Fatalism, the sorrowful erasure of possibilities, is the philosophical problem at the heart of this book. To witness the intellectual exuberance and bravado with which the young Wallace attacks this problem, the ambition and elegance of the solution he works out so that possibility might be resurrected, is to mourn, once again, the possibilities that have been lost.
Rebecca ... Read moreNewberger Goldstein, author of Thirty-six Arguments for the Existence of God: A Work of Fiction As an early glimpse at the preoccupations of one of the 20th century's most compelling and philosophical authors, it is invaluable, and Wallace's conclusion... is simply elegant. Publishers Weekly This book is for any reader who has enjoyed the works of Wallace and for philosophy students specializing in fatalism. Library Journal [A] tough and impressive book.Financial Times
Anthony Gottlieb Financial Times an excellent summary of Wallace's thought and writing which shows how his philosophical interests were not purely cerebral, but arose from, and fed into, his emotional and ethical concerns.
Robert Potts Times Literary Supplement Fate, Time, and Laguage contains a great deal of first-rate philosophy throughout, and not least in Wallace's extraordinarily professional and ambitious essay...
Daniel Speak Notre Dame Philosophical Review Valuable and interesting.
James Ley Australian Literary Review A philosophical argument that deserves a place in any college-level library interested in modern philosophical debate. A lively, debative tone keeps this accessible to newcomers. Midwest Book Review Show Less