"The Bad Thing" : Depression and the Genesis of David Foster Wallace's Genius
In this episode ofThe Mad Genius Thesis Podcast, we exploreEvery Love Story Is a Ghost Story: A Life of David Foster Wallace by D. T. Max, a biography that traces the brilliance, struggles, and literary evolution of one of the most influential writers of his generation. From his early years at Amherst College, where he battled mental health challenges, to the creation ofInfinite Jest, Wallace’s life was marked by intellectual intensity, addiction, and depression. We examine how his writing style, philosophical depth, and personal demons shaped his work, and discuss the pressures of literary fame, his later struggles, and his enduring legacy. Was Wallace’s genius inseparable from his suffering, or was he searching for something beyond it?
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