was hosted by the Illinois State University Department of English.
May 2015: Second David Foster Wallace Conference
In May 2015, the second David Foster Wallace Conference was held.
2015: Release of The End of the Tour
In 2015, the film "The End of the Tour," based on conversations between David Lipsky and David Foster Wallace, was released.
2015: Karr's Interview on Wallace's Violence
In a 2015 interview, Mary Karr stated that she was not the only woman David Foster Wallace was violent with.
2016: Publication of String Theory
In 2016, David Foster Wallace's tennis writing was compiled into a volume titled "String Theory: David Foster Wallace on Tennis".
January 2017: Launch of Wallace Society and Journal
In January 2017, the International David Foster Wallace Society and the Journal of David Foster Wallace Studies were launched.
2018: Allegations of Underreported Abuse
In 2018, Mary Karr alleged that D. T. Max underreported Wallace's abuse in his biography.
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