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Sep 06, 2024
acx

Your Book Review: The Pale King

56 min • 7,219 words • Comments pending
A review of David Foster Wallace's 'The Pale King', examining its themes, the author's style and personal struggles, and the reviewer's evolving perspective on Wallace's work and legacy. Longer summary
This book review discusses David Foster Wallace's unfinished novel 'The Pale King', focusing on its themes, Wallace's writing style, and his personal struggles. The review explores Wallace's attempt to transcend postmodernism, his critique of consumer culture, and his vision for a more sincere and morally engaged society. It also delves into Wallace's mental health issues, his suicide, and the posthumous controversy surrounding his personal life. The reviewer reflects on their own journey with Wallace's work, from initial admiration to eventual disillusionment, while still acknowledging the value and limitations of his literary contributions. Shorter summary
Mar 28, 2014
ssc

The Character’s Complaint

7 min • 798 words • 14 comments • podcast
A humorous poem where a fictional character begs their author not to write any more books about them, listing various genres and authors they'd like to avoid. Longer summary
This poem, written from the perspective of a fictional character, humorously pleads with the author not to write any more books featuring them. The character lists various genres and famous authors, explaining why they don't want to be in those types of stories or written by those authors. They promise to avoid plot hooks and dramatic situations, and suggest the author pursue other writing careers like journalism or science writing. The poem ends with the character urging the author to put down the pen and enjoy life instead of writing. Shorter summary
Feb 19, 2013
ssc

I liked Lovecraft countless primaeval aeons before it was cool

13 min • 1,618 words • 43 comments • podcast
Scott Alexander criticizes the humorous adaptations of Lovecraft's work in geek culture, arguing they miss the author's intent to create a sense of the strange and transcendent. Longer summary
Scott Alexander critiques the transformation of Lovecraft's work in geek culture, arguing that the humorous adaptations of Cthulhu and other Lovecraftian elements miss the author's original intent. He emphasizes that Lovecraft's aim was to create a sense of the strange, intense, and unearthly, divorced from everyday mundanity. Scott argues that Lovecraft opposed ironic humor that diminishes the transcendent nature of his creations. He urges readers who are interested in Lovecraft to explore his serious works, particularly recommending 'The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath' and shorter stories in the Dream Cycle. Shorter summary