Topic: David Foster Wallace

Top Picks: An alligator app, great commencement speeches, and more

John Mayer's musicianship is first-rate on his new album, National Geographic explores the unusual animals of America, and more top picks.

Farther Away

The notably unsentimental Jonathan Franzen offers a clear-eyed defense of sentiment in this essay collection.

Why wasn’t there a Pulitzer Prize winner for fiction this year?

A three-person fiction jury read 314 books before deciding on three finalists, but a Pulitzer Prize winner was not selected. In Pulitzer history, fiction has not had a winner 11 times.

Book world expresses disappointment, outrage over Pulitzer snub

Pulitzer juror Susan Larson said she and the rest of the fiction jury are 'shocked … angry … and very disappointed' that the Pulitzer board elected not to choose a 2012 fiction winner.

Pulitzer Prize for history, but not for fiction

The late Manning Marable won the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for history, honored for a Malcolm X book. But no Pulitzer Prize was awarded for fiction.

Reader recommendation: This Is Water

Monitor readers share their favorite book picks.

David Foster Wallace's 10 favorite books

The late great novelist David Foster Wallace's 10 favorite books.

Jeffrey Eugenides talks about 'The Marriage Plot' and pokes fun at literary theorists

Jeffrey Eugenides talks about his novels – and themes of death, suicide, and Detroit.

Newt Gingrich's biggest problem: too many words, or too little cash?

Newt Gingrich said his recent campaign troubles came from consultants who wanted him to measure his words more carefully. Were they right? Or does he just need more cash?

What books will Monitor readers be enjoying this summer?

We asked our readers what they are reading this month and – on a scale of 1 to 10 – here are the books they're enjoying the most.

Bestselling books the week of 5/26/11, according to IndieBound*

What's selling best in independent bookstores across America.

Bestselling books the week of 5/19/11, according to IndieBound*

What's selling best in independent bookstores across America.

Bestselling books the week of 5/12/11, according to IndieBound*

What's selling best in independent bookstores across America.

Bestselling books the week of 4/28/11, according to IndieBound*

What's selling best in independent bookstores across America.

4/21/11 bestselling book list, according to IndieBound*

What's selling best in independent bookstores across America.

The Pale King

David Foster Wallace’s posthumous novel, focused on the IRS, offers us the chance “to look once more inside that beautiful mind.”

Bestselling books the week of 4/14/11, according to IndieBound*

What's selling best at independent bookstores across America.

Bestselling books the week of 4/7/11, according to IndieBound*

What's selling best in independent bookstores across America.

David Foster Wallace in the news

David Foster Wallace made posthumous headlines twice this week.

Channeling my inner Hemingway – or not

'I Write Like,' a hot new website, purports to tell visitors which bestselling authors' work their prose most resembles.

I Write Like… David Foster Wallace?

Although Of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself

Rolling Stone writer David Lipsky recalls the five-day journey he took with David Foster Wallace during Wallace’s 1996 “Infinite Jest” book tour.

Sundance: Take my film ... please!

The annual indie film festival is proving a tough sell for moviemakers as the economy craters and distribution channels shrink.

Bestselling hardcover books

This Is Water

David Foster Wallace on the difficulty – and importance – of living 'consciously, adultly, day in and day out.'