• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Farnam Street Logo

Farnam Street

Mastering the best of what other people have already figured out

  • Articles
  • Newsletter
  • Podcast
  • Books
  • Courses
  • Log In
  • Become a Member

David Foster Wallace

How to Remember What You Read

Why is it that some people seem to be able to read a book once and remember every detail of it for life, while others struggle to recall even the title a few days after putting down a book? The answer …

Continue readingHow to Remember What You Read

3 Famous Writers on the Relationship Between Reading and Writing

During the Q&A for How to Read a Book, someone asked whether reading a lot makes us better writers. The short answer is yes. Reading and writing are two sides of the same coin. As Anne …

Continue reading3 Famous Writers on the Relationship Between Reading and Writing

David Foster Wallace: The Mortality Paradox

  David Foster Wallace, in an interview with Larry McCaffery, found in Conversations with David Foster Wallace, comments on our dread of both relationships and loneliness. It’s always tempting to …

Continue readingDavid Foster Wallace: The Mortality Paradox

David Foster Wallace on The Moral Clarity of the Immature

David Foster Wallace, who brought us gems such as This is Water and insights into ambition and perfectionism, was the guest editor of the 2007 edition of Best American Essays. His introduction …

Continue readingDavid Foster Wallace on The Moral Clarity of the Immature

The Internet’s Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz

Two years ago today, internet activist Aaron Swartz took his own life. At the time, Swartz was in the midst of being prosecuted for downloading academic journal articles. While 27 at the time of his …

Continue readingThe Internet’s Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz

David Foster Wallace: The Future of Writing In the Age of Information

David Foster Wallace remains both loved and hated. His wisdom shows itself in argumentative writing, ambition, and perfectionism, and perhaps one of the best, most profound, commencement addresses …

Continue readingDavid Foster Wallace: The Future of Writing In the Age of Information

David Foster Wallace on Argumentative Writing and Nonfiction

In December 2004, Bryan A. Garner, who had already struck up a friendship with David Foster Wallace, started interviewing state and federal judges as well as a few key writers. With over a hundred …

Continue readingDavid Foster Wallace on Argumentative Writing and Nonfiction

David Foster Wallace: Five Common Word Usage Mistakes

I’m a big David Foster Wallace fan. His 2005 commencement speech will go down as one of the best ever. If you’re aware enough to give yourself a choice, you can choose to look differently …

Continue readingDavid Foster Wallace: Five Common Word Usage Mistakes

David Foster Wallace: The Relationship Between Ambition and Perfectionism

“If your fidelity to perfectionism is too high, you never do anything.” — David Foster Wallace *** Conversations with David Foster Wallace is an essential look into the thinking of one of the great …

Continue readingDavid Foster Wallace: The Relationship Between Ambition and Perfectionism

Conversations with David Foster Wallace

Five years ago today David Foster Wallace committed suicide. His May 21st, 2005 commencement speech to the graduating class of Kenyon college, This is Water, is one of greatest of all time. Offering a …

Continue readingConversations with David Foster Wallace

David Foster Wallace: The Paradox of Plagiarism

David Foster Wallace (1962–2008) remains one of the most revered authors of our time. His timeless collection of wisdom includes everything from his famous commencement speech This is Water to his …

Continue readingDavid Foster Wallace: The Paradox of Plagiarism

The Best Book On The Art Of Writing

Last year, literary critic Joseph Epstein wrote The best book on the art of writing that I know is F. L. Lucas’ Style: The Art of Writing Well. At the time of Epstein’s comments, the book …

Continue readingThe Best Book On The Art Of Writing

This is Water by David Foster Wallace (Full Transcript and Audio)

David Foster Wallace‘s 2005 commencement speech to the graduating class at Kenyon College, is a timeless trove of wisdom — right up there with Hunter Thompson on finding your purpose and living …

Continue readingThis is Water by David Foster Wallace (Full Transcript and Audio)

David Foster Wallace: SNOOTlet

David Foster Wallace in Consider the Lobster: A SNOOTlet is a little kid who’s wildly, precociously fluent in SWE—Standard Written English—(he is often, recall, the offspring of SNOOTs). Just …

Continue readingDavid Foster Wallace: SNOOTlet

Discover What You’re Missing

Get the weekly email full of actionable ideas and insights you can use at work and home.


As seen on:

Forbes logo
New York Times logo
Wall Street Journal logo
The Economist logo
Financial Times logo
Farnam Street Logo

© 2023 Farnam Street Media Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Proudly powered by WordPress. Hosted by Pressable. See our Privacy Policy.

  • Speaking
  • Sponsorship
  • About
  • Support
  • Education

We’re Syrus Partners.
We buy amazing businesses.


Farnam Street participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising commissions by linking to Amazon.