Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself
Encyclopedia
Although Of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself: A Road Trip with David Foster Wallace is a 2010
book by author David Lipsky
, about a five day road-trip with the author David Foster Wallace
.
, recounts his time spent with the Infinite Jest
author at the moment when Wallace realized his work would bring him fame, and that this would change his life. The book was a New York Times bestseller.
for writing about Wallace
in 2009, here provides the transcript of, and commentary about, his time accompanying Wallace across the country just as Wallace was completing an extensive "book tour" promoting his novel Infinite Jest
. The format captures almost every moment the two spent together – on planes and cars, across the country — during the specific time period when Wallace was becoming famous; the writers discuss literature, popular music and film, depression, the appeals and pitfalls of fame, dog ownership, and many other topics.
play or a four-handed duet scored for typewriter."Newsweek called it a “conversational entry point” into Wallace’s sometimes complex work, adding: “It's odd to think that a book about Wallace could serve both the newbies and the hard-cores, but here it is." The Atlantic Monthly called the work, "far-reaching, insightful, very funny, profound, surprising, and awfully human"; The reviewer for The Awl
declared, “I can't tell you how much fun this book is… It's a road picture, a love story, a contest: two talented, brilliant young men with literary ambitions, and their struggle to understand one another."
Not all the reception was positive, however. One reviewer noted Lipsky "...fails to follow-up on essential questions..." and ..."is full of himself, when all you want to hear about is David Foster Wallace."
2010 in literature
The year 2010 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*February - The Wheeler Centre, Australia's "literary hub", officially opened.*April 3 - First release of the Apple iPad, electronic book reading device....
book by author David Lipsky
David Lipsky
David Lipsky is an American author. He graduated from Stuyvesant High School in 1983 and Brown University in 1987, and holds an M.A. in Creative Writing from Johns Hopkins University. Lipsky is a contributing editor at Rolling Stone Magazine. He received a National Magazine Award for writing about...
, about a five day road-trip with the author David Foster Wallace
David Foster Wallace
David Foster Wallace was an American author of novels, essays, and short stories, and a professor at Pomona College in Claremont, California...
.
Summary
Lipsky, a novelist and contributing editor at Rolling Stone MagazineRolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
, recounts his time spent with the Infinite Jest
Infinite Jest
Infinite Jest is a 1996 novel by David Foster Wallace. The lengthy and complex work takes place in a semi-parodic future version of North America, and touches on tennis, substance addiction and recovery programs, depression, child abuse, family relationships, advertising and popular entertainment,...
author at the moment when Wallace realized his work would bring him fame, and that this would change his life. The book was a New York Times bestseller.
Story
Lipsky, who received a National Magazine AwardNational Magazine Award
The National Magazine Awards are a series of US awards that honor excellence in the magazine industry. They are administered by the American Society of Magazine Editors and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York City...
for writing about Wallace
David Foster Wallace
David Foster Wallace was an American author of novels, essays, and short stories, and a professor at Pomona College in Claremont, California...
in 2009, here provides the transcript of, and commentary about, his time accompanying Wallace across the country just as Wallace was completing an extensive "book tour" promoting his novel Infinite Jest
Infinite Jest
Infinite Jest is a 1996 novel by David Foster Wallace. The lengthy and complex work takes place in a semi-parodic future version of North America, and touches on tennis, substance addiction and recovery programs, depression, child abuse, family relationships, advertising and popular entertainment,...
. The format captures almost every moment the two spent together – on planes and cars, across the country — during the specific time period when Wallace was becoming famous; the writers discuss literature, popular music and film, depression, the appeals and pitfalls of fame, dog ownership, and many other topics.
Reception
Although Of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself was positively reviewed by critics. National Public Radio critic Michael Schaub, calling the book "a startlingly sad yet deeply funny postscript to the career of one of the most interesting American writers of all time," described it as “crushingly poignant… endearing and fascinating." In Time Magazine, Lev Grossman wrote, "The transcript of their brilliant conversations reads like a two-man Tom StoppardTom Stoppard
Sir Tom Stoppard OM, CBE, FRSL is a British playwright, knighted in 1997. He has written prolifically for TV, radio, film and stage, finding prominence with plays such as Arcadia, The Coast of Utopia, Every Good Boy Deserves Favour, Professional Foul, The Real Thing, and Rosencrantz and...
play or a four-handed duet scored for typewriter."Newsweek called it a “conversational entry point” into Wallace’s sometimes complex work, adding: “It's odd to think that a book about Wallace could serve both the newbies and the hard-cores, but here it is." The Atlantic Monthly called the work, "far-reaching, insightful, very funny, profound, surprising, and awfully human"; The reviewer for The Awl
The Awl
The Awl is a website about current events and culture. The site was founded in 2008 by David Cho and former Gawker editors Choire Sicha and Alex Balk.The site employs an editorial staff of writers....
declared, “I can't tell you how much fun this book is… It's a road picture, a love story, a contest: two talented, brilliant young men with literary ambitions, and their struggle to understand one another."
Not all the reception was positive, however. One reviewer noted Lipsky "...fails to follow-up on essential questions..." and ..."is full of himself, when all you want to hear about is David Foster Wallace."
External links
- New York Magazine Book Club and Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself
- David Lipsky on The Takeaway about David Foster Wallace, Audio Clips
- Lipsky at American Fiction Notes for Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself
- Lipsky in the Christian Science Monitor
- Lipsky on The Marketplace of Ideas
- David Lipsky on WNYC's Leonard Lopate Show
- Lipsky on NPR for Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself
- David Lipsky on Consider the Lobster, for NPR
- Lipsky about David Foster Wallace, for All Things Considered