David Foster Wallace (1962-2008)

David Foster Wallace, author of the novel Infinite Jest and fantastic collection A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again, passed away Friday, in an apparent suicide. From the NYT:

David Foster Wallace, whose darkly ironic novels, essays and short stories garnered him a large following and made him one of the most influential writers of his generation, was found dead in his California home on Friday, after apparently committing suicide, the authorities said.

Mr. Wallace, 46, best known for his sprawling 1,079-page novel “Infinite Jest,” was discovered by his wife, Karen Green, who returned home to find that he had hanged himself, a spokesman for the Claremont, Calif., police said Saturday evening.

It's sad every time a literary figure of this stature passes away. The world of letters is better for having him in it.