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Content snapshot
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Violence
Barely any
Minimal violence
Language
Some
Some profanity; postmodern wordplay occasionally involves crude language
Sexual Content
Some
Sexual references and adult relationships; not explicitly depicted
Substance Use
Barely any
Social drinking; some drug references
Emotional Intensity
Some
Philosophical questions about identity, language, and meaning; existential themes handled through comedy rather than despair
What this book is about
Lenore Stonecipher Beadsman works at a Cleveland phone company and tries to find her grandmother, a student of Wittgenstein, who has gone missing from her nursing home along with twenty-six other residents. Wallace's debut novel is an exuberant, experimental postmodern comedy about language, meaning, and whether we are defined by the words we use. Dense with wit and cultural references, it announces Wallace's extraordinary ambition.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Philosophical complexity may be challenging
Some adult content and language
Reader Verification
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