Writer Redux

I have to say, I was very saddened this morning reading the title of Aaron's post. I can count on one hand the number of times I've felt similarly saddened by the death of artists I'd never met. I read pretty much all of DFW's work during my first year in graduate school, which coincided with meeting and becoming friends with Aaron (who turned me onto him -- I'd previously only read Infinite Jest).

He was among my favorite living writers, and was young enough that his best work may have yet been ahead of him. Not anymore to be sure, which really is the legacy of suicide -- the foreclosed promise of unfinished effort.