In fifth grade, I was that kid who read 52 books for summer reading. I thought it was cool to try to read a book every day. Of course, most of them were short and part of a children’s series, but even so, reading was a big part of my life. And it still is. Two summers ago, I committed three months to one book that changed my life. And it was by David Foster Wallace.
My friends will say that I talk about DFW a lot. I’m not ashamed to admit it – I do. He’s an author that makes me feel like I’m having a conversation while I’m reading and by the end, I begin missing the characters and the reality he has created. So, picking up my next DFW work was really a matter of when.
Girl With Curious Hair is a collection of short stories that explore society’s fascination with celebrities. He uses celebrities we know – Alex Trebek, David Boyd, etc. And he makes all sorts of allusions to popular culture. His writing can be heavy at times, but it challenges you, as the reader, to think about what he’s saying regarding loneliness, entertainment, society, and the human condition. The man is brilliant and you should find out for yourself