A visionary, a craftsman, a comedian and as serious as it is possible to be without accidentally writing a religious text. He can do anything with a piece of prose, and it is a humbling experience to see him go to work on what has passed up till now as modern fiction. Hes so modern hes in a different time-space continuum from the rest of us. Goddamn him ZADIE SMITH A recognised master of form and a brilliant recorder of human behaviour, David Foster Wallace has been hailed as the most significant writer of his generation (TLS). Each new book confirms and extends his genius, and this new short story collection is no exception. He is quite possibly the most exciting literary talent in America today, and certainly one of the most influential. Wallaces talent is such that you cant help wondering: how good can he get? TIME OUT