David Foster Wallace

American fiction writer and essayist (1962–2008)
Person human Q313246
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David Foster Wallace

Summary

David Foster Wallace is a human[1]. Born in Ithaca[2], he… he was born on February 21, 1962[3]. He died in Claremont[4]. He died on September 12, 2008[5]. He worked as a writer[6], novelist[7], essayist[8], and university teacher[9]. He ranks in the top 0.29% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (18,425 views/month, #2,883 of 1,000,298).[10]

Key Facts

  • Born in Ithaca[2], David Foster Wallace…
  • David Foster Wallace passed away in Claremont[4].
  • David Foster Wallace was born on February 21, 1962[3].
  • David Foster Wallace died on September 12, 2008[5].
  • David Foster Wallace's father was James D. Wallace[11].
  • David Foster Wallace held citizenship in United States[12].
  • David Foster Wallace's professions included writer[6].
  • David Foster Wallace's professions included novelist[7].
  • David Foster Wallace's professions included essayist[8].
  • David Foster Wallace worked as a university teacher[9].
  • Among David Foster Wallace's employers was Illinois State University[13].
  • Among David Foster Wallace's employers was Emerson College[14].
  • Among David Foster Wallace's employers was Pomona College[15].
  • David Foster Wallace's education included a stint at Urbana High School[16].
  • David Foster Wallace's education included a stint at Amherst College[17].
  • David Foster Wallace's education included a stint at University of Arizona[18].
  • David Foster Wallace was educated at Harvard University[19].
  • A notable work attributed to David Foster Wallace is Infinite Jest[20].
  • A notable work attributed to David Foster Wallace is The Pale King[21].
  • A notable work attributed to David Foster Wallace is A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again[22].
  • A notable work attributed to David Foster Wallace is Brief Interviews with Hideous Men[23].
  • A notable work attributed to David Foster Wallace is The Broom of the System[24].
  • A notable work attributed to David Foster Wallace is Everything and More[25].
  • David Foster Wallace received the MacArthur Fellows Program[26].
  • David Foster Wallace received the Lannan Literary Awards[27].

Body

Origins and Family

David Foster Wallace's place of birth was Ithaca[2]. He was born on February 21, 1962[3]. His father was James D. Wallace[11].

Education

Educated at Urbana High School[16], a high school[28], in United States[29], founded in 1872[30]; Amherst College[17], a liberal arts college[31], in United States[32], founded in 1821[33]; University of Arizona[18], a public university[34], in United States[35], founded in 1885[36], headquartered in Tucson[37]; and Harvard University[19], a private university[38], in United States[39], founded in 1636[40], headquartered in Cambridge[41].

Career and Affiliations

Recorded occupations include writer[6], novelist[7], essayist[8], and university teacher[9]. Employers include Illinois State University[13], a university[42], in United States[43], founded in 1857[44]; Emerson College[14], a university[45], in United States[46], founded in 1880[47], headquartered in Boston[48]; and Pomona College[15], a private not-for-profit educational institution[49], in United States[50], founded in 1887[51], headquartered in Claremont[52].

Works and Contributions

Notable works include Infinite Jest[20], a literary work[53]; The Pale King[21], a literary work[54]; A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again[22], a written work[55]; Brief Interviews with Hideous Men[23], a literary work[56]; The Broom of the System[24], a written work[57]; and Everything and More[25], a written work[58].

Recognition

Awards received include MacArthur Fellows Program[26], a science award[59], in United States[60], founded in 1981[61]; Lannan Literary Awards[27], a science award[62], founded in 1989[63]; Whiting Awards[64], a literary award[65], in United States[66], founded in 1985[67]; and Q137884378[68].

Death and Burial

David Foster Wallace died on September 12, 2008[5]. He died in Claremont[4]. The cause of death was hanging to death[69].

Why It Matters

David Foster Wallace ranks in the top 0.29% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (18,425 views/month, #2,883 of 1,000,298).[10] He has Wikipedia articles in 25 language editions, a strong signal of global cultural recognition.[70] He is known by 12 alternative names across languages and contexts.[71]

He has been cited as an influence by Neal Stephenson[72], a novelist[73], b. 1959[74], of United States[75], awarded the Prometheus Award - Hall of Fame[76], specialised in science fiction[77].

Works attributed to him include Infinite Jest[78], a literary work[79]; The Pale King[80], a literary work[81]; and The Broom of the System[82], a written work[83].

FAQs

Where was David Foster Wallace born?

Born in Ithaca[2], David Foster Wallace…

Where did David Foster Wallace die?

David Foster Wallace passed away in Claremont[4].

Who were David Foster Wallace's parents?

David Foster Wallace's father was James D. Wallace[11].

What did David Foster Wallace do for work?

David Foster Wallace worked as writer[6], novelist[7], essayist[8], and university teacher[9].

Where did David Foster Wallace go to school?

David Foster Wallace was educated at Urbana High School[16], Amherst College[17], University of Arizona[18], and Harvard University[19].

What awards did David Foster Wallace receive?

Honors received include MacArthur Fellows Program[26], Lannan Literary Awards[27], Whiting Awards[64], and Q137884378[68].

Who did David Foster Wallace influence?

David Foster Wallace has been cited as an influence by Neal Stephenson[72].

References

Programmatic citations — every numbered marker resolves to a verifiable graph row below.

Direct Wikidata claims

  1. [2] . Integrated Authority File. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  2. [4] . Integrated Authority File. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  3. [11] . nytimes.com. Retrieved . nytimes.com. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  4. [12] . Bibliothèque nationale de France. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  5. [16] . amherst.edu. Retrieved . amherst.edu. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  6. [17] . amherst.edu. Retrieved . amherst.edu. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  7. [18] . alumni.arizona.edu. Retrieved . alumni.arizona.edu. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  8. [19] . news.harvard.edu. Retrieved . news.harvard.edu. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  9. [6] . Consider the Philosopher. wikidata.org.
  10. [7] . wikidata.org.
  11. [8] . wikidata.org.
  12. [9] . wikidata.org.
  13. [13] . wikidata.org.
  14. [14] . Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  15. [15] . wikidata.org.
  16. [26] . Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  17. [27] . Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  18. [64] . Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  19. [68] . transfuge.fr. transfuge.fr. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  20. [69] . Los Angeles County Medical Examiner Case Search. Retrieved . salon.com. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  21. [3] . Integrated Authority File. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  22. [5] . Integrated Authority File. Retrieved . latimes.com. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  23. [20] . wikidata.org.
  24. [21] . Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  25. [22] . wikidata.org.
  26. [23] . wikidata.org.
  27. [24] . wikidata.org.
  28. [25] . wikidata.org.

Inverse relationships (entities pointing at this one)

  1. [72] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  2. [78] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  3. [80] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  4. [82] . wikidata.org. → on this site

Inline context (facts about related entities)

  1. [28] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  2. [29] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  3. [30] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  4. [31] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  5. [32] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  6. [33] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  7. [34] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  8. [35] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  9. [36] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  10. [37] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  11. [38] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  12. [39] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  13. [40] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  14. [41] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  15. [42] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  16. [43] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  17. [44] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  18. [45] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  19. [46] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  20. [47] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  21. [48] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  22. [49] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  23. [50] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  24. [51] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  25. [52] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  26. [59] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  27. [60] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  28. [61] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  29. [62] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  30. [63] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  31. [65] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  32. [66] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  33. [67] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  34. [53] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  35. [54] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  36. [55] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  37. [56] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  38. [57] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  39. [58] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  40. [73] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  41. [74] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  42. [75] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  43. [76] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  44. [77] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  45. [79] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  46. [81] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  47. [83] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site

Class ancestry

  1. [1] . Wikidata. wikidata.org.

Aggregate / graph-position facts

  1. [10] . Wikimedia Foundation. dumps.wikimedia.org.
  2. [70] . Wikidata sitelinks. wikidata.org.
  3. [71] . Wikidata aliases. wikidata.org.

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APA 4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph. (2026). David Foster Wallace. Retrieved April 10, 2026, from https://4ort.xyz/entity/david-foster-wallace
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  1. 5w ago · MariuszRokin · 2026-06-12 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    Image needs reharvest
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    "/* wbcreateclaim-create:1| */ [[Property:P9322]]: 0383715-Wallace-David-Foster-19622008, [[:toollabs:quickstatements/#/batch/259599|batch #259599]]"
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