Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself

Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself: A Road Trip with David Foster Wallace by David Lipsky (2010) A memoir about meeting David Foster Wallace—on assignment for Rolling Stone, during the Infinite Jest book tour—so I guess that was 1996. It’s a transcript of taped (good old cassette tapes) conversations they had over a five day or so period, concluding the book tour—as well as David Lipsky’s commentary. This came out following DFW’s death in 2008—so there’s that sad edge to it—and Lipsky’s extended section of the time from this interview until the death is respectful and illuminating. I don’t remember when this book came out—I would have been immediately interested—but I do remember the movie that was based on it—The End of the Tour (2015)—which I went to. I had mixed feelings about the movie—l’ll see any movie about writers—and I thought the actors were really good—but ultimately, I felt weird about it. I mean it’s hard to say what DFW would have thought about it, but if it was me (I mean, imagining that I was him, and I was dead), I would have been mortified. And who knows if you can be mortified after death or not. So, I didn’t search out this book, then, but now that I came upon it, I wished I’d read it earlier. Or maybe this is the time. It’s been long enough since I read Infinite Jest that I wonder if I could read it again. It was some experience. Anyway, Lipsky’s approach to this book, as an odd kind of friend, and a writer, and a journalist—I felt it was sensitive and respectful, and loving. Also, very funny, and entertaining. Plus, there’s a lot about writing, of course, and that’s my favorite stuff. Also, a lot about fame. There’s also stuff about the cultural climate, and technology, and discussions kind of predicting the problems with the internet and social media. The DFW character he constructs—not totally reality, of course—but the taped conversations—you do get the feeling of both of them, intimately, as people you’d like to be friends with. There’s the tragic side of it, since Wallace is dead, but also a reminder that his writing is still with us—so that odd, interesting person is still with us. Form other stuff I read, articles, and fiction, DFW always reminded me of a few different friends---no one totally enough to be too uncomfortable—but an odd mix of maybe a dozen or more friends from the past. But enough so that—well, I never felt like I knew him, so much—but I do relate to him, quite a lot. And I continue to find him inspiring.

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