WRITER
David Foster Wallace
1962 - 2008
David Foster Wallace
David Foster Wallace (February 21, 1962 – September 12, 2008) was an American novelist, short story writer, essayist, and university professor of English and creative writing. Wallace's 1996 novel Infinite Jest was cited by Time magazine as one of the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to 2005. His posthumous novel, The Pale King (2011), was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2012. Read more on Wikipedia
Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of David Foster Wallace has received more than 11,066,967 page views. His biography is available in 44 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 40 in 2019). David Foster Wallace is the 2,983rd most popular writer (up from 3,155th in 2019), the 3,764th most popular biography from United States (up from 4,135th in 2019) and the 330th most popular American Writer.
Memorability Metrics
11M
Page Views (PV)
53.03
Historical Popularity Index (HPI)
44
Languages Editions (L)
3.28
Effective Languages (L*)
4.79
Coefficient of Variation (CV)
Among WRITERS
Among writers, David Foster Wallace ranks 2,983 out of 7,302. Before him are Bruce Sterling, Richard Baxter, Yevgeny Baratynsky, Unsuri, Bret Easton Ellis, and Laura Bridgman. After him are Tariq Ali, Amadou Hampâté Bâ, Auguste Barbier, Miklós Radnóti, Wilfred Owen, and Jim Rohn.
Most Popular Writers in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsBruce Sterling
1954 - Present
HPI: 53.05
Rank: 2,977
Richard Baxter
1615 - 1691
HPI: 53.05
Rank: 2,978
Yevgeny Baratynsky
1800 - 1844
HPI: 53.04
Rank: 2,979
Unsuri
980 - 1039
HPI: 53.04
Rank: 2,980
Bret Easton Ellis
1964 - Present
HPI: 53.03
Rank: 2,981
Laura Bridgman
1829 - 1889
HPI: 53.03
Rank: 2,982
David Foster Wallace
1962 - 2008
HPI: 53.03
Rank: 2,983
Tariq Ali
1943 - Present
HPI: 53.03
Rank: 2,984
Amadou Hampâté Bâ
1900 - 1991
HPI: 53.02
Rank: 2,985
Auguste Barbier
1805 - 1882
HPI: 53.02
Rank: 2,986
Miklós Radnóti
1909 - 1944
HPI: 53.01
Rank: 2,987
Wilfred Owen
1893 - 1918
HPI: 53.00
Rank: 2,988
Jim Rohn
1930 - 2009
HPI: 53.00
Rank: 2,989
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1962, David Foster Wallace ranks 121. Before him are Claudia Sheinbaum, Sumi Jo, Ron McGovney, Maia Morgenstern, Michel Qissi, and Lori Lightfoot. After him are Wynton Rufer, Patrick Ewing, Branko Crvenkovski, Ulisses Correia e Silva, Thomas Gibson, and Peter Steele. Among people deceased in 2008, David Foster Wallace ranks 137. Before him are Anthony Mamo, Majel Barrett, Lazare Ponticelli, Baba Amte, Ken Naganuma, and Mikel Laboa. After him are Edna Parker, Bernie Mac, Sarla Thakral, Philipp von Boeselager, Nina Foch, and Emmanuel Sanon.
Others Born in 1962
Go to all RankingsClaudia Sheinbaum
POLITICIAN
1962 - Present
HPI: 53.24
Rank: 115
Sumi Jo
SINGER
1962 - Present
HPI: 53.21
Rank: 116
Ron McGovney
MUSICIAN
1962 - Present
HPI: 53.20
Rank: 117
Maia Morgenstern
ACTOR
1962 - Present
HPI: 53.17
Rank: 118
Michel Qissi
ACTOR
1962 - Present
HPI: 53.07
Rank: 119
Lori Lightfoot
POLITICIAN
1962 - Present
HPI: 53.03
Rank: 120
David Foster Wallace
WRITER
1962 - 2008
HPI: 53.03
Rank: 121
Wynton Rufer
SOCCER PLAYER
1962 - Present
HPI: 52.98
Rank: 122
Patrick Ewing
BASKETBALL PLAYER
1962 - Present
HPI: 52.98
Rank: 123
Branko Crvenkovski
POLITICIAN
1962 - Present
HPI: 52.95
Rank: 124
Ulisses Correia e Silva
POLITICIAN
1962 - Present
HPI: 52.87
Rank: 125
Thomas Gibson
ACTOR
1962 - Present
HPI: 52.81
Rank: 126
Peter Steele
SINGER
1962 - 2010
HPI: 52.79
Rank: 127
Others Deceased in 2008
Go to all RankingsAnthony Mamo
POLITICIAN
1909 - 2008
HPI: 53.29
Rank: 131
Majel Barrett
ACTOR
1932 - 2008
HPI: 53.28
Rank: 132
Lazare Ponticelli
BUSINESSPERSON
1897 - 2008
HPI: 53.22
Rank: 133
Baba Amte
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1914 - 2008
HPI: 53.22
Rank: 134
Ken Naganuma
SOCCER PLAYER
1930 - 2008
HPI: 53.10
Rank: 135
Mikel Laboa
SINGER
1934 - 2008
HPI: 53.07
Rank: 136
David Foster Wallace
WRITER
1962 - 2008
HPI: 53.03
Rank: 137
Edna Parker
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1893 - 2008
HPI: 53.00
Rank: 138
Bernie Mac
COMEDIAN
1957 - 2008
HPI: 52.97
Rank: 139
Sarla Thakral
PILOT
1914 - 2008
HPI: 52.93
Rank: 140
Philipp von Boeselager
POLITICIAN
1917 - 2008
HPI: 52.90
Rank: 141
Nina Foch
ACTOR
1924 - 2008
HPI: 52.84
Rank: 142
Emmanuel Sanon
SOCCER PLAYER
1951 - 2008
HPI: 52.73
Rank: 143
In United States
Among people born in United States, David Foster Wallace ranks 3,764 out of 20,380. Before him are Bret Easton Ellis (1964), Laura Bridgman (1829), Orson Bean (1928), Lori Lightfoot (1962), Golden State Killer (1945), and Albert Sidney Johnston (1803). After him are Bix Beiderbecke (1903), Tiger Woods (1975), Eugene Stoner (1922), Isadore Singer (1924), Maurice Karnaugh (1924), and Jim Hall (1930).
Others born in United States
Go to all RankingsBret Easton Ellis
WRITER
1964 - Present
HPI: 53.03
Rank: 3,758
Laura Bridgman
WRITER
1829 - 1889
HPI: 53.03
Rank: 3,759
Orson Bean
ACTOR
1928 - 2020
HPI: 53.03
Rank: 3,760
Lori Lightfoot
POLITICIAN
1962 - Present
HPI: 53.03
Rank: 3,761
Golden State Killer
EXTREMIST
1945 - Present
HPI: 53.03
Rank: 3,762
Albert Sidney Johnston
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1803 - 1862
HPI: 53.03
Rank: 3,763
David Foster Wallace
WRITER
1962 - 2008
HPI: 53.03
Rank: 3,764
Bix Beiderbecke
MUSICIAN
1903 - 1931
HPI: 53.03
Rank: 3,765
Tiger Woods
GOLFER
1975 - Present
HPI: 53.02
Rank: 3,766
Eugene Stoner
ENGINEER
1922 - 1997
HPI: 53.02
Rank: 3,767
Isadore Singer
MATHEMATICIAN
1924 - 2021
HPI: 53.02
Rank: 3,768
Maurice Karnaugh
PHYSICIST
1924 - 2022
HPI: 53.02
Rank: 3,769
Jim Hall
MUSICIAN
1930 - 2013
HPI: 53.02
Rank: 3,770
Among WRITERS In United States
Among writers born in United States, David Foster Wallace ranks 330. Before him are Vince Gilligan (1967), Paul Gallico (1897), James Rollins (1961), Bruce Sterling (1954), Bret Easton Ellis (1964), and Laura Bridgman (1829). After him are Jim Rohn (1930), John Perkins (1945), Donna Tartt (1963), Gregory Corso (1930), Lois Lowry (1937), and Anne Applebaum (1964).
Vince Gilligan
1967 - Present
HPI: 53.14
Rank: 324
Paul Gallico
1897 - 1976
HPI: 53.12
Rank: 325
James Rollins
1961 - Present
HPI: 53.08
Rank: 326
Bruce Sterling
1954 - Present
HPI: 53.05
Rank: 327
Bret Easton Ellis
1964 - Present
HPI: 53.03
Rank: 328
Laura Bridgman
1829 - 1889
HPI: 53.03
Rank: 329
David Foster Wallace
1962 - 2008
HPI: 53.03
Rank: 330
Jim Rohn
1930 - 2009
HPI: 53.00
Rank: 331
John Perkins
1945 - Present
HPI: 52.97
Rank: 332
Donna Tartt
1963 - Present
HPI: 52.88
Rank: 333
Gregory Corso
1930 - 2001
HPI: 52.81
Rank: 334
Lois Lowry
1937 - Present
HPI: 52.75
Rank: 335
Anne Applebaum
1964 - Present
HPI: 52.71
Rank: 336