The Gospel According to David Foster Wallace: Boredom and Addiction in an Age of Distraction Contributor(s): Miller, Adam S. (Author) |
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ISBN: 1474236979 ISBN-13: 9781474236973 Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC OUR PRICE: $36.58 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: February 2016 |
Additional Information |
BISAC Categories: - Literary Criticism | American - General - Literary Criticism | Comparative Literature - Religion | Christianity - Literature & The Arts |
Dewey: 813.54 |
LCCN: 2016449362 |
Series: New Directions in Religion & Literature |
Physical Information: 0.5" H x 5.5" W x 8.4" (0.44 lbs) 136 pages |
Themes: - Religious Orientation - Christian |
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
Publisher Description: The Gospel According to David Foster Wallace is the first book to explore key religious themes - from boredom to addiction, and distraction - in the work of one of America's most celebrated contemporary novelists. In a series of short, topic-focused chapters, the book joins a selection of key scenes from Wallace's novels Infinite Jest and The Pale King with clear explanations of how they contribute to his overall account of what it means to be a human being in the 21st century. Adam Miller explores how Wallace's work masterfully investigates the nature of first-world boredom and shows, in the process, how easy it is to get addicted to distraction (chemical, electronic, or otherwise). Implicitly critiquing, excising, and repurposing elements of AA's Twelve Step program, Wallace suggests that the practice of prayer (regardless of belief in God), the patient application of attention to things that seem ordinary and boring, and the internalization of clichés may be the antidote to much of what ails us in the 21st century. |
Contributor Bio(s): Miller, Adam S.: - Adam S. Miller is a professor of philosophy at Collin College in McKinney, Texas, USA. He is the founder of The Journal of Philosophy and Scripture and the author of a number of articles addressing the intersection of religion, ethics and politics. |