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The Gospel According to David Foster Wallace: Boredom and Addiction in an Age of Distraction
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.
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.
136 pages, Hardcover
First published March 24, 2016
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334 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
January 20, 2017
Difficult to rate, as it is largely just a synopsis of themes from several of David Foster Wallace's works (which I love). I'm to that point where I've read just about everything Wallace has written (except for that math/infinity book; impenetrably dense, even by DFW standards), and even much of what has been written about Wallace himself. Now I'm left reading what other people have to say about his writing. The "gospel" seems a bit of a misnomer, although it does analyze some concepts that are near and dear too my heart (i.e. boredom, distraction, work, "the head," technology). There are certainly gospel overlaps. This book doesn't provide answers necessarily, but comfort in the sense that, you're not alone. Well, you're alone in your head, but you're not the only one.
April 13, 2016
DFW's writings contain multitudes, so pinning down any singular gospel in there will depend largely on the views of the exegete. In this book, Adam Miller identifies one particular "gospel" profile without engaging other profiles, without treating DFW systematically.
The result is engaging, even inspiring, as Miller adds new terms to the evangelist lexicon like "boredom," "sewage," "taxes," and "deskwork." These and other points of reflection are treated in concise and clearly written chapters which collectively encourage readers to find grace in our everyday mundane lives, to accept what it means to be "a f****** human being."
Fanatic DFW readers will be able to come up with competing gospels or counterpoints because Miller has provided just one particular approach for others to consider and dialogue with. He concludes with a convincing rebuttal of the claim some critics make that DFW's work was hyper-individualist, nihilistic, even Nietzschean. Granted, Wallace never became a Catholic or joined any particular religious groups despite repeated and pressing temptations. But Miller shows ways that Wallace’s work nevertheless reflects an awareness of the sacred. As we might have expected having been pressed through the Millerean Rube Goldberg machine, Wallace’s gospel comes out sounding a lot like Miller’s.
The result is engaging, even inspiring, as Miller adds new terms to the evangelist lexicon like "boredom," "sewage," "taxes," and "deskwork." These and other points of reflection are treated in concise and clearly written chapters which collectively encourage readers to find grace in our everyday mundane lives, to accept what it means to be "a f****** human being."
Fanatic DFW readers will be able to come up with competing gospels or counterpoints because Miller has provided just one particular approach for others to consider and dialogue with. He concludes with a convincing rebuttal of the claim some critics make that DFW's work was hyper-individualist, nihilistic, even Nietzschean. Granted, Wallace never became a Catholic or joined any particular religious groups despite repeated and pressing temptations. But Miller shows ways that Wallace’s work nevertheless reflects an awareness of the sacred. As we might have expected having been pressed through the Millerean Rube Goldberg machine, Wallace’s gospel comes out sounding a lot like Miller’s.
May 1, 2016
If you love Wallace, you'll be able to appreciate Miller's organization of some of the themes of Wallace's work. At his most effective, Miller resoundingly refutes the literary critics who have ludicrously claimed that Wallace was a nihilist. (Not something that difficult to refute if you have invested any time in reading DFW at all.) At his least effective, Miller still competently collects and anthologizes even if he disappointingly does little to really discuss Wallace's main ideas past the simple act of presenting and summarizing them.
There was just so much more that Miller could have done with this book. Wallace actually does thoughtfully engage in religious ideas, but for all Miller's use of terms like "gospel", "abiding", "revelations" and "prayer," he surprisingly shies away from following these religious ideas down to the depth in which Wallace wrestled with them.
There was just so much more that Miller could have done with this book. Wallace actually does thoughtfully engage in religious ideas, but for all Miller's use of terms like "gospel", "abiding", "revelations" and "prayer," he surprisingly shies away from following these religious ideas down to the depth in which Wallace wrestled with them.
August 11, 2017
Miller provides a fascinating reading of DFW, centered around the idea that Wallace was interested in fiction's ability to successfully interrogate what it means "to be a fucking human being" with all the banality, carnality, and tragedy the phrase implies. If you are interested in the ideas of boredom and bodies and getting out of your own head and into the world, you'll find this book useful, enjoyable, and hopeful.
May 22, 2020
The nexus of Adam Miller and David Foster Wallace! Wow. Not what I was expecting, but extremely thought provoking. I particularly enjoyed the essay on Boredom. I do wish I had read this immediately after finishing Infinite Jest. You do need some knowledge of Wallace's work to appreciate these essays, they are structured around specific quotes, characters and scenes.
July 31, 2021
“Distraction, rather than being occasional and derivative, becomes perpetual and primary. Rather than being a diversion from the main thing you do, it becomes the main thing you do.”
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An insightful companion volume to the writings of David Foster Wallace.
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An insightful companion volume to the writings of David Foster Wallace.
August 26, 2017
A surprisingly beautiful little book of literary criticism. Short chapters, each of which deconstruct some theme or aspect of DFW's legacy. No familiarity or prior experience reading his novels, fiction or journalism is needed, moreover. I enjoyed this greatly.
January 1, 2017
Miller is one of the most engaging philosophers writing today. His thought presented through the lens of David Foster Wallace is compelling and important. Highly recommended.
July 23, 2023
Expanded my vocabulary but it also was a good summary of themes that I seemed unable to derive from my journey through DFW in 2022. Adam does a good job of articulating these themes, summarizing the moments in the book we need for background, standing up for DFW, and trying to apply these complicated passages and characters to our individual existences. Much probably went over my head but it was a refreshing book. I must say that I really enjoyed my first “dipping of the toe” into the waters of non-scriptural literary criticism.
September 4, 2022
I love sitting at the feet of people far more observant, insightful, intelligent and articulate than myself. DFW and Adam Miller held me in their palm and helped me understand the world around me, elucidate common contemporary challenges/experiences, and did so with refreshing originality.
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January 14, 2023“Fiction matters, Wallace thinks, because it can facilitate this intimacy. It can help us be human by making us less lonely. By dramatizing the boredom and addiction that make it hard to be human in our age of distraction, it can show us that we’re not alone in our heads. It can show is that we’re not alone in feeling what we feel. Even if what we feel is lonely.”, p. 2
April 29, 2020
Second reading was just as good as the first.
November 19, 2018
Well, it’s safe to say that this isn’t what I expected, but it’s not safe to say that that left me disappointed with what I got. And even though it’s safe to say that parts of this were disappointing, it’s not safe to say that that means I thought this wasn’t good. It was unexpected, disappointing, bad, and also good. Miller’s book – all of one hundred fifteen pages – is composed of thirty chapters sandwiched between a preface and an afterward, meaning each chapter is only about three pages. So this reads like what it is, a quick overview of the themes that dominate and animate Wallace’s work. And this stinks because each of these thirty themes could itself command a hundred pages to explicate fully given the expanse of Wallace’s oeuvre. But then also, each of these chapters is really compact, and Miller appears to have made the choice to limit himself to only the most significant of Wallace’s works, since to do otherwise would have meant a three thousand-page book. Too, Miller does what I think good Wallace scholarship requires which is to approach Wallace’s stuff thematically and not formally (e.g., juvenilia vs. mature works, novels vs. short stories, fiction vs. non-fiction, humous vs. posthumous). So here we’re met with really short remarks on the most important themes that prevail throughout Wallace most important works regardless of form. Which would be great except that Miller’s scholarship is impoverished to the point of being starved because he neglects to include the major theorists and philosophers and critics of postmodernism, poststructuralism, and the New Sincerity into the conversation. Their absence means that any expansion on how these themes communicate with Adams, Adorno, Baudrillard, Derrida, Grausam, Hayes-Brady, Herring, Hoberek, Holland, Hutcheon, Jameson, Konstantinou, Leypoldt, Lyotard, McHale, Nealon, Nilges, Rudrum, and van den Akker are also absent. Oh and then also absent from these themes is Sincerity, which anyone who has spent any serious time with Wallace would have to include as a constituent theme of his work. Okay, and yet these omissions – omissions that would have prevented any other book from being published – really aren’t omissions because that academic stuff really isn’t the point of this book. The Gospel According to David Foster Wallace – as should have been pretty apparent to me given the title – is part of Bloomsbury’s “New Directions in Religion and Literature” series, and so wants to make sense of the religious qualities of Wallace’s writing, which, again, will be acknowledged as present and significant to anyone who has spent a lot time with his stuff. Miller sees in what I call Wallace’s Sincerity thesis that which I struggle to articulate meaningfully: exposing oneself to the pain that comes from being ridiculed for espousing belief in the face of our culture’s reflexive irony is the risk demanded of us if we want to escape the psycho-spiritual dead-end of postmodernism. Making this escape demands the endurance of pain and sadness and loss and depleted faith without succumbing to the ersatz salvific beck of our culture’s ever more sophisticated and enticing distractions. It’s in this endurance – this fully conscious, acknowledged, determined endurance of pain – that immanence is accessed, offering a transcendence that enriches. As Wallace himself asserted, everyone worships. The trick is in choosing what one worships. Substances beget addiction. Abiding one’s boredom begets epiphany. It’s an impossible sell, but of course Sincerity can’t be bought or sold, only chosen. If you’re not already well versed in Wallace’s corpus, Miller’s book will hold little for you. And if you aren’t open to the religious potential inherent to Sincerity, neither Miller’s nor Wallace’s books will hold much for you. Otherwise, there are worse things Out There to spend your time reading.
March 21, 2018
A dip into the mind of David Foster Wallace
This book was recommended to me by a friend. I had never read any works by Wallace. In fact, I am just starting to explore the world of 20th century philosophy. So, naturally, take my words with a grain of salt.
After reading the book, I felt as if I merely dipped my toe into the vast mind (pun intended, since this book is about how we get stuck in our minds) of Wallace. Rightfully so, since Miller's intent is to provide an overview and defense of Wallace's core philosophical principles. I'm curious to know if this was a thesis paper of Miller's graduate studies that was merely published as a book. It definitely has that feel.
As for the principles of DFW's philosophy summarized by Miller, I found myself resonating with a few key principles. The analogous relationship of head, body, maps, and occurring make complete sense. The discourse on watching TV is even more applicable in todays world with smartphones. Our "TV remotes" are now in our pockets at all times. We are ever-distracted, with no time to be bored.
Boredom is key for progression. I’ve never thought of this...but it is so true. We must push through the things we do not want to do. Fighting through boredom allows us to first tolerate, then accept, understand, and finally succeed at boring tasks. We are to critically think, not be merely entertained in life. Only when we can find intrinsic value in boredom (and boring tasks), we become present in our bodies. We begin to feel the gravity on our bodies...literally. We can then understand who we are, where we are, and what our bodies are doing. We can see “things as they really are.”
This book was recommended to me by a friend. I had never read any works by Wallace. In fact, I am just starting to explore the world of 20th century philosophy. So, naturally, take my words with a grain of salt.
After reading the book, I felt as if I merely dipped my toe into the vast mind (pun intended, since this book is about how we get stuck in our minds) of Wallace. Rightfully so, since Miller's intent is to provide an overview and defense of Wallace's core philosophical principles. I'm curious to know if this was a thesis paper of Miller's graduate studies that was merely published as a book. It definitely has that feel.
As for the principles of DFW's philosophy summarized by Miller, I found myself resonating with a few key principles. The analogous relationship of head, body, maps, and occurring make complete sense. The discourse on watching TV is even more applicable in todays world with smartphones. Our "TV remotes" are now in our pockets at all times. We are ever-distracted, with no time to be bored.
Boredom is key for progression. I’ve never thought of this...but it is so true. We must push through the things we do not want to do. Fighting through boredom allows us to first tolerate, then accept, understand, and finally succeed at boring tasks. We are to critically think, not be merely entertained in life. Only when we can find intrinsic value in boredom (and boring tasks), we become present in our bodies. We begin to feel the gravity on our bodies...literally. We can then understand who we are, where we are, and what our bodies are doing. We can see “things as they really are.”
October 2, 2023
As with most philosophy based books, I start out loving it, then my returns diminish. It's probably mostly because i'm thick in the head, but who knows.
There is SO much meat on this bone. I will probably go back and read it again (unlike Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance!) because the author (who i've met in person and who is one of my new favorite LDS authors) really has a love and deep understanding of DFW.
Oh, how I wish DFW had been around to comment on what's happening today. He has no comparison that I know of. His insights are amazing.
The one part of the book that I remember very vividly was where the author referenced a passage in "A supposedly fun thing i'll never do again" where DFW talks about the toilets on the cruise ship. When they flush they have such a strong suction that it seems as though they're sucking the turd right off the ship and like out into space or something. It was both hilarious and poignant. What i take from this: In our culture and time we want to enjoy luxury, but also we don't want to own the idea that our luxuriating is killing the environment, and exploiting those around us. We want to pretend that the natives that serve us at the all-inclusive hotels we frequent on the beaches of far-flung locales really crave our extra dollars, and that we're helping them have a steady job in this crazy new world we've created. In reality, our dollars are doing the opposite: making real estate unaffordable in these otherwise economically depressed areas, raising the cost of living, and further dividing the economical caste system of that country.
I definitely need to reread it now....
There is SO much meat on this bone. I will probably go back and read it again (unlike Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance!) because the author (who i've met in person and who is one of my new favorite LDS authors) really has a love and deep understanding of DFW.
Oh, how I wish DFW had been around to comment on what's happening today. He has no comparison that I know of. His insights are amazing.
The one part of the book that I remember very vividly was where the author referenced a passage in "A supposedly fun thing i'll never do again" where DFW talks about the toilets on the cruise ship. When they flush they have such a strong suction that it seems as though they're sucking the turd right off the ship and like out into space or something. It was both hilarious and poignant. What i take from this: In our culture and time we want to enjoy luxury, but also we don't want to own the idea that our luxuriating is killing the environment, and exploiting those around us. We want to pretend that the natives that serve us at the all-inclusive hotels we frequent on the beaches of far-flung locales really crave our extra dollars, and that we're helping them have a steady job in this crazy new world we've created. In reality, our dollars are doing the opposite: making real estate unaffordable in these otherwise economically depressed areas, raising the cost of living, and further dividing the economical caste system of that country.
I definitely need to reread it now....
October 2, 2018
I'm a huge fan of both Miller and Wallace. When I saw this book coming (placed an early order on Amazon), I was initially concerned that I may be risking a Ghostbustersesque "crossing the streams" dynamic between two of my favorite proton-packed philosophers:
Egon: Don’t cross the streams.
Peter: Why?
Egon: It would be bad.
Peter: I’m fuzzy on the whole good/bad thing. What do you mean “bad”?
Egon: Try to imagine all life as you know it stopping instantaneously and every molecule in your body exploding at the speed of light.
Raymond: Total protonic reversal.
Peter: That’s bad. Okay. Alright, important safety tip, thanks Egon.
Turns out, however, that sometimes beauty is best found with safeties off. Miller offers a grounded and integrated perspective into both the mind ("maps") and body ("terrain") of Wallace's work. From, and often through, Wallace's gripping description of the "yammering mind monkey" of our personalities to the often-overlooked "defecatory posture" we can each imbue with religious significance, Miller helps the reader recognize how the overarching theme of Wallace's work was not only non-nihilistic; but when approached with an "abiding" attentiveness, his "gospel" often revealed what was most meaningful and sacred about the most mundane and ordinary. That what we often find most taxing (irony intended), is often what reveals itself to be "on fire with the same force that lit the stars." Streams crossed = 5 stars.
Egon: Don’t cross the streams.
Peter: Why?
Egon: It would be bad.
Peter: I’m fuzzy on the whole good/bad thing. What do you mean “bad”?
Egon: Try to imagine all life as you know it stopping instantaneously and every molecule in your body exploding at the speed of light.
Raymond: Total protonic reversal.
Peter: That’s bad. Okay. Alright, important safety tip, thanks Egon.
Turns out, however, that sometimes beauty is best found with safeties off. Miller offers a grounded and integrated perspective into both the mind ("maps") and body ("terrain") of Wallace's work. From, and often through, Wallace's gripping description of the "yammering mind monkey" of our personalities to the often-overlooked "defecatory posture" we can each imbue with religious significance, Miller helps the reader recognize how the overarching theme of Wallace's work was not only non-nihilistic; but when approached with an "abiding" attentiveness, his "gospel" often revealed what was most meaningful and sacred about the most mundane and ordinary. That what we often find most taxing (irony intended), is often what reveals itself to be "on fire with the same force that lit the stars." Streams crossed = 5 stars.
March 3, 2023
This was a little different than what I expected it to be. I've not read a ton of DFW but I've read some and I think he's pretty fascinating. I'd expected this book to tie The Gospel - my Gospel to his writing but it's more an exploration of DFWs work related to a number of themes. Miller takes 30 different themes and then relates DFWs work to them. Themes like Time, Silence, Irony, Despair, Addiction, Taxes, Maps and a bunch more. He then pulls sections from DFWs writing that relate to those themes. I think it's a very cool premise, just not the religious spiritual tie I'd expected it to be. It does make me want to take another run at Infinite Jest and Pale King. I think I'd understand them a little better now with Miller's insight and breaking things down a bit.
February 5, 2020
Unlike Wallace's character who endured the boredom of reviewing tax forms, I never worked for the IRS; but I did work for 35 years as a tax lawyer. So I took hope in Wallace's truth that "enduring tedium over real time in a confined space is what real courage is." I also play tennis twice a week, and am inspired by the application of "the head is the body" mantra to my tennis game. I loved the chapter on prayer, e.g., "Prayer is a way of practicing responsibility. Its a way of being responsive to what's happening now . . .Prayer is a name for the practice of abiding."
July 18, 2025
Used this as part of daily devotional reading. This felt more like philosophy than theology, but it was delightful nonetheless. Miller's real work is compiling thematic quotes with each other. It's a nearly 1:1 ratio of quote to commentary, but the quotes together make for some deeply meditative writing for consideration. I've been thinking about the head vs. the body ever since and will probably continue to do so for the rest of my life.
January 18, 2022
Read May 2021.
DFW is a powerful 20th / 21st century author and Adam Miller's analysis of Wallace's works, specifically that of Infinite Jest, make the themes / thesis' of Wallace digestible. Will re-visit after reading Infinite Jest & This is Water.
DFW is a powerful 20th / 21st century author and Adam Miller's analysis of Wallace's works, specifically that of Infinite Jest, make the themes / thesis' of Wallace digestible. Will re-visit after reading Infinite Jest & This is Water.
December 23, 2024
Definitely a case of it’s me not you—I just haven’t read enough David Foster Williams.
December 10, 2020
Adam Miller loves David Foster Wallace. But he admits as much, even as he makes his logical, thought-provoking connections between DFW's work and a sorting hat of chapter themes like distraction, despair, books, abiding, boredom, and beauty. You get the point. The best thing I can say about The Gospel According to David Foster Wallace is that it got me to pull down Infinite Jest off my bookshelf, which, from Miller's POV, is a mission accomplished.
April 4, 2016
****1/2
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