The Howling Fantods

Dear readers,

I know behind the scenes many of you have emailed with news items for me to post (or errors to correct). For the most part I've managed to get news items out on Twitter (via @nick_maniatis) but not anywhere else. Sorry. The reason for these delays is due to a close family member having a major traumatic accident resulting in hospitalisation and lots of care in recent weeks.

Some updates coming later today including news about the 20 year anniversary of The Howling Fantods...

And before I forget... DFW Society.

It is with great excitement that I can now announce DFW Society - The International David Foster Wallace Society www.dfwsociety.org along with The Journal of David Foster Wallace Studies.

Mission Statement

The International David Foster Wallace Society was founded to promote and sustain the long-term scholarly and independent study of David Foster Wallace’s writing. To these ends, the Society welcomes diverse, peer-reviewed scholarship and seeks to expand the critical boundaries of Wallace studies. We recognize and champion the visual, the alternative, and the literary: the presence of minds at work. The Society showcases a variety of projects—at conferences, on panels, in our print publication, The Journal of David Foster Wallace Studies, and through other non-traditional modes of scholarly expression.

A fantastic group of people working on this project behind the scenes. Check out the Team and the check out the Journal Editorial Team! Yes a yearly peer reviewed journal!

It is a subscription model, fair prices I think (but yes, I'm in the team so take that into account)... anyone going patron level?

Follow on twitter too @DFWSociety

These are exciting times!

But the biggest thank you of all goes to Matt Bucher for pulling this all together. And for being the President we all admire.

SUBSCRIBE!

The David Foster Wallace Research Group, guided by Stephen J. Burn, have released their online David Foster Wallace Bibliography of Secondary Criticism and it is wonderful.

From the page:

Check out the David Foster Wallace Bibliography of Secondary Criticism now.

Back after a bit of a much needed break with some excellent news:

The OzWallace 2017 Call for Papers

OzWallace 2017

September 1, 2 & 3

Melbourne, Australia

Call for Papers

On behalf of OzWallace 2017, the Conference Committee is sponsoring a call for academic, creative and alternative academic papers relating to all areas concerning the work of David Foster Wallace.

The Committee welcomes papers on any Wallace-related topic. Suggested topics may include:

• Wallace and gender

• Wallace and race

• Wallace and world literature

• Wallace and current events

Authors of accepted papers will be invited to present their work at OzWallace 2017. Successful applicants should aim for a twenty-minute talk. Authors will usually be matched with one or two other participants in a panel, and should allow for a twenty-minute question and answer session after each panel.

Proposals for entire panels are also encouraged.

Call Paper Timetable:

Timely submission of the papers is critical to the success of the OzWallace 2017. The procedures and timetable enumerated below will apply.

1. Deadline for Proposals

By May 1 2017, authors should submit a 200-word abstract for their papers including the title, a short description of the topic(s) to be addressed, and the approach that will be taken. Proposals, along with authors’ contact information and a 100-word biography, should be submitted via e-mail to the Conference chair, Tony McMahon, at tony.mcmahon AT rmit.edu.au. Please put "OzWallace 2017" in the subject line.

2. Acceptance of Proposals

By June 15 2017, the Conference Committee will make a decision on all proposals. The number of accepted proposals might be limited. The Committee will contact authors regarding their proposals.

The Conference Committee looks forward to receiving proposals in response to the call, and is happy to respond to inquiries from interested parties.

Questions may be addressed to Tony McMahon via e-mail at tony.mcmahon AT rmit.edu.au. Your participation in this effort to produce new work on David Foster Wallace will contribute to the written body of knowledge on this author and to the success of OzWallace 2017.

More here: https://www.facebook.com/OzWallace2017/

This just in from Professor Andrew Warren:

"In celebration of Interdependence Day Harvard's English Department will be holding a marathon reading of Infinite Jest on November 8th, from 9am to 8pm at the Arts Café at Barker. By miraculous coincidence November 8th also happens to be Election Day in an election season that has, at every step, fairly approximated Infinite Jest's bent realities. Please therefore join us for a day where reality and fiction collide. There will be Johnny Gentle campaign buttons and "I Jested" stickers aplenty."

More here from The Harvard Crimson, Professors Find Ways to Bring Election into the Lesson Plan.

P.S Andrew Warren won the 2007 DFW Parody comp... you can read his entry here along with the other two finalists here.

Not only has episode 20 of The Great Concavity been released, but now you can help Matt and Dave cover the podcast hosting costs by picking up some neat vinyl stickers!

Episode 20's guest on The Great Concavity is John Mango.

(Follow the show on twitter @ConcavityShow and subscribe to the podcast here)

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The podcast is hosted by Dave Laird (@DaveLaird2) and Matt Bucher (@mattbucher,wallace-l, MattBucher.com, Simple Ranger, Side Show Media Group) two Wallace enthusiasts with a wealth of Wallace knowledge to share.