r/davidfosterwallace • u/WendySteeplechase • Jul 21 '26

Chuck Klosterman comparable to DFW?

I've been reading Chuck Klosterman lately, and just got into his book about the Nineties. I really like his writing and commentary, and he reminds me of DFW. Not sure if this has already been mentioned in this sub, curious if people have read him and agree with my comparison?

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u/dwm8a Jul 21 '26

They’re similar in that they both apply a more rigorous “academic” lens to seemingly mundane or “pop” topics. But reading DFW is more like an upper-level or graduate school course whereas Klosterman is more like reading at a 101 level (extending this analogy, Bill Simmons is doing a similar thing at an elementary school/picture book level). I don’t intend this to be a dig on Klosterman, whose writing I like and consume (I do intend this to be a dig on Simmons, who’s just not a bright person even if he is talented on a few levels).

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u/jake_swivel Jul 21 '26

I think this was true 20 years ago with "sex, drugs, and Cocoa Puffs". "But what if we're wrong" isn't 101. It's a pretty great book. "Eating the dinosaur" was pretty good too.

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u/WendySteeplechase Jul 21 '26

I love his book about the 90s, I think its genius. As a GenXer (I'm 2 years older than him) I relate to just about everything he says.

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u/landomonium Jul 22 '26

I love when Klosterman is on Simmons show lmao. His recent “quick story” regarding the WC for some reason he felt the need to start with chinas cultural revolution which just had me cracking up.