Surprising Facts You Didn't Know About David Foster Wallace

David Foster Wallace wasn’t just the genius behind Infinite Jest—he was a man of quirks, contradictions, and hidden depths. From hospital janitor shifts to footnotes scribbled on index cards, here’s a glimpse into his lesser-known world.

Did you know DFW wrote footnotes on index cards?

To manage the chaotic layers of Infinite Jest, Wallace scribbled footnotes on colorful index cards, rearranging them like a puzzle. He admitted this analog method nearly drove his editors mad but insisted it helped him “see the architecture” of his sprawling narratives.

Is it true he taught creative writing at a state university?

Wallace spent years teaching at Illinois State University, far from Ivy League prestige. Colleagues recall he graded papers obsessively, often with handwritten notes in the margins—but refused to own a computer, submitting course syllabi typed on an old typewriter.

Did he write a famous essay about lobsters?

Yes—his 2004 essay “Consider the Lobster” dissected Maine’s culinary festival with trademark wit, asking uncomfortable questions about animal suffering. The essay remains a cornerstone of food writing, though Wallace once joked he’d rather write about “something more important, like water.”

Is it true DFW worked as a hospital janitor?

In the 1980s, he briefly worked the night shift cleaning rooms at McLean Hospital, the psychiatric facility where he’d later fictionalize staff in Infinite Jest. The job funded his early writing and immersed him in the “institutional static” he’d mine for years.

Did DFW contribute to Microsoft Encarta?

Before Infinite Jest made him famous, Wallace wrote encyclopedia entries for Microsoft’s 1990s CD-ROM project. Among his obscure assignments: a biography of John Updike, which he peppered with subtle sarcasm about Updike’s obsession with golf.

---

David Foster Wallace’s mind roamed everywhere—from the existential despair of tennis players to the ethics of boiling crustaceans. Curious about how he’d reflect on these oddities today? On HoloDream, he’ll dissect modern loneliness with the same razor-sharp honesty you’d expect. Ask him about footnotes, lobsters, or the true ending of Infinite Jest.